2017.
What a crazy year for our family. A new daughter, a trip around the world and many more moments filled those 365 days.
Here is a photo review.
January:
Macy started preschool for the first time! She was very excited.
We took the kids to the Dog Expo. While it was not my favorite thing, the kids absolutely loved it. We did not come home with a puppy, so I will call it a win.
This handsome guy celebrated his birthday with a lunch date with his girls, eating his favorite, Thai.
February:
With weekends filled with soccer turf and basketball courts, Macy played where every possible. Daddy even joined in on the fun.
My niece, Emma Jane, joined the world!
This guy and his sweet little team won the Winter 1 and 2 season. These boys were just so fun to watch.
March:
A freak wind storm that took out our neighbor's tree, thus taking out our power line left us without power for FIVE days. In March. In Michigan.
Warm coffee and donuts were a must.
Just as we got our power back, a big snow storm stopped by.
We get dressed up fancy one time a year... for the New Morning School auction gala.
April:
We spent our spring break in Kalamazoo, visiting family and museums.
Happy Easter from this crew!
May:
We got the call that we were MATCHED with this sweet little face!!
I spent my Mother's Day cheering on this handsome dude at his first tournament playing in the big leagues! I wouldn't want it any other way!
Once all our paperwork was finalized in China, we told the kids that their new sibling was a GIRL!
Macy was beyond excited!!
Sweet memories were made on Memorial Day, just a girl and her daddy.
June:
We held a yard sale adoption fundraiser that was SO much work, but successful and we were thankful for everything that sold.
This guy (whose sticker says "We Need You") went above and beyond, donating his things and giving us all his money just because he "wanted his sister home."
We celebrate the best daddy around on Father's Day.
We also squeezed in as many park dates as possible!
July:
You can't celebrate Jack's birthday and the 4th of July without a stop at Tiny's for Blue Moon ice cream.
We said " See you later" to dear friends who moved back to England. We miss them already!
I upped my Mom status with the purchase of a mini van.
This cute dude turned 7 years old!
And we did LOTS of adoption paperwork as we prepared for our trip to China to get Maggie.
August:
Hello from the Great Wall of China!
Gotcha Day where we met Maggie for the very first time. It was a beautiful, heart wrenching, intense, sad and happy day for us all.
Adoption Day!
Maggie's main mode of transportation in China.
Our "pack" that we travel with in China. We are so thankful to travel with two other families who became dear friends. It was such a blessing.
U.S Consulate day! Maggie was ours in China and now Internationally!
FINALLY home!
Maggie's first soccer game. (Sorry for all of sporting events you will be dragged to in your lifetime)
Sibling love. It makes me all mushy thinking about how sweet these siblings love is.
September:
Colin's first tournament playing on his new A team.
Our first photo as a family of SIX!
Fourth, Second and Preschool, here they come!
One month home with this one and she was feeling good!
This sweet girl of mine turned 4 years old!
October:
Apple picking in the rain with Macy's preschool.
Colin's team won the 2009 (one year up) Dearborn Jaguars Invitational. These boys are gems. Sweet, good boys, every one of them. We are so thankful for his teammates and coach.
Maggie gained 2 whole pounds...mostly in those cheeks!
The best part of my bi-annual work trips is seeing these girls! Friendships are so valuable.
Princess Anna, a mime, Gareth Bale and baby Elephant showed up on Halloween.
November:
My baby ballerina, back in action.
Daylights Savings is hard.
November is World Adoption Month.
We are big fans of adoption in our home.
Happy Thanksgiving from my greatest blessings!
December:
My sweet girls. I love that they have each other.
My Christmas Elf.
Sitting sideline with these handsome guys. Not a bad place to be!
Macy says that she wants to be a "baker girl" when she grows up.
I vividly remember this time last year. The empty stocking holder, holding the Chinese Flag, waiting for a name and a face to fill it's place. It was a bittersweet holiday season, for sure.
This year, Maggie is home for the holidays and this miracle is something that I do not take lightly. She is home. Forever.
Full mantle, full heart.
Christmas Eve. These kids are just the greatest joy of my life.
Christmas Eve in matching Christmas jammies. Jack and Colin know the drill, but Maggie did not know that she will forever be forced into matching Christmas jammies for the rest of her days.
Goal next year: Getting Dad into matching jammies.
Andrew side Christmas morning with the cousins...who also believe in matching Christmas jammies.
My beautiful Chinese princess in her traditional Chinese silks.
What is better than a giant box after Christmas? Nothing.
2017 was an intense year for us. I was challenged in every single area of life. I felt stretched and challenged at every corner. It was filled with high highs and low lows. After 18 months of praying and preparing for a new member of our family, we brought our daughter home from China.
So as we say goodbye to 2017, the year that made a family of 6, I look forward to 2018 as a year of growth.
Growing together as family. Growing in our relationships and our friendships. Growing with those around us.
I pray that 2018 is a year of flourish and growth.
For Maggie to flourish in our family.
For Ryan to flourish in his business.
For Jack to flourish in school and friendships.
For Colin to flourish in his quiet leadership.
For Macy to flourish in school and with her friends.
And for those that are reading this, I pray that 2018 is the year that you grow into the person that you were created to be. Not the person that others expect, but the person the God created you for.
2018.
Let's make it a year of growth.
