It's Official!

As of last Thursday, Mick officially became an American citizen (well, technically he shares dual citizenship between America & Great Britain).

We attended the ceremony at the federal courthouse in Detroit and were fortunate enough to have Mick's mum, Julie, attend with us along with my parents (who drove 4.5 hours from Boyne Highlands on Wednesday afternoon to Ann Arbor, then drove an hour to Detroit on Thursday morning (early!), and then turned around and drove four hours back up north to Mesick to meet Andy & Sarah and kids at a campground).

93 people were sworn in along with Mick, which apparently was one of the largest groups they'd had. We listened to the presiding judge's personal story about her family's immigration to the U.S. She is a Lebanese-American and the first one in her family to read and write English. She drove home how important it is for all new citizens to learn to speak English as she noted that was the one thing that would help people assimilate quickly. However, she also reinforced how special everyone's different backgrounds and cultures are and encouraged everyone to share their culture, their food, their customs with neighbors, friends, and children. I was pleased to hear her drive this point home as I think all of our "differentness" (not a word, I know) is what makes America so special. She acknowledged that this was probably a hard ceremony for some to go through, as it meant renouncing allegiance to other countries. I noticed some tears, particularly from the older candidates in the group.

Once the judge was done speaking, she had the candidates stand and take the oath of naturalization (provided in its entirety below). Then we all applauded (one of Jack's favorite parts) and then we all sat quietly while the new citizens were called up one by one to receive their certificate of citizenship. I was impressed by the judge's clerk, who managed to read about 92 muti-syllabic names, many with seeminly no vowels. I didn't envy her job. She did this very gracefully though. We all had to laugh a bit when she finally got to read out "Michael John Collins" which, frankly, couldn't have sounded more American.

Mick then signed the certificate and we went to celebrate with some pretzels and diet coke (seriously - we bought them in the courthouse cafe).

He had to turn in his greencard (which, frankly, pained me a bit as we worked so long and hard to get that darn thing) and has already applied for an expedited American passport, as that will now be the only way he can easily get in and out of the country.

It was a really special experience... but one I'm glad we won't have to do again any time soon! Pictures from our big day are below:

Pre-ceremony excitement

The all-American family

Oath of Allegiance:
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;

that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;

that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law;

that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law;

that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law;

and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;

so help me God."