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Showing posts with label Williamsburg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Williamsburg. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Attending a Citizenship Ceremony at the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg (Virginia) by Savvy Mom Ruth Paget



Attending a Citizenship Ceremony at the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg (Virginia) by Savvy Mom Ruth Paget-Pennington


The day before Laurent was to be sworn in as a citizen of the United States, I ironed all of our clothes while Laurent polished shoes.  Everyone had to try on their outfits, which I touched up with more ironing.

I made dinner reservations at the Boathouse, so Florence could get a huge bowl of crab claws to remember the occasion.

The next day, we went to Williamsburg (Virginia) for the citizenship ceremony.

Williamsburg has very sophisticated Christmas decorations I noted as we drove into town.  There were no colored and twinkling lights in this town.  Williamsburg dwellers paint real fruit gold to go with the pine wreaths on their doors.

This seventeenth century town made me think we were walking through the streets of England with all the red brick buildings.

Our destination was the House of Burgesses where Laurent’s citizenship ceremony was going to take place.

I told Florence, “We are in a very famous and important place,” as we took our seats on the 400-year-old benches.

A judge swore in the new citizens.  Then, different members of the Williamsburg (Virginia) Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presided over various pledges and recitations that we were given handouts to repeat and sing as needed:

-the Pledge of Allegiance

-the Americans’ Creed

-the Star-Spangled Banner

The Daughters of the American Revolution then introduced Donald T. Regan, the speaker:

Regan, who was President Reagan’s former Chief of Staff, exhorted the new Americans to learn English and drive the speed limit.

We all received miniature American flags at the end of the ceremony.

“You always get party favors in the U.S.,” I told Laurent and little Florence as we headed out to our blue Nova in the parking lot.

As we were pulling out of the exit, Mr. Regan walked by our car.  We waved our flags at him, and he gave us the thumbs up.

I rolled down the window and said, “We’ll drive the speed limit,” as we pulled out of the parking lot giggling.

We went to the Boathouse and ordered platters of grilled scallops, shrimp, and red snapper.  I got a bucket of crab claws for Florence.

I cracked crab claws for Florence and handed the delicious meat to her and said, “Here you go, kiddo,” after dunking it in warm, melted butter for her.

We ate Key Lime pie for dessert and took photos of Laurent with all his citizenship papers.  Everyone in the restaurant cheered him and loved it that he was a “Navy Guy” husband.


By Ruth Pennington Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Ruth Paget Selfie