You guys, SEVEN YEARS AGO TODAY, we met our Mades.
Madeley James Shull has been the unexpected exclamation point to round out the Shull family.
For almost 20 years, Andrew and I have been trying to build our family the way “we thought” it should be…you know many of the stories. Infertility, miscarriage, we kept “being done” with expanding our kids and then we didn’t know if we were done…we, we, we just sums up how ridiculous Andrew and I are sometimes. It’s not “we”, it’s God. God knew. God grew. God, God, God saw two fools trying to make a family and knew what we needed. He knew our finish line was this sweet girl, and thanks be to God that He made us a family.
One day on Nantucket, the six of us were together. We weren’t really doing anything special. It was a very normal day when all of a sudden, Mades made a joke (which Mades always does), and we laughed (because the girl is oh so funny) and Kensington said “She’s the best of us.”
She’s the best of us.
She’s certainly not perfect, but she is joy. This little girl right here brings so much JOY to our family. All five of us adore her because she truly is just sunshine all the time.
Madeley never complains. Never fusses. She’s always happy to do whatever anyone else wants to do. She’s super go with the flow. She loves to make jokes…ALWAYS self-deprecating and never at one else’s expense. She’s snuggles. She’s giggles. She knows how to make us all laugh. She loves so big.
This girl is almost nine years old…she knows her story. She knows about her past. She has no room in heart right now for bitterness or sorrow. She’s so articulate about the love she has for where and whom she came from and how happy she is to be a part of this family right now.
Adoption is such a wonderful gift. It takes people who really have no business being together and makes them a family. It’s born from brokenness, and in a perfect world, it wouldn’t exist, but thanks be to Jesus that in this fallen world, it does exist and can bring with it a joy and a love that makes strangers forever families.
Madeley James, you are such a gift to this family. These five crazy fools love you so very much.
Seven years ago, we had no idea what we were in for when we met you…but God. But God. God knew you were the final missing piece to the Shull family puzzle.
We are so blessed that we all got each other as a forever family seven years ago today.
We love you sweet Madeley James!
Adoption is so amazing, friends. If you’re thinking about it, it’s on your heart for a reason. Lean into it. Lean into these precious children all over the world who need forever families. They just need you to be brave. Be brave for them. Be brave for your kids. Adopt, friends. If it’s on your heart, pursue adoption. That’s my prayer for many of you today. I know many of you are thinking about it, my prayer is that you take that first step. xx
To see all of my posts on our adoptions, please scroll and click below…
Madeley’s Post Adoption: 6 Years
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 {8th Anniversary}
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
Amy Heinl says
Happy Gotcha Day Madely….she just radiates joy and what a blessing she is to all of you.
Alison says
Happy Gotcha Day, Madeley! I just love following along with your journey.
Elspeth says
I can’t believe it’s been 7 years! Happy gotcha day!
http://www.Elspethsdaybyday.com
Katie Stewart says
Your Gotcha Day posts get me every time! Such a beautiful post, Shay! Enjoy your day!
Beth Knecht says
I always remember that very first picture you posted of all 4 kids…just so sweet! How can she be so big now?! I love how you so genuinely share about adoption! It’s can be so big and overwhelming and you make it so inviting and loving!
Erika Slaughter says
Oh sweet Madeley!! We sure do love you! Happy Happy Gotcha Day to Mades and the whole family! What a BLESSING that girl is to us all!
Melissa Terry says
These posts get me every single time. We have the sweetest, spunkiest little 3 year old now thanks to the miracle of adoption and for years, you have served as such an encouragement and joy on the topic. Thank you for sharing your heart-happy Gotcha Day to your sweet girl!
Mix and Match Mama says
Adoption is such a beautiful gift. xx
Marla says
This post just filled me with such a feeling of love. Thank you for sharing with us
Sheaffer says
Awwwww! This post was beautiful. WE LOVE YOU, MADELEY!!!!!
Marie C says
Wow, this caught me off guard. I’m sobbing over here. This is possibly the most beautiful thing you’ve ever written on here! The tears started flowing at, “She’s the best of us.”
Mix and Match Mama says
xx
Donna Mason says
Agree Shay…this post was AMAZING. Filled with so so so so much love. Sweet Mades is amazing as is your entire family. XO
SS says
Happy Gotcha Day!!! Thanks for sharing your family with us!!
Today is our family friend’s gotcha day too!!!
Paula McKaughan says
Happy Gotcha Day, Madeley!!!! Your smile is contagious!! I know God has big big plans for you, sweet girl. xoxo 🙂
Cara says
Beautiful post! It’s amazing to see how much of an impact she’s made on your family. I do wonder about the use of self-deprecating to describe her though…gives me a bit of an icky feeling
Mix and Match Mama says
No, it’s wonderful! It reminds me of my Mimi. She is always funny but never at someone else’s expense. She makes jokes and is so extremely funny but never hurtful or sarcastic or directed at anyone else. She’s a natural comedienne.
Faith says
Such a beautiful story. I have several friends who have adopted and I love how God chose each child for them. Happy gotcha day!
Audrey says
LOVE that sweet girl and have been following her story since day 1.
Shay! What was the dog transportation service you used for your pups to Nantucket? I’m so nervous for mine!
Thank you!
Mix and Match Mama says
We love them! You can see their info on my blog post here: https://mixandmatchmama.com/2023/06/summer-saturdays-06-10-23/
Peggy says
You took four different people and wove them into a family. Not everyone can do that and I admire you and Andrew so much for that.
