Yesterday Ioelu officially became an American Citizen! Can I get a CHEEEEEEEEE HOOOOOOOOOO!!! It was so great to finally have everything done! No more applications...no more money...no more waiting! We had problems in the past with immigration taking their sweet time through the process, sending the wrong information to us (which of course, freaked us out trying to figure out what to do) but in the end it all worked out! I am so proud of him. He is such a great man. A loving father and a wonderful husband. 
Ioelu and I got to the immigration office for his 7:45am interview and test. The ceremony was not going to be until 2:00 pm, which was great because we were able to pick up the kids and my dad for the ceremony. Even though the kids didn't really understand what was going on, I thought it was great to have them there to share in his moment.
Unfortunately, we still don't have a camera, but I had my phone and took some pictures from the ceremony. Now, I just need to figure out how to put them onto the computer!! So, in the mean time, you all get to enjoy pictures of when Ioelu went to D.C. with a group from school.
Even with so much corruption and terrible things going on, we are so blessed to live in the United States. We have so many opportunities. I cannot even begin to express my love for Ioelu and all that he does to provide for us.
During the ceremony, they played a few videos and one of them was this song. I absolutely love this song. It is definitely one of my favorites, the words really touch my heart. It is just a beautiful song and I get choked up when I hear it. I am so proud to be an American! I know most if not all of you have heard it but I wanted to share it anyways.
The other things that are going on in our life...let's see.
1. We heard back from Samoa last week and was told that they found Ioelu's brother and family alive and safe. Now, the only problem is that one of the brothers who went looking for them is now in the hospital with a terrible swelling in one of his legs.
2. Ioelu is now working full time! He is relieved and I am, again, so proud of him, and blessed to have him in my life.
3. My dad is now home from the hospital. For those of you who don't know, he was in the hospital for a couple weeks because of a staph infection he had in his legs. It was terrible. He couldn't get up and walk for a good portion of the time he was in the hospital. When he was finally able to walk with out too much pain medication, he was transferred to a rehabilitation center/nursing home to finish recovering and work with a physical therapist. That was the worse thing that could happen. He was only there for about 3 maybe 4 days and got very depressed. It was just a terrible place to be. Needless to say, his doctor approved him to come home and finish his medication. It is a great relief to be here and have someone to care for him as he is recovering.
4. I am going to be going to Trinidad next month. Yea, I am pretty excited. It is not going to be along trip but a trip none the less! One of my very best friends is going to be getting married there and of course, I am in the wedding! hehehehe! She met him while visiting her parents who were serving a mission there, and now, they are ready to tie the knot! I really hope all works out for them and they are as happy as Ioelu and I are! I really want the best for her and hope that this guy is worthy of her! She is such a wonderful woman and deserves the very best in a husband! I have never met the man, but I am sure she chose a worthy man deserving of her love!!
5. The kids are growing tons and getting into everything! As much as I love them, those child safety locks and everything else do not work! We have a gate leading into the kitchen, which the kids climb over, making it pointless to even put it up anymore. The "child lock" that I have on the cupboard doors under the sink doesn't seem to work especially when little William likes to play with the door. They are constantly getting into the fridge and so far there has been at least 2 gallons of milk spilled on the floor. No not all at once, it was more like a half a gallon at a time! I try to clean it up as best as I can but let me tell ya, milk on carpet is not the best smell in the world! Me, being the perfect mom that I am, tells my kids that is it is ok...YEA RIGHT! Ok, so I'm not the perfect mom that I had hoped to be when I had kids, and I will definitely admit that I had lost it...more than once! But that is another reason that I am so blessed to have Ioelu. When I am at my wits end, he is there with the gentle reasoning, and vice versa!
I do have really great kids. Even though there are those times that I am pulling my hair out because of what they did, I love them so much and cannot even imagine my life without them!
Which reminds me of something that Krisalyn had asked me on Sunday. She was looking at a magazine, showed me a picture of a beautiful woman and this is the conversation that we had.
her: "Mommy, why didn't daddy marry her?"
me: "Well, because he married me."
her: "Why didn't you marry the guy who asked you?"
me: "Daddy did ask me."
her: "No, the other guy."
me: "Well, if I married him, than you wouldn't be here."
her: "But, he should have married her because she is beautiful and has a beautiful necklace."
me: "What about me?"
her: "You have beautiful earrings."
and before I can say anything else she says, "I love you Mommy."
OH, the joys of parenting!!!
