Dear Loved Ones,

Pleasant Greetings from Sacramento, CA! As in Pinas, this month kicks off joyful anticipation of blessed Christmas holidays with carols in the air, thankful celebration for the many blessings received all year round, especially the gift of life and much, much more . . . . !

On Sep. 3, after the 30-min. Q & A in the U.S.- C.I.S. Naturalization process, the officer announced: ‘Congratulations, you have passed all the requirements and we are giving you an advance Birthday gift as you will take your Oath/Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S.A. in ceremonies scheduled on Sept. 17 at the . . . . .!’ On the other hand, Sean had a similar experience with his lady interviewer. At the door, she greeted him thus: “So, you are a varsity volleyball player at CSUS where I got my college degree and a varsity volleyball player too; Is Weidi (their mutual coach) still there?” So Sean felt at ease immediately. After their Q and A which went smoothly, they talked more about their mutual passion Volleyball and their favorite coach. Thus, we were so blessed! The following day, we received our formal notice of the Oath-taking in the mail, which means that the US-CIS staff did all the documentation and posting that very same afternoon (we finished past 2:00pm).

The tough compliance was the 4 years + 1 day continuous stay in the U.S. within a 5-year period, with no foreign trip exceeding 6 months. In my case, it was most difficult so I had to take 2-weeks short trips to Pinas over that period, and God is so generous to allow me to satisfy that requirement. Our Sept. 17 Oath-taking at the Memorial Auditorium was memorable and moving – much diversified group of inductees. Of the 875 new Americans coming from 85 different countries, the top 3 were from India – 103, from Mexico – 115, and from the Philippines – 193, or 22% of total. This statistics is only in Sacramento; with Pinoys scattered all over the country, it would be a similar phenomenon (the fast spreading of Pinoy culture and faith!). After each country was called out, applause followed, proportionate to the representation; so definitely the loudest cheers/claps/shouts were from Pinoys. The ceremonies were very touching and orderly – live performances of patriotic songs, welcome remarks, SSN updates and registration as new voters, among others. Moreover, on that same week, I received the subpoena for my first Jury service scheduled on the 2nd week of October, fulfilling my 1st responsibility as citizen; the other is to vote in elections. This is the efficient American info system – so AMAZING! Emma and Bill, I salute the U.S.P.S. for your very efficient/ speedy services. Thus, I feel so welcome and truly part of American society! I intend to maintain my dual citizenship status, to enjoy the best of both worlds/ cultures.

Therefore, my birthday celebration was marked with so much appreciation and thankfulness to God Almighty for allowing / granting / giving me all these wonderful blessings – good health, fulfilled dreams, among many others. In my Bible study group, we started the series “Journey through the Bible – The Story of Salvation”, an 8-part Bible Timeline, using the guide by Sarah Christmyer and Video by Jeff Cavins, starting with Genesis to Acts of the Apostles (Old and New Testaments). Even as I had read the Bible many times before, you gain fresh insights from the sharings of a new group of persons (20) with their varied profile and life experiences.

On our monthly Catholic Lunch Club held on Sept. 25 at the Radisson, the guest speaker was Dr. Ray Guarendi - Clinical Psychologist, Radio host, and Father of 10 (all adopted) – very remarkable with lots of humor! . The topic was ‘Keep your Children Catholic’ – the parenting myths the experts don’t want you to know. Excerpts: ‘Parents, teachers, and anyone who works with children today are having their confidence, peace of mind, and authority undercut by a number of wide-spread myths that have been pushed on them by the experts, media, and almost everybody else. Dr. Ray offered tips on how to handle them. As usual, I got an autographed copy of his book “Adoption: Choosing It, Living It, and Loving It.’

One of my birthday resolutions is to ‘maximize my learning-for-life on community, society and culture’ through attendance of civic events, like concerts, shows, etc.; the latest was the live performance by the Marine Corps Band at the Capitol grounds. With our inherent musicality and being San Diego-based, there were Pinoys in the band. While I had always enjoyed music, the rendition of patriotic melodies like ‘Semper Fidelis’ and themes of the various military branches brought higher level of perspective for me, this time around – ‘soaking them all in’. Thus, the magical experience and journey continues!

Attached are 4 photos of: Oath-taking, Birthday celeb and Luray experience. Let us continue to pray for our country and people. Peace and Joy to You and God Bless Us All!

Much love and Best Regards!!!

SUSAN BG