Kerry says
Kensington’s statement, “She is the best of us” got me right in the heart. What a sweet commentary from a sibling!
Kim DePalma says
Happy Gotcha Day!!! Your beautiful story brought tears to my eyes!!! Enjoy- you are blessed!!!
DeAnna Kerr says
What a beautiful post! Happy Gotcha Day Mades!
Ramona Puckett says
Happy Gotcha Day, Madeley! You are a miracle and a blessing to your family and friends ❤️ God is so good ❤️
Bev says
Oh happy day! I was thinking I can’t wait for the day, if it comes, when we’ll hear from both of your sweet girls how adoption changed their lives because God saw fit to make them both Shulls. Then we’d all be crying! They are so blessed, too! 💖💖
p.s. and K’s sweet commented melted me! “She’s the best of us.” 🫠
Kate says
Happy gotcha day!! I can’t believe your baby is almost 9!? And she does radiate joy, you can even feel it in the pictures! ❤️
Natalie Thomas says
Wow, this is such a spirit filled, God written post. I felt the Holy Spirit as I was reading it. Be blessed!
Bridgett says
You can just feel goodness radiate from her! SO glad her place here in this world is with your family – and thank you for sharing a piece of her (and the others) with the rest of us. I know adoption is something we are called to do as well. It’s been so tricky to figure out the logistics, it can feel so overwhelming, especially just moving across the country and knowing no one.
I do often think about a little boy in India – that one blog post set my heart on fire and felt so strongly that I needed a little boy from India, I see him in my head and feel him in my heart and I can’t wait to meet him in my arms.
Looooong time reader, and never a commenter. But needed to say thank you for opening the door wider to adoption.
And if it’s not too personal, I’ve always wondered what you would’ve named another boy if you had one.
Thank you Shay!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh my goodness, I have chills! I would love nothing more than for you to meet him and be a forever family. I certainly hope you keep me posted. I’m not sure what we would have named a boy had we been blessed with one instead of Madeley, but I bet know it would have been British 🙂 .
Paula says
“She’s the best of us.” What a beautiful way God has shaped not only you & Andrew, but your children. His story of love & redemption is woven all throughout y’all. Beautiful!
Rachel Shafer says
Happy Gotcha Day Madeley!
Rebecca Lingerfelt- Brown says
Sweet, sweet post! The best part is the blessings of both ways for all involved. We have our own little “best of us” too through the gift of adoption and we will never stop thanking The Lord for His gift!
Happy Gotcha Day to your gift!💜
Andrea Conrad says
Kensington’s comment is just the sweetest, best thing ever! Such a beautiful sentiment about her littlest sister! Adoption is amazing for the whole family ❤️.
Karah Stracener says
Happy Gotcha Day to your sweet Madeley. You can tell in every picture you post that she exudes JOY!! I am so happy your family found its missing puzzle piece to complete your family. God is awesome isn’t he!!!!
Mallory says
These Gotcha Day posts hit different now that we brought our son home in May! 💙
Mix and Match Mama says
Congratulations, Mallory!!!!
Jen says
So beautifully written! I love that you use your platform to always point back to the Lord.
Tiff says
This is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your journey with us and how God has been shaping your family. What an encouragement and a blessing.
Happy Gotcha Day to Miss Madeley!
Sarah Shaneyfelt says
Yay for Madeley day!! You know how thankful I am that you first started talking about adoption and blogged so extensively on it. Those posts planted the seed in my heart to even begin the conversation with Dustin. And now look where we are! I love that you mentioned that even though adoption is born out of brokenness, because of Jesus, it’s a beautiful gift! I wouldn’t have it any other way and I pray all the time that my boys feel the same way.
Emily says
Do you have a post about how to integrate adoption organically in age appropriate ways? Are there any books that helped y’all?
We want to be organic, transparent, and celebratory about adoption but practically, I am wondering at what age do you explain a birth mom vs you being their mom. Ours are babies now. Are there board books or story books that helped introduce the conversation? I want to be transparent but also not confusing by explaining things before they’re able to fully understand.
Thank you!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh gosh, that’s such an honest question. Forever Mom by Mary Ostyn is my favorite book on adoption. I’ve read so many, but I felt like this book really put into words what all of the other books were saying. You can read much more about my thoughts on adoption in this post too: https://mixandmatchmama.com/2017/11/adoption-month/.
I have had some very significant relationships in my life with people who were adopted, and from them, I observed/was told/learned to always talk about it. We’ve just talked about it from day one. Depending on the reason/mood/season/what’s going on, it might look different, but saying things like “You have the prettiest brown eyes, I bet your birth mama did too” is an easy way to organically talk about it. On bigger occasions like birthdays, Mother’s Day and Gotcha Days, we talk about it. Ashby will bring it up organically on her own now, and we’ll discuss. Mades was asking a lot of questions about her birth dad about a month ago. She even said in the car one day “my birth dad must be much shorter than my real dad because I’m so small”. I mean…read that sentence twice. I would say that we don’t talk about it all the time as our main intention is to make our girls feel a part of our family, but as needed and as opportunities arrive, we are able to seamlessly bring it up without ever having a big “talk” about it. My friend Meagan adopted her (now five year old) daughter from birth, and they’ve done it the same way.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. I know you’re doing your very best!
Emily says
Thank you so much for taking the time to give examples. I just ordered Ostyn’s book and appreciate your help. As I have looked at your example and others, I wholeheartedly agree about weaving the beauty