Because We Can, I think I Might

I have resisted adjusting my status and applying for United States citizenship for a long time and for many different reasons. But yesterday, something finally happened that tipped the balance in favor of my doing just that and applying to become an United States citizen.

We got up at 05:30 AM here in Auckland, and shuffled down to the living room, brewed some tea, and sat on the sofa under a blanket and watched the beginning of something amazing. A new dawn? A new era? Whatever it ends up becoming, the events of yesterday in Washington, D.C., were historic and emotionally powerful.

Barack Obama has done something that we all thought was un-doable, I think. Whether we said it out loud or not, I think that most of us honestly never thought that there would ever be an African-American President take the oath of office in the freezing cold on the steps of the Capitol.

I have never felt engaged by American politics. I have felt confused and bewildered at what I saw as a sad lack of attention to the screaming problems that face the minority communities. The injustices and the apparent desire to just continue with the status quo and not address them made me feel that the American people were squandering their legacy. But, I think that has changed now. I hope it has changed now. I pray it has changed now.

I think I would like to part of that change. I believe that I have contributed in an unofficial capacity as a resident alien, almost like being a volunteer with Doctors Without Borders or something similar.

I don't think it will be an easy process, particularly with my now taking time outside the United States here in New Zealand. But from what I can see I meet the requirements. I also took the step of obtaining an I-131, which is an Immigration Department document which gives me official permission to be outside the United States for an extended period of time without abandoning my Permanent Residency.

So, I'll keep you up to date on developments as they come to hand. I think the first step is to contact a lawyer and see what they think...

Monday in the Park with Jacob!

So here we are, the happy family, enjoying the best of a kiwi summer - a picnic lunch under a sprawling oak. I don't think it gets much better than this...

The move has gone well thus far. The long period of radio silence is because we have taken so long to get Internet at home. But that was remedied this morning, ya-hoo!

Jacob is 7 weeks old now, and has made heaps of progress. He saw his MD on Tuesday and started his vaccinations. Not too much crying, and he did just fine afterwards, thank goodness. He met his Plunket Nurse, too. He now weighs 5180gm, which is in the 11lb 4oz range. He has started sleeping longer at night, and now gives us 5-7 hours of extended sleep in the early part of the night, which I must say is bliss. He also likes longer naps in the day now too.

He is smiling, and is starting to coo at us. Sometimes he looks like he is on the verge of saying something profound, but then we get a very primeval sounding growl. He really is a lovely chap.

He met his Nanny and Koro last week, who are smitten. He has also met a few of the Temple people as well as family and friends. It's going great.

More, soon.