I’m officially and finally an American citizen. As part of the naturalization process I had requested to change my last name to Schaefer. That request was granted at the oath ceremony in Denver on Thursday.
Wolfgang Schäfer was my maternal grandfather and in many ways my childhood hero. I hope I can grow up to be half as adventurous, educated and well traveled as he was. Half as quirky would be plenty, too 
Many thanks to Wendy Dillenschneider , Greg Liverman and Kelly Strong for making the day even more special by spending it with me.
I had stubbornly decided to wear a western dress, boots and turquoise jewelry to court. The dress code said no jeans, shorts, or flip flops, so I figured I wasn’t technically stretching any rules.
The judge was glad to see a room full of smiling faces. A civics class from a Colorado Springs high school welcomed the new citizens with hand written letters, flags and happy cheers. Among many moving stories, there was also talk of Mustangs and Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy in the courtroom that day.
Another pleasant surprise, the silverware at our lovely lunch spot had horses on it. When I got home tired and happy at the end of a long and emotional day, even the sky was red, white and blue.
I’m grateful to be(long) here, for the opportunities, adventures and incredible people I’ve encountered since moving to this country and excited for what’s to come.
Onward!
