I am an American Citizen.

Yesterday, I stood up with 2701 other new citizens in the LA Sports Arena and took the Oath of Naturalization. I cried throughout the whole thing. Aside from my wedding, and the birth of my two children, I'm hard pressed to find a day with more significance in my lifetime.

It's been a crazy last few days. The ceremony was scheduled smack in the middle of our planned trip to Yosemite, but I wasn't about to reschedule something I'd been waiting on for so long... so, Wednesday we drove up (380 miles) and got settled in to the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal (great place, by the way - our rooms overlooked the Merced river - but the crappiest staff I have encountered in a hotel in a LONG time).
Thursday we drove into Yosemite, up to Glacier Point - amazing vista - and tooled around for a while, then back out to the hotel for dinner and a celebratory toast with the family, before I headed out on the road again at 9pm to get back into LA. Got to my brother-in-law's place in Long Beach around 4am and crashed on his couch for about 3 hours.
Friday I got up at 8:30 am, fretted around for a couple of hours getting ready before I made my way to the Sports Arena. Got in line, got herded around like cattle, completed the oath ceremony, listened to President Obama say a few words (videotaped of course) and filed out to pick up my certificate of naturalization. Saw sunlight again at around 3pm where I met up with a couple of my church friends who had come out to support me, grabbed a quick bite at Denny's with them before heading back up to Yosemite AGAIN. LA traffic by this time was absolutely abysmal and added a good two hours to my trip. I didn't see my hotel room until midnight.
Got up this morning, packed up, took the 120 East through the valley and came home down the Eastern side of the Sierras, via 395. We pulled in to the Kingdom at 9:30, and now I'm looking forward to my bed. I have driven close to 2000 miles these last four days. I'm tired, as is the rest of my family (although they didn't accompany me down to LA) but elated at finally possessing proof of US citizenship. Now to switch out my red passport for a pretty blue one and register to vote. I'll be getting started on both of those Monday.
Bitchen pictures of Yosemite to follow...

UPDATE: I just learned by reading Say Uncle that yesterday was also the first anniversary of the Heller decision! June 26th will forever be doubly auspicious for me! Gun blogger taking the Oath of Naturalization on the anniversary of the Heller decision. Way cool!