USA USA USA USA USA USA

[Urkidding]

We woke up at 5:00 am this morning with much anticipation on our minds. Our son, Little Alex (4 years old) had no clue what was about to happen today.

 

Her letter stated “Please be here promptly at 7:00 am”.

 

Maggie’s journey from China that started 10 years ago was about to be highlighted today. We left the house at 6:00 thinking we had plenty of time. We had to make a stop at the Shipley’s Doughnut house for some hot doughnuts and chocolate milk. This was going to be Alex’s breakfast. Normally Alex wakes up at 7;00 am so this was a real surprise for him today.

 

Going down Interstate 10 and catching the carpool lane was a breeze. Once off the car pool lane, traffic signs indicated an accident ahead. One of those things we didn’t plan for. After inching past a real bad accident we are back up to speed at 70 mph, however 10 minutes behind schedule.

 

Maggie was worried that if she didn’t get there at 7:00 she would have to attend another swearing in ceremony. Actually she didn’t have to because she was already hearing me do all the swearing at the traffic jam that we ran into.

 

As we neared the auditorium I look at my watch…oh oh 10 minutes late and Maggie looked real nervous. Then as I drove up I saw a line stretching out the door and down the sidewalk. There must have been at least a couple of hundred people waiting in line just to get in.

 

Tall ones, short ones, fat ones and skinny ones, one that couldn’t walk, handicapped ones, white, black, Asian, brown, yellow, middle easterners, Muslims, African, English, and Greeks too!. Man, you name it and they were there. Hundreds and hundreds of people who waiting with the same anticipation as my wife did, just to become a US Citizen. And you could tell they were proud of it. Most had their best Sunday clothes on, dressed to kill, women had their hair done and it smelled like a flower factory every which way you turned. Men had their polished shoes and best western hats.

 

Adopted baby girls from China with American families were very prominent and scores and scores of Chinese and Vietnamese Families. Mixed couples every where you turned and children with them. What a site to see. If you’re an American Citizen by birth, this is one ceremony that you have to see. I highly recommend it.

 

We finally sate down around 7:30 am after Maggie went through one line and me and Alex went through another line. She was required to turn in her 10 year green card and later would after the swearing in ceremony, she would receive her US Citizenship paper.

 

We patiently waited for another half hour when a speaker came and advised us that the federal judge who was to preside over the ceremony was to be late – 2 hours….Geezzzz

 

Have you ever tried to keep a little child busy for 2 hours. We went walking and I chased after him and got water and this and that and finally 2 hours later we were about to start.

 

The judge finally came in and we were told that this was a big courtroom complete with court reporters and cameras, etc, etc. In fact in was indeed a court and it was called to order. The judge was asking the attorneys questions regarding all of the people who were there present if in fact they had passed all of there examine and all of their paper work was in order. All replies were answered with a yes. They were all asked to stand, 2075 people rose and recited the pledge of allegiance and with that my body tingled with excitement as all of these people were sworn in as new US citizens. I turned to my wife and I was about to congratulate her as the first one to do so and then the judge, in a real loud voice over the intercom system said the same thing so I then change mine to “Let me be the second one to congratulate you to becoming a US Citizen” and gave her a big kiss to goo with it.

 

Afterwards I asked her if she felt any different and you know what she said…

 

 

“You bet I do”

 

 

So tonight there is one more person here in America who is proud to be an American.

 

Help me in welcoming our new US citizen – Maggie

 

p.s. – Maggie asked the guy who took her green card if she could still travel with her Chinese passport and his answer was – “Yes”, however I pointed out to Maggie that once you leave to country and you had no proof that you were a citizen (US passport, Green card, Resident Card), she could not get back into the country…So, in fact he may have mislead her with his answer – Do ya’ll agree?

Edited November 29, 2007 by Urkidding (see edit history)

[LeeFisher3]

Sounds like an eventful day, pass on my congratulations to Maggie.

 

First thing you need to do is get a US passport, How to Apply in Person for a Passport.

 

Now when she travels to China she could use the Chinese passport to travel to China and the US passport to return to the US. I'm not saying this is exactly proper but is done by many.

 

The proper thing to do is request the 2 year multi-entry visa for her US passport and submit her Chinese passport as evidence. They will then void the Chinese passport and return it to her.

[Shenzhen K-1]

We woke up at 5:00 am this morning with much anticipation on our minds. Our son, Little Alex (4 years old) had no clue what was about to happen today.

 

Her letter stated ¡°Please be here promptly at 7:00 am¡±.

 

Maggie¡¯s journey from China that started 10 years ago was about to be highlighted today. We left the house at 6:00 thinking we had plenty of time. We had to make a stop at the Shipley¡¯s Doughnut house for some hot doughnuts and chocolate milk. This was going to be Alex¡¯s breakfast. Normally Alex wakes up at 7;00 am so this was a real surprise for him today.

 

Going down Interstate 10 and catching the carpool lane was a breeze. Once off the car pool lane, traffic signs indicated an accident ahead. One of those things we didn¡¯t plan for. After inching past a real bad accident we are back up to speed at 70 mph, however 10 minutes behind schedule.

 

Maggie was worried that if she didn¡¯t get there at 7:00 she would have to attend another swearing in ceremony. Actually she didn¡¯t have to because she was already hearing me do all the swearing at the traffic jam that we ran into.

 

As we neared the auditorium I look at my watch¡­oh oh 10 minutes late and Maggie looked real nervous. Then as I drove up I saw a line stretching out the door and down the sidewalk. There must have been at least a couple of hundred people waiting in line just to get in.

 

Tall ones, short ones, fat ones and skinny ones, one that couldn¡¯t walk, handicapped ones, white, black, Asian, brown, yellow, middle easterners, Muslims, African, English, and Greeks too!. Man, you name it and they were there. Hundreds and hundreds of people who waiting with the same anticipation as my wife did, just to become a US Citizen. And you could tell they were proud of it. Most had their best Sunday clothes on, dressed to kill, women had their hair done and it smelled like a flower factory every which way you turned. Men had their polished shoes and best western hats.

 

Adopted baby girls from China with American families were very prominent and scores and scores of Chinese and Vietnamese Families. Mixed couples every where you turned and children with them. What a site to see. If you¡¯re an American Citizen by birth, this is one ceremony that you have to see. I highly recommend it.

 

We finally sate down around 7:30 am after Maggie went through one line and me and Alex went through another line. She was required to turn in her 10 year green card and later would after the swearing in ceremony, she would receive her US Citizenship paper.

 

We patiently waited for another half hour when a speaker came and advised us that the federal judge who was to preside over the ceremony was to be late ¨C 2 hours¡­.Geezzzz

 

Have you ever tried to keep a little child busy for 2 hours. We went walking and I chased after him and got water and this and that and finally 2 hours later we were about to start.

 

The judge finally came in and we were told that this was a big courtroom complete with court reporters and cameras, etc, etc. In fact in was indeed a court and it was called to order. The judge was asking the attorneys questions regarding all of the people who were there present if in fact they had passed all of there examine and all of their paper work was in order. All replies were answered with a yes. They were all asked to stand, 2075 people rose and recited the pledge of allegiance and with that my body tingled with excitement as all of these people were sworn in as new US citizens. I turned to my wife and I was about to congratulate her as the first one to do so and then the judge, in a real loud voice over the intercom system said the same thing so I then change mine to ¡°Let me be the second one to congratulate you to becoming a US Citizen¡± and gave her a big kiss to goo with it.

 

Afterwards I asked her if she felt any different and you know what she said¡­

 

 

¡°You bet I do¡±

 

 

So tonight there is one more person here in America who is proud to be an American.

 

Help me in welcoming our new US citizen ¨C Maggie

 

p.s. ¨C Maggie asked the guy who took her green card if she could still travel with her Chinese passport and his answer was ¨C ¡°Yes¡±, however I pointed out to Maggie that once you leave to country and you had no proof that you were a citizen (US passport, Green card, Resident Card), she could not get back into the country¡­So, in fact he may have mislead her with his answer ¨C Do ya¡¯ll agree?

 

No that is true I believe?????

 

Nice job, now go vote and pay your tax bill!!

 

Welcome to America???

 

B)

[Urkidding]

Sounds like an eventful day, pass on my congratulations to Maggie.

 

First thing you need to do is get a US passport, How to Apply in Person for a Passport.

 

Now when she travels to China she could use the Chinese passport to travel to China and the US passport to return to the US. I'm not saying this is exactly proper but is done by many.

 

The proper thing to do is request the 2 year multi-entry visa for her US passport and submit her Chinese passport as evidence. They will then void the Chinese passport and return it to her.

 

 

Thanks uncle Lee...

 

Will start working on the US Passport ASAP since she wants to visit next year...

[RLS]

Congratulations and welcome Maggie!

[tywy_99]

Congratulations Maggie!...............

 

I bet you're proud, Andrew! Congrats, man! B)

[IllinoisDave]

CONGRATS AND WELCOME MAGGIE!! B)

[Randy W]

Congratulations, Maggie !

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y164/wteach/bandwagon/usa17.gif

[David&Wendy]

CONGRATS MAGGIE!!!!!!!

 

[Joanne]

Congratulations, Maggie!

 

Now, you can vote.

[Dennis143]

http://i2.tinypic.com/6kpslxh.gifCongratulations to our new American, Maggie!http://i2.tinypic.com/6kpslxh.gif

[chilton747]

CONGRATULATIONS MAGGIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[warpedbored]

Congratulations Maggie!!!!! Bing is filing as soon as we get our tax transcripts back.

[Jason+Joanna]

Congratulations ! ! !

[NUWORLD]

CONGRATULATIONS MAGGIE!! Edited November 29, 2007 by NUWORLD (see edit history)