17

Seventeen years ago, this one made me a momma.

17. One year away from "adulthood". One more year of high school. Time surely is a thief.

Jack is active and on the go all the time.

He plays soccer for both high school and club. He works hard at school and challenges himself.

Jack loves to hang out with his friends, exploring every single hot chicken place in Detroit Metro.

Jack is interested in business and enjoys "reselling" clothes on line that he thrifts.

Jack is the typical big brother. He makes sure they know they he is the boss.

Jack is helpful with running his brother and sister to their practices, especially if he gets to drive with the sunroof open on a nice day.

We love you, Jack. We look forward to seeing where the upcoming year will take you.

Lots of big decisions ahead.

We pray that the Lord guides you in all that you do. We pray for wisdom in the decisions that you make.

We know that regardless of what choices you make, we will be right beside you, supporting you.

Happy 17th Birthday, my son. We love you. We are proud of you. We are excited for you and for the future ahead. Lead with kindness. Trust the Lord. Enjoy this exciting year! Time, slow down.

 

Eight is Great!

This magnificent girl is 8 today!

Maggie is funny and kind and inquisitive. She doesn't just want to know the answer, she wants to know why and how.

Maggie is a good leader. She was voted by her classmates to be the leader representation for the class for the second year in a row.  She may be the smallest in her class, but her classmates listen to her and respect her. She is tiny, but mighty!

Maggie loves to be with her family, playing school with her sister. She is a favorite with Luna, always begging for Maggie's attention.

Maggie has lots of interests and want to be either a doctor or a teacher. Her favorite animal is still a penguin and we have watched many, many documentaries on penguins.

Maggie loves to do art projects and has recently gotten interested in reading.

Maggie is the best sports sister around. She has a bag packed of things to do and play with, along with a very large pile of snacks, ready to go at any time.

She is always sideline ready, and has a great little group of friends at Colin's games.

She rarely complains, only if it is outside and freezing.

Maggie lights up our life and we are so in love with our girl. Happy 8th Birthday, Maggie Li Ya Fedell!

We love you big time. We can't wait to watch you grow. We are excited to see what God is going to do in your life!

My Double Digit Daughter

Our Macy girl is 10. Both hands. All ten fingers.

Macy is funny and kind. She loves to help. If you need a helper, in any capacity, Macy is your girl.

Macy wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She loves to play school with Maggie and she likes being with little kids. She will be great babysitter when she is older!

Macy is in 4th grade and is a great leader in her class.

Macy is a great big sister. She loves to spend time with her family and her dog, Luna. 

Macy is funny and is always making "Dad" jokes with her Daddy. They crack each other up every day.

Macy is a good athlete and works really hard. She has doubled her hours and her meets in gymnastics this year.

She is determined, and that drive has paid off. We are excited to see her grow and learn more this year as she starts competitive gymnastics.

Happy 10th Birthday, Macy!

We love you so much. We are so proud of the beautiful young lady that you are becoming. Continue to be kind to those around and to advocate for those who can not speak for themselves. We can't wait to watch you grow and take on new things this year.

We love you!

Spectacular Seven!

This sweet face is 7 years old today!! How can it be?!

Maggie is rocking the 1st grade! She loves her teacher and her friends and is growing in her confidence with reading and writing.

She works so hard at all that she does.

Maggie loves all things about the body and wants to be a doctor when she grows up. We have spent a lot of time watching (kid-friendly) videos about how the body works. ' The Blood Mobile' and Magic School Bus are some current favorites. 

Maggie loves to create. She will spend hours painting, drawing and cutting paper into shapes and little books. 

Maggie is the best sports sister, who has her bag of activities and snacks with her at all times.

She just goes with the flow of our busy sports family.

Maggie is inquisitive and always has just one more question. She doesn't want to just know how something works, she wants to know why. So, if Maggie asks you a questions, be prepared to give her an in-depth answer. 

 

We love our sweet girl and can't imagine our world without her.

We are so blessed to be her parents and we are so excited to celebrate another year with her. Maggie lights up our whole world with her smile and funny personality. She keeps her siblings on their toes and makes sure we are all in order.

 Happy 7th Birthday, Margaret Li Ya. We love you SO!

13:

 It doesn't seem possible, but today, we have a teenager!

For 13 years, this guy has made me a momma. 

The oldest of 4 kids, he has had to be our guinea pig and so far, as survived the experiment of our new parent-ness. He handles it well, even if he pretends that he doesn't!

He loves to be with his friends.

Whether it is riding bikes, walking to 7-11 or playing online, he is always connected with his buddies.

He is a great student, even if he doesn't tell anyone about it.

He is a good big brother, even if he doesn't want people to know it!

He is funny and outgoing. 

He enjoys cooking and his favorite thing is making different smoothies.

Jack would live on a liquid diet, if possible!

He is excited to start working, now that he is 13. Babysitting certification and Soccer Ref certifications are coming right up!

(Anyone need a babysitter?!)

Jack is a natural athlete and enjoys playing soccer year round.

He had a great team this past year, with great teammates and great results.

Jack keeps up on our toes.

We couldn't love him more, even if he pretends he doesn't want us to!

Happy Birthday, my son. We love you so! We know that you are going to do great things.

We look forward to watching you grow, as we enter into this new world of teenagers.

I know that you are going to succeed.

Remember that you are loved.

Remember that your choices count.

Remember that we support you.

Trust your gut and make the smart decision.

Happy 13th Birthday, Jack.

We love you buddy!

Fantastic FIVE!

 

This bundle of joy is FIVE today. One whole hand.

Maggie Li Ya, you are so loved.

You are brave and strong. You are about to tackle a new adventure and you are doing it with such bravery and strength. It makes us so proud.

 

You are determined and persistent. Once you decide on something, your concentration is unparalleled.

 

You are witty and so, so funny. Your sense of humor keeps up laughing all day long.

You are the perfect mixture of sassy and sweet. You let your feeling be known, both the good and the bad.

You love to be with your family, to be all together. You love to play barbies with your sister and to tease your brothers. You love to see your brothers on a field or court and yell out their names!

You are creative and love to dance and sing. You can put on make-up like a pro, much to your dad's dismay.

Magaret Li Ya, we are SO proud that you are our daughter and we can not imagine a world without you. We love you so!