Not only did Bethany receive her Certificate of Citizenship (COC), but it also meant THE END to any and all adoption related paperwork! Which am I more excited about? The second for sure! Ha ha. :)
Although Bethany did become a U.S. citizen when we finalized back in November, the COC is a vital piece of documentation that proves her citizenship and changes her status with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from a permanent resident to a United States citizen. *very important*
After hearing about other adoptive parents' negative experiences on their COC days, I wasn't sure if it would be worth taking Austin with us. He would have to miss a day of school and a day of the CSTs (California Standardized Test) *gasp*, but knowing that Austin has always been very involved in his little sister's adoption, I knew I couldn't take the risk of him missing out on something special.
It turned out to be a very nice ceremony, and I was so glad Austin was able to be there with us.
The official program for the day
Taking the oath on Bethany's behalf.
There were 162 children under the age of 14 naturalized that day,
and Bethany was one of the youngest ones.
At the end of the ceremony, they played "God Bless the U.S.A.", which always brings tears to my eyes.
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