After nearly 20 years in the United States, tomorrow Cindy Morgan will celebrate her first Thanksgiving as an American citizen.
The German-born Poplar Bluff resident was only 4 when her parents relocated to the country they had always dreamed of calling home.
Morgan, 24, is the first member of her family to complete the complicated and lengthy citizenship process that started soon after they arrived in the U.S.
"It was just overall, my parents knew we would have more opportunity to have a better life here," said Morgan, who has few memories of her native country. "They knew we would be able to pursue college degrees and good careers and build a life."
Morgan is a partner now at Legacy Media, something she doesn't believe would have been possible in her native country. Basic parts of the American dream, like owning a home or a car, are also out of reach for most German citizens, she said. She took her citizenship oath Aug. 10, in St. Louis, with more than 100 other immigrants from 48 countries.
Petra and Harald Breitkopf had the opportunity to move to the U.S. in 1999 with their two small children, Cindy and her older brother, Henry.
"We always loved America. It was just in our hearts. Often we thought we were born in the wrong country," said Petra. "Thank goodness I married Harald and he was the same. We just loved the way of life."
Petra, 55, is still about two years away from possibly receiving her citizenship. Harald passed away a year ago this month. He had reached green card status.
It was Harald's job with Siemens Energy that made it possible for the family to move, but it was something Petra had dreamed of since she was 13.
Petra fell in love with the U.S. during a visit to family in Texas. Her 16-year-old cousin had a driver's license, something that cost as much as $8,000 in Germany at that time, as well as a car. Breitkopf also found Americans to be much more relaxed than Germans.
"It's great people, generous. You could sit in a doctor's office and (someone) could be a millionaire, but is wearing jeans and looks the same as you.
"Or you could be chatting with somebody in the grocery store and find out he or she is a doctor in town," said Breitkopf. "A German will let you know if they have a degree, title, wealth.
"It seems like the social classes in Germany are very well defined, marked off. It seems like here in the United States, the boundaries are more flowing into each other and blurred. That's all the American way of life, what we love."
Another freedom that has been very precious to the family is the ability to fish. In Germany, it costs about $5,000 in fees and classes to get a license, said Petra. Then residents are not allowed to fish in any public waters, so they have to find private property.
It is very difficult for the average German to own property, unless it is inherited, she said. This again limits the ability to fish, typically, to those who have money, or connections to a fishing club.
Fishing was something Harald and Petra enjoyed doing with their children after they arrived in the U.S.
The Second Amendment and right to own guns was also important to Harald, a right German citizens do not have, said Petra.
It was with the help of Harald's company that the family was able to start applying for citizenship almost as soon as they arrived. It requires a great deal of very complicated paperwork, numerous background checks and a series of different visas and designations. The first was a work visa. In 2014, Petra and Harald received green cards.
"We could breathe for the first time, because you never know if your application will be denied, or with political change ... you never know what new laws are coming," said Petra. "It's very scary. We were so relieved in 2014. That was a victory for our family. I cannot tell you how I felt when I had this little card in my hands."
Petra has to wait until 2019, exactly five years after receiving her green card, to apply for the final stage of the citizenship process. It could take about a year and a half for that application to be processed.
"If your heart is not in there and you are not convinced, I think you will not do it, because it's a lot of work. It's exhausting," said Petra. "You have to go through so many FBI interviews. They are really checking out that you are a good person.
"You only want to have good people here. I understand, but it's exhausting."
The process was slightly shorter for Morgan, whose husband, David, is American. Morgan was able to start the final part of the application process after having her green card for three years.
She has always participated in the Pledge of Allegiance and national anthem, Morgan said. But the first time as an American citizen was very emotional.
"I just started bawling and I'm not a super emotional person," said Morgan. "I've said it so many times ... I always participated ... but it's just always a reminder that I'm not a citizen. Saying it for the first time after I became a citizen, it was just like this moment ..."
As the nation continues to struggle with immigration questions and people coming into the country illegally, Morgan said, there are also many who are following the process.
"There are still immigrants that do it the right way and spend many years and tens of thousands of dollars to be able to legally become citizens. It is possible to do it the right way, you just have to work hard at it," she said.
Today, the family is preparing for their traditional Thanksgiving, with turkey, homemade stuffing and homemade cranberry sauce.
Petra loves to cook, a tradition shared with her by her own mother. She will add German potato dumplings to her American feast, keeping close at home the culture that she grew up with, even as her family continues to pursue the dream of citizenship.