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By GARY BROWER
myZeeland Staff

Michelle Karsten has been rooting for the United States throughout the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
But it wasn’t until Tuesday that the 32-year-old from Zeeland could call the athletes in red, white and blue members of her home team.
That is the day the mother of three, a native Canadian who has been living in America for 13 years, became a citizen of the United States.
Karsten was sworn in, along with 83 others representing 32 countries, at a naturalization ceremony at Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids.
“I think if you are going to be here (in the United States) then you need to be all the way in. I’m proud of the day,” Karsten said. “Today is an awesome day.”
Karsten was born and raised in the province of New Brunswick, Canada and came to West Michigan to attend Calvin College. There she met Kevin Karsten, got married and settled into a life in America.
She first came into the country on a student visa and then, after the marriage, received a green card, which was fine with her.
Until Sept. 11, 2001.
“I never became patriotic until the twin towers went down. That is when I bought my first American flag,” she said. “I was really moved by that. It was one of the first things that I felt a lot of patriotism for. Then, when we went to war, it kind of made me more patriotic.”
After 9/11, Karsten began to move toward gaining American citizenship, but didn’t finish the process until Tuesday.
It was jump started last year by the prospect of Michelle’s mother, Jeanette Streek moving to Michigan. Kevin and Michelle Karsten have three children, Annabel, 8, Brayden, 6 and Madelyn, 4, and Streek considered moving here to be closer to her grandchildren.
“Last year we had talked about her moving over here, but they said the only way you can have your mom move here is if you become a citizen,” Michelle said. “That started my paper work.”
Streek decided not to move from Canada, but the ball was already rolling on Michelle’s naturalization process so she decided to keep it going. With her green card due to expire in a couple of years, she decided it was best to continue the naturalization process.
“I really wanted to vote. I’m excited that I will be able to vote,” Michelle said. “And my green card expires in 2011, so I didn’t want to go through all that paper work.”On Monday, the eve of her naturalization ceremony, Kevin joked with his wife that a Canadian had won a silver medal on the trampoline. But on Tuesday, after the ceremony, he spoke of how proud he was of his wife and of how much becoming a citizen meant to her.
“When you are born an American citizen it’s not a choice you have and you take some things for granted,” he said. “When you choose to become an American citizen it is something you hold dear.”
Streek didn’t think she would be able to make the nearly 12-hour drive from eastern Canada, but found out late Monday night a friend was driving to Grand Rapids the next day. She hitched a ride and was able to attend Michelle’s celebration party Tuesday at the family’s Central Avenue home.
“I came rolling in here with my red suitcase and Michelle looked at me and she just started to cry and cry and cry,” Streek said. “I really appreciate the patriotism of your country and she has learned to love the people here and her friends. And I think she really wanted to make a difference by voting.”
About 50 of Karsten’s friends and family, most decked out in red, white and blue attire, attended Tuesday’s celebration. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R- Zeeland, stopped by and presented Michelle with a flag that had been previously flown over the state capitol.
It was a good ending to a great day.
“I felt like ‘Okay, good, I finally did this.’” she said. “I’m part of the country. I’ve lived here long enough. I can be part of the patriotism now.”