Happy 8th!!

 

Eight years ago today I walked into a tiny room at the local government building. Plastic chairs were set up in the waiting room, people were behind counters calling out numbers. It looked like your basic Secretary of State office, except the language that was spoken was Mandarin and it was thousands of miles away from Michigan.

Some people were there for driver's licenses, deeds and other such paper work. I was there to meet my daughter for the very first time.

Seeing you for the first time will be etched in my memory forever. We had prayed for you for years, planned and prepared for your arrival into our home. 

August 8th, 2017 will always be a date burned into our heart and lives. Our first time meeting our Margaret Li Ya.

Maggie still has the best smiles and is one of the kindest souls I know.

She is very interested in how things works. She loves details. She loves to examine and investigate.

She loves to be with her family and is happiest at home. She is our little homebody who cherishes time with her whole family.

Maggie is a great friend and a calm leader. She can quietly lead a room. It is a real gift of hers. 

Anyone who knows Maggie is better for it. She lights up our world and we are so thankful that we get to be her parents. It is one of our greatest blessings in life.

Happy 8th Gotcha Day, my girl. We love you so. You are the best of us and we are excited to see what is in store for you.

We love you, Doodle.

15

 

Happy Birthday to our 15 year old! Colin is currently on a his way home from Ensenada, Mexico having helped build a house for a family in need. I can't wait to hear all about his trip and to hug my boy!

Colin is constantly on the go, whether he is going to or from soccer or hanging out with his friends, he is rarely still.

His great love is still soccer and he will spend another season playing MLSNext with his club team. His dedication to his sport and his passion is inspiring. He works very hard to stay at the level he plays at. It is no easy feat.

Colin is a great friend and a good brother...when he wants to be! He has a big group of friends who stay actively involved in each other's life. 

Colin is active in our church's youth group, especially his life group. Even if he has soccer training, he will still go late and tries to make every life group meeting. They are a great group of boys!

This summer, he chose to spend 3 weeks of his break to serve others. He worked in Detroit for a week, cleaning up yards, streets and school in the heart of Detroit. He is coming home from a week in Mexico, building houses for families who slept on dirt floors and in August he will head to middle school camp as a volunteer  and game coordinator. This was very much his decision and his choice to spend his rare free time. We are so proud of him.

Happy Birthday, Colin. We can't believe that you are 15! We are so proud of your determination and your commitment in all that you do. You work hard and it shows. We pray that the Lord guides your steps in the coming year. We are so excited to see what the Lord has in store for you.

Happiest of Birthdays, my boy. We love you so!

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.

 

Seven!

 

Seven years ago, we met this sweet face for the first time. We got to hold her in our arms and we worked so hard for a hint of a smile.

Today, just thinking about her brings a smile to our face, as there is usually a smile on her's.

She lights up our life and we can't really even remember our world before her.

Maggie is about to enter the 3rd grade. She does well in school and works hard in all that she does.

She loves to be with her family, play with her sister and just be at home.

Unfortunately, our family schedule doesn't really allow for much home time, but she handles any sport, any venue with grace. She has her bag packed and ready and just needs to know if this event is indoor or outdoor.

Maggie is thriving and we are so proud of her.

Maggie is inquisitive and asks all of the questions, all of the time. And you better give her the right answer or she will keep asking.

I know that her thirst for knowledge will serve her well in life.

While this is the highlight reel, and adoption comes with many layers, Maggie is a joy and being her parents is a true gift. We are so blessed to call her our daughter.

Happy Gotcha Day, Maggie Li Ya!

We love you so!

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!

Six Spectacular Years!

 

Happy 6th Gotcha Day to our Maggie Li Ya!

Six years ago, I held you in my arms for the very first time.

Today, you randomly crawled into my lap and fell asleep.

We've lived so much beautiful life in between those two moments.

You are kind and strong.

You defend those around you.

You tackle new challenges, even when you are nervous.

You have excelled in school this year, working so hard.

You were chosen by your peers to be the classroom leader. I definitely cried when that happened.

Meeting you on August 7, 2017 was one of the greatest days of my life. 

What a blessing to call you daughter.

What a blessing to be your mom and get to see you grow.

We love you so much, Margaret Li Ya Fedell.

Teenagehood.

You are 13.

A full fledged teenager now.

You are determined.

You are dedicated.

You work very hard at things that are important to you.

You are also fun.

And surprise people with your witty banter.

You make us laugh all the time.

You are still highly competitive and soccer is still your great love.

You have branched out a bit and ran cross and track... but you really just did that for conditioning for soccer.

You are a great teammate and a great friend.

We love your drive and you care more about a game then most of the kids out there.

But more importantly, you are a kind kid. You care about those around you and you care if someone is feeling left out.

You do really well in school and your determination shows in all aspects of life.

We love you so much and look forward to watching you grow!

Happy Birthday, Colin.

We pray it is the best year yet for you.

May you continue to love God and love those around you.

We love you so.