I'm an American Citizen!!

It has been a very long journey. It has taken almost 19 years for this day to happen. I remember when we first arrived to this country seeking political asylum. We had nothing but our clothes on our backs and a small bundle of personal items. I remember the hardships and battles my parents fought in order for our family to remain in this nation...why? Because the United States of America is a wonderful nation. So many people have fought and died in order for us to enjoy our freedoms. I'm grateful for the sacrifices they made. This country is the melting pot, it is the place where you can realize your dreams. We have equal rights, and anyone can succeed, if they work hard for it.
I love this country, even with all of its problems, and politics. It's a beautiful country from coast to coast. I love my freedom. I love what I have been able to accomplish in my life...I don't think that would have been possible if I lived elsewhere.

I was very glad I was able to share this day with my little family. They'll probably never go what my parents and I went through. They will probably take their citizenship for granted, as most Americans do. But I hope they know and are proud of their Latin roots, where they come from. I hope they will know how hard my parents worked in order for my brother and I to make it to this country.

As a teenager, when I was getting out of line, my mother would tell me, "we didn't risk our lives to come to this country for you to behave this way...if you want to behave this way, we can always go back to Nicaragua. We came here to successful, not failures." I think it's true, and I hope I've made them proud.