17 Years in the U.S. (!!!)

Today is a significant day…my family and I have been in the U.S. for 17 years!

Through the years I’ve seen the hand of the Lord work in my family’s lives…so many blessings. We’ve moved many times within NJ, and then cross-country here to Arizona. We came in as immigrants from the Philippines, and now are all U.S. Citizens.

I just look back at this date every year and–though it was sad (SUPER sad, actually) to leave our dear family and friends in the Philippines–I know my parents just wanted the best for us (and they always told this to us many times throughout my growing up).

My siblings and I…we didn’t always agree with my parents’ decisions (about coming to America, moving many times in Jersey, even moving TO Arizona), but I know they both WORKED SO HARD to be where we are today.

At the end of the day, each day…

It. All. Worked. Out.

For the BEST.

So here is a photo from when we first arrived in the U.S. 17 years ago (no laughing please!!!)

My siblings and I (from L-R)...11-year-old Anna, 9-year-old Tedi, 3-year-old Kara, and 13-year-old Me.

This is a part of our family’s history…a part of Miguel I wanted to share with him. My parents are first-generation immigrants, my siblings and I 1.5 generation (didn’t know there was such a term, see definition in Wikipedia here), and Miguel–the first grandchild of our family–is the first of our family’s second-generation. It is all quite interesting when you look at it all historically.

What special part of your family’s history have you passed on, or would you like to pass on, to your kids?