Finally!

After about six years, Pauli has received her U.S. Citizenship on October 20th at 10:07am. The process was one fraught with pitfalls, but we made it. Now we won't have as much trouble with keeping visas current or have as many restrictions on our travel and schedule.

The process started with her initial residency in June, 2000, but required extra travel documents as we left for Ecuador in July, 2001 and a return in July, 2002. With the difficult pregnancy in 2003, we couldn't return and she lost her residency.

We applied for a special visa to reactivate the residency and it was finally granted in June, 2005, but not active till we entered the US at the end of August 2005. Her prior residency time was not applicable for citizenship requirements, but we found out about another catagory (in which missionaries fall) and were able to complete the requirements this year.

We applied for citizenship in June, Pauli had her interview on October third, and the swearing in ceremony was on October 20th.

This picture was taken during the ceremony when they allowed the new citizens to share stories of what they had gone through for their citizenship. Pauli got up (suprising me!) and shared how God had helped through the process and that, as Christians, our ultimate citizenship is in heaven.