I made it, and so can you!!

[Glühbirne]

Today I climbed to the summit of Lassen Peak, a non-active volcano. It kind of reminded me of the immigration process in many ways. As we were climbing up the steep switchback trail, we saw many couples and families on thier way down, we passed many others on thier way up, and were passed up by many. Some people were so confident, with a steady determined pace and thier right shoes. Others looked as though they were being tortured. One little boy, about 12, would run as far as he could and get way ahead of us, then stop and rest until we passed him, then run again.

But you know who impressed me the most of all the people we passed? An old couple on thier way down. The old man gave me the thumbs up sign and his old wife told me, "Good job, you're almost there." It was so cool how encouraging they were to complete strangers, and it was awesome to be encouraged by someone who'd already made it to the top. Plus, the fact that they were probably at least in thier early seventies made it even more amazing. If they could do it with thier old wrinkly, worn out bodies, I knew that I could. It was hard. But they really motivated me.

It made me want to come back to this website. I know I haven't been here much lately. But those old people made me realize that having already been through the process, I can be a help to those still on thier way up the mountain. So, as cheezy as this may sound, sorry for not being around. :blush:

Here I am this afternoon at the summit.........
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j253/Gluhbirne/LassenPeakBonnie.jpg

[Pinkpig]

Amazing...thanks for sharing!

[ratito921]

very sweet glu and so true at that. Awesome pic by the way...so tell me is that snow?

[kennah]

Glu, your just amazing, thanks for sharing.

[latinsoulmate]

That is awesome! great photo also by the way. I plan to still be doing things like that when I am in my seventies:thumbup:

[Chula]

Latin YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great conversation over the weekend :thumbup:

[Laura]

Thanks very much for sharing that with us!

[ce&ll]

That's so awsome! :thumbup: Thanks for sharing!

[pquiroz]

congratulations lauren tomorrow is the big day hooray

[inlimbo]

Great story! Thanks for the encouragement to all of us who are still working our way up the mountain!!!!

[Dorothea]

Glu, I read your post this morning before I went to work, but didn't have a chance to respond. I thought about it all day, what a kind and inspiring message! Thank you for that!

[nsoto]

Glu..Mt. Lassen is soooo beautiful!! Congrats, huge climb girl!!!

[Luckysprite]

Glu - thanks for that inspiring story. Congratulations for making it up BOTH mountains... Mt. Lassen - and the immigration mountain as well. I believe that it is with the help of you - and so many others from this site - that my family WILL overcome our own immigration mountain - and we will all come out on top in the end!

[everything4love]

Glu-I know exactly what you are talking about.
As I just got back from Juarez I feel so bad because of everything I saw there. I heard so many sad stories and saw these small businese ripping people off to fill out their paperwork and even one girl got the police involved. The store across the street from the consulate charged us 34.00 dollars for a fax, the mall down the street charged us 4.00 dollars for the same fax.

I literally wanted to stand outside the consulate and hand out a piece of paper written in English and Spanish, "need help with paperwork I will help you." The consualte probaly would have booted me out and they even put on the appointment packet dont let anyone look at your paperwork. I can see why they put that because we were approached by a lot of people trying to make a fast buck vowing they could help us.

I vowed before we got our 1st appoinment and even if we get approved I will always try to be of help on the I2US site and help anybody that I can. I just feel so awlful that so many people have to go thru this. I wish I knew of more ways besides this website to help. I know there is the political route but unfortunately I am not that type to do that. Politics make me upset, especially after we were stuck in Mexico and our senator said they would help and never returned the phone call.

[meesh]

Everything,

How did everything turn out? I know you had a hard time last week? Was he able to come back with a visa? I sure hope so!

Glu,

Thank you for that inspirational message. It brightened my day:)

[everything4love]

Meesh- Thank you for asking. I finally a week later was able to reschedule another infopass appointment for the waiver on the 16th. So hopefully we will know then. I will keep everybody posted.

[Glühbirne]

...so tell me is that snow?

:bounce: Yep, it's snow. But it wasn't cold. It was the perfect temperature up there.

[Marie]

awesome picture glu!!!

[pen1137]

nice!!:wave:

[egonzalez1975]

Neat story. Sounds like you guys had fun!!!! Can't wait to do something like that when hubby gets home. (maybe not climb a mountain, but walk down the street :blush: hehehehe)