You guys, six years ago today was also a Thursday.
I remember that day so clearly. Andrew and I picked up our three kiddos from school a little early, drove to the airport, boarded several flights and headed straight back to China (where we had just been 18 months before) to meet our newest little girl…
…then, on the afternoon of September 11, 2016, we met our Madeley James.
She was a very timid, shy, unsure and cautious almost two year old…
…after being in an orphanage since she was about two months old, she wasn’t sure about our rowdy little group, but she let us love on her and very quickly…
…became the center of our universe.
Oh my word. We ADORE this little girl.
The five older Shulls, well, we’re a rather serious bunch. We’re all pretty focused, type-A, schedule oriented and can each be a bit uptight/rigid/regimented from time to time. Andrew and I always wanted two kids…and then we met our Ashby and instantly knew our hearts were full and complete with three. And then…
…God blew all five of our lives and hearts WIDE OPEN WITH THIS GIRL.
Madeley is exactly who we needed to bring a special kind of joy, love, silliness, comedy and passion into all of our lives.
She and Ashby have similar interests, but they’re very different, and yet, complement each other SO WELL! They are inseparable and at least once a day, I say to them “what would you do without each other?!”.
No one makes the other laugh more than the other. It’s constant giggles and entertainment with these two.
Mades never takes herself too seriously. Mades never makes a joke at anyone else’s expense. She’s funny. She’s clever. She’s quick-witted and very mature. She can read a room and always knows how to draw out the best in her audience.
This little girl is so super smart and excelling at school. She loves to read, she loves to write, she loves me to quiz her on “math facts”. She has a love for learning.
She is by far the cuddliest of all the Shulls and full out arguments occur every evening over who gets to cuddle with her on the couch. Every. Single. One. Of. Us. want to snuggle this kid.
Madeley has never had a bad day. She’ll cry occasionally or get upset about something specific…but it’s not a “bad day”. Mades has a few bad moments but never a bad day. She’s super compliant. Always agreeable. Flexible. Easy going. Happy to tag along. Up for spontaneity. Down for an adventure. Okay chilling out. Just always easy to be around.
Six years ago, we opened a hotel room door and had no idea who this child was or how she would affect our family.
God knew EXACTLY what we needed when He made Madeley James a part of our family.
We love this sweet girl so very much!!
We absolutely cannot imagine our lives without her in it.
My prayer for my girls’ moms each and every day is that God grants them a peace…a supernatural, unexplainable peace that their daughters are happy, healthy and loved. That’s my prayer every day but especially this time of year when we stop and celebrate the day the six of us became a family. Our joy came at another woman’s loss. We are so incredibly humbled by that and thankful for her and the daughter she brought into this world.
Geez, I love you sweet Madeley James. You are my forever baby.
You are quite certainly the center of our world.
Happy Gotcha Day! xx
To see all of my posts on our adoptions, please scroll and click below…
Madeley’s Post Adoption: 5 Years
Madeley’s Post Adoption: 4 Years
Madeley’s Post Adoption: 3 Years
Madeley’s Post Adoption: 2.5 Years
Madeley’s Gotcha Day {2nd Anniversary}
Madeley’s Post Adoption: Month 21
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 18
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 15
Madeley’s Gotcha Day {1st Anniversary}
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 11
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 10
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 9
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 8
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 7
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 6
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 5
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 4
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 3
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 2
Madeley Post Adoption: Month 1
Meeting Madeley for the first time: HERE
All of our China travel posts: HERE
To see more about our journey to adopt Ashby, see below:
Ashby’s Gotcha Day {7th Anniversary}
Ashby’s Gotcha Day {6 Year Anniversary}
Ashby’s Gotcha Day {5 Year Anniversary}
Ashby’s Post Adoption: 4.5 Years
Ashby’s Gotcha Day {4 Year Anniversary}
Ashby’s Post Adoption: 3.5 Years
Ashby Gotcha Day {Third Anniversary}
Ashby Post Adoption: 2.5 Years
Ashby’s Gotcha Day {Second Anniversary}
Ashby’s Gotcha Day {First Anniversary}
Meeting Ashby for the first time: HERE
All of our China travel posts: HERE
Beth Knecht says
Happy Gotcha Day, Madeley! Such a sweet blessing from God! I hope you remember that day forever!
Dana P says
So precious!! And you posted a picture the other day (maybe your mom’s party?) where she actually looks like you! How sweet it is to watch both your girls meld seamlessly into their family. 💜
Erika Slaughter says
Happy Gotcha Day, Madeley Shull!! It feels like it’s been so much longer than six years! It’s hard to remember the Shulls without a Madeley! We love you, Mades!!
Elspeth says
So sweet! Happy Gotcha day! I remember reading your post about meeting her 6 years ago, time flies!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Holly says
My favorite part of this post is when you mention that she never makes a joke at someone else’s expense. As a teacher and a mom of a bunch of kiddos, that made my heart smile. What a special little lady!
Mix and Match Mama says
Never. She’s constantly making jokes and always funny, but it’s ALWAYS at her own expense. She reminds me very much of my Mimi in this way. So very much.
Jennifer Goodwin says
I love reading/seeing how Madeley has transformed from a serious/shy/timid toddler into who she is today. Clearly, something is working and the Lord always meant for her to be a part of your family! The goodness of God is often overwhelming to me. I love how all of you love her so much. Happy Gotcha Day to your sweet youngest girl and to all of you, as well. ❤
Sheaffer says
Oh, sweet Madeley! Love this girl soooooo much. She’s the life of the party for sure!
Melissa Terry says
Well…you got me again.
Every single one of your adoption posts brings makes me cry. For years, there were tears of longing and sadness, wondering when our forever baby would be home, but now they are pure joy. For your sweet family and for ours….families that are complete through the miracle of adoption. Thank you for shining a light on that and for giving voice to some of my most tender emotions about our daughter’s birth mama as well. I hope y’all have the best Gotcha Day on Sunday xo
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh Melissa! I am just thrilled to pieces for your sweet family!
Lilly says
Her toothless smile is the bestttttt! Happy Madeley day 🥰
Amy Heinl says
Happy Gotcha day…another day to celebrate your sweet girl and God’s infinite wisdom that knew how much you needed each other. Madely is just a bottle of sunshine in a little ones body. Enjoy celebrating your special day
Kim Harrigan says
Madeley sounds like the perfect addition to your family.
Cori says
Question: I would love to travel with my internationally adopted child. When I looked into getting a passport, it looked difficult to get a US passport the first time. Needing all kinds of previous documents from her country of origin. Can you advise, probably through an email, not here, on the process? Did I read the instructions wrong? Geez. That would be my luck.
Mix and Match Mama says
I would say it’s not complicated but it’s a bit lengthy. We brought Ashby home at the end of January and she traveled to Europe in June. For Mades, she traveled about 9 months later on a passport. You just have to go through all of the steps one at a time and then bring it allllllll to the passport office. Seriously, bring everything. It’s not hard, it’s just a process.
Sarah DeWald says
Happy Gotcha Day!
Julie says
I hope no one questions you about what day of the the week it really was!! Bwahaha.
What a beautiful tribute to your daughter! (tears). I’m so in awe of the way you changed her life, and your own! I’m sure a great part of her sunny and peaceful nature is being raised in such a loving home.
Hope you have a great day celebrating her.
Mix and Match Mama says
That made me chuckle. It was a Thursday. Don’t question the little things, people. 😉 Bahahaha!
Vicki T says
Happy Gotcha Day Madeley!
Rachel Shafer says
Happy Gotcha Day sweet Madeley! Her joy for life exudes in these pictures!
Dawn says
We also adopted a sweet girl and she has rocked our world since day1. I’m so grateful. You said it beautifully “Our joy came at another woman’s loss”. I’ll never forget the day we buckled our daughter’s car seat into our car and drove away from the birth mom, and processing intense relief and equally grief. Praying for those mommas!
Thank you for sharing!!
Kristin M says
What a blessing! God is so so good!
Lori M. says
Happy Gothca Day Madeley!!! These are my favorite posts you do:)
MIssy says
Happy Gotcha Day to that sweet girl! Enjoy celebrating they day 🙂
Amy says
Happy Gotcha Day!!
I am in tears reading this post. I recently started the Bible study Breaking Free (at your recommendation) and today was about the obstacle of prayerlessness. Madelyn’s story is such a representation of how prayer works. I love hearing both of your girls adoption stories…such a precious family formed by God and prayer.
Have a great day celebrating!!
MelanieL says
I will never forget that picture of the 4 kids in jammies as Madeley’s debut into our little world! I love how Madeley has shaped your family, thank you for sharing it all with us! 🙂
Kristin Lyngaas says
What a beautiful day for all of you and I’m sure as she gets older Mads will be even more grateful for how God changed her life. God makes such awesome plans for us when we least expect it. Your family is beautiful inside and out. Hope you have a great celebration dinner tonight. 🙏💜🌸🤪😊
Ash says
Wishing you many, many more hatch days with your sweet girls! I love how you also pray for their mothers – hopefully their hearts are at peace, wherever they are.
Brooke says
I love the part where you talk about praying for peace for her birth mother. I feel like God must be giving that to her. Madely seems like such a joy. God does great things.
K.K. says
Oh Madeley!! Happy, happy day to YOU!!
Kristy says
Your sweet Mades is just an absolute light and her joy shines through all of your posts. Thank you for sharing your story. I really believe God led me to your blog to open my heart to adoption. I followed along with your adoption of Ashby and suddenly I knew God had similar plans for our family. I didn’t grow up knowing that I would one day adopt, but I am so very thankful that God led us in that direction. Our sweet Sadie is the light of our family as well!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh my word!!! Kristy! That is the absolute BEST news!
Lea says
These postpartum hormones having me crying like a baby over this one! I love how you can just feel the love Madeley has for others in EVERY post you make about her.
Melissa says
Sweet story! I always enjoy these. FYI, the ‘Next post butternut quash salad’ rectangle seems to be floating in the middle of the screen 🙂
Mix and Match Mama says
Well that’s odd! Let me take a look!
Sarah says
You have such a way with words. She looks to be the sweetest piece on earth and I could cry thinking about how blessed she is by you and vice versa! Our God is so great! xoxo
Caitlin LeMaster says
Sending so much love to Madeley and your family on this anniversary! How did you decide on James for her middle name?
Nicole says
Mades sounds perfect!!! 🙂 Happy Gotcha Day, sweet girl!! <3
Julie Ann Long says
So touching…
amy says
Awe… super special post! I always enjoy reading these updates. Congrats on this wonderful occasion!!
Please Shay and everyone here, whom all have hearts of gold… PLEASE help/ pledge/donate/ volunteer/ foster/adopt at our cities’ Animal Shelters or with our local animal rescue organizations! ! I have recently become aware of the extreme animal shelter overcrowding problem after Covid adoptions and now returns… and it is absolutely heartbreaking and overwhelming! The beautiful and precious dogs and cats need EVERYONE to help. We have to work together so the euthanizing of these gorgeous and special dogs and cats can stop. Please help ❤️
Kelly Bonner says
Happy Gotcha Day! You can always see the joy of the Lord shine through when you post pics or videos of her! ❤️🙏🏻🎉
Paula says
Sweetest post! I love the joy your daughter brings to your family!
Susan McKain says
Happy Gotcha Day, Mades and the whole Shull Family. Congratulations! What a beautiful post, Shay.💕