My American husband

Rafael became a United States citizen today!

He moved away from home a little more than 10 years ago. He had a student visa, then a work permit. Then, he became a permanent resident. After five years, he was able to file for citizenship.

He went through a background check, multiple interviews and lots of forms. He prepared for the test by studying U.S. history. Do you know all the answers? (See below.)

  • Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
  • What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
  • When was the Constitution written?
  • What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
  • How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
  • The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

Rafael told me that he felt like a chapter of his life was closed today and it was the beginning of a new stage in his life. He said he felt free.

Rafa got to give his green card back because he doesn’t have to carry it around with him anymore!

The new citizens taking their oath.

Rafa’s cheering section!

Us with the judge.

Rafa with his citizenship card and gift.

Here’s the last one. Our house church had a red, white and blue themed potluck tonight in celebration. At the end, they presented Rafael with a flag that has been flown over the U.S. Capitol! It even came with a certificate of authenticity from Rep. Eric Paulson. We were so blessed by the thoughtfulness!

Answers:

  • World War II
  • the Louisiana Territory
  • 1787
  • Nancy Pelosi
  • Nine
  • We the people

Did you get the questions all correct?

At the MIA

I had my quiet time at the MIA today – Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

I sat in a room of 17th century art commissioned for European churches, royalty and home temples. The detailed art wonderful scenes with Biblical themes as the artists imagined them. I comanderred a wooden bench and opened my Bible to Psalms. My dear hubby sent a verse to me earlier in the day so it was fresh in my mind.

“Today once again felt to my knees with a mix of feelings. But every time I fall I remember to look up to the hills, grip my cross harder and get up again because my help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121
1 I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord ,
who made heaven and earth!

3 He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

5 The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

7 The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.”

I went on to some other favorites, including Psalm 27 and 119. The priceless art, the hum of the air vent and the irregular footsteps were a beautiful melody for my prayer. It was beautiful.
Of course, I couldn’t leave the museum without stopping to see Rafael’s friend, Frank (by Chuck Close).

No list needed

I love when Rafa works so hard to complete errands and tasks that I ask him to do…but I really, really love it when he takes care of things before I can even ask.

When I got home today from visiting Grandma, I found Rafa wearing work clothes and paint up to his elbows.

“What have you been painting?” I had no idea!

He tackled room we dubbed the “red room,” our fourth bedroom that had been serving as an office-slash-glorified storage closet. The walls were thick with a deep, oil based paint red. Deep red. On all four walls.

More red that we could handle. (Normally, I love me some red. We are two of the biggest Targeteers around. It was too much red for us.)

Rafa took it upon himself to start the process of neutralizing the room for us. He procured the finest quality primer Menards had to offer and got to work. It looks awesome! It reminds me of a verse:

By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

Rafa could have had a well-deserved lazy weekend. He could have spent the time watching movies and hanging out. He could have worked on any of the other projects that he has on his own list of things to get done.

Instead, he took his “free” time and gave it back to serve me, out of love.

I could write a honey-do list. He would probably work really hard to get everything on it done. He probably wouldn’t complain…much. Things would get done. And it would be fine.

Instead, he seeks out ways to love me. That’s a blessing from God.

Happy 68th Anniversary!

It’s a special day for Grandpa and Grandma Crabtree. They’re celebrating 68 years of marital bliss today.

68 years.

Wow.

68 years of marriage, five children, 22 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren (with two more on the way).

Their marriage reminds me of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

I love that passage because when it talks about the physical (labor, fall down, keep warm, defend themselves) the verse talks about the two. But the last line refers to three – man, woman and God. Even though it takes two to physically labor, it takes three to avoid being broken.

How many times did grandma and grandpa choose their marriage? How many times did they turn their eyes away from themselves? How many times did they die to their own desires? (Our pastor says that the secret to a good marriage is to die to yourself. Then die some more.)

I’ve heard it said before that marriage is designed to make us more holy than happy. Isn’t that the picture of marriage? God gave us marriage as an illustration of the way Christ loves the church. What did Christ do for the church?

He died. He died to make her holy.

When we die to ourselves to serve our spouse, we learn love. How to forgive. We see our own faults in the mirror our spouse holds up to our life. We learn to serve, which helps us become more like Christ.

Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa, for serving each other, and all of us in your family, for the last 68 years. I love you so much!

(Please pray for Grandma. She has been in the hospital for almost two weeks. My ma says watching Grandpa tuck Grandma into bed is the sweetest thing ever.)

Please, validate me

We were riding in the car the other day and my iPhone was being so. antagonizingly. slow. I would hit a button and nothing would happen for minutes (probably seconds, but it seems like forever when you expect your phone to move as fast as you think).

“Rafa!” I cried. “Look at this! I tried to open this app like five minutes ago.”

He dutifully looked and nodded.

“Really, Rafa! It still isn’t opening!!!!”

“I see,” he said.

“But Rafa,” I said with a dramatic sigh, “my phone is sooo slow.”

“Yup, saw that,” he chirpped. I finally found the words to tell him what I needed.

“VALIDATE ME!” We laughed and laughed. He looked at my phone and said, yes, that is really slow and yes, you have every right to notice the delay. No, you’re not crazy and yes, I see the same thing you are seeing.

There wasn’t a thing he could do about it. I just wanted to know that someone knew what I was going through.

It was super funny at the time, but it got me thinking about one of the great things about marriage. It’s really fun to have someone to validate me.

As in – whoa, did that crazy noise just come out of that tiny dog?
Or – is it just me, or does it really stink in here?
Or even – are my thoughts valid? Interesting? Who am I?

I was put on this earth to serve the Lord as Rafa’s wife. That’s the best validation I could ask for.

USA! USA! USA!

We got back from Faithwalkers safe and sound this morning! (More on that later, I’m sure.) We arrived to find an awesome answer to prayer here … Rafa received a notice from the Department of Homeland Security. 

He passed all his tests, interviews and background checks. 

His naturalization ceremony is on January 20! He will become a United States citizen!

Thank you to everyone who was praying for us during this uncertainty and nervousness. Please join us in our joy for this answered prayer!!

Now I’m old

Time and Tide wait for no man,
but time always stands still for a woman of thirty.
– Robert Frost

Celebrate good times

In preparation for my big birthday on Thursday, Rafa and I celebrated tonight. The actual day of my birthday will be a flurry of family and preparation, so we set our special time aside a little early.

Rafa surprised me with a trip to a cute litte hidden Italian restaurant – Al Vento, near Nokomis. 

We started with melt-in-your-mouth bread. Then straight to the main dish –

 

I had saffron risotto with bay scallops and tiger shrimp. Rafa and a beautiful chicken breast with smoked ham fontina with squash risotto. I felt like I was a judge on Hell’s Kitchen – “The risotto was cooked perfectly!”

We finished with a delish tirimisou, served for two.

“Rode the kitchen”

Rafa told me I “rode the kitchen” this weekend in a way he’s never seen before.

What??

I love his funny analogies. I guess he was impressed that I woke up early and simultaneously baked, cooked and dipped my way through the day.

I prepared mini-crescent rolls, spinich artichoke dip and mini BBQ turkey meatballs for our small group Christmas party.

I made a tasty lunch of blackened chicken and bow-tie pasta.

Then I got to work on the baking. Peanut butter cookies with a Rollo in the center, Oreo balls, covered pretzels and almond biscotti.

I added these tasty treats to ones my girls and I made on Saturday – caramels from scratch and three kinds of truffels. Here’s a selection wrapped up in a tin and ready to be delivered to our neighbors!

Our fur babies

We had an early Christmas gift in the Soriano house… from us, to us. A new camera is the perfect thing we can enjoy together. The perfect models? Our fur babies!

Sockie,

Oreo joined in,

No fur, but still one of our pets – O.J.

And of course, Hawkie Puppy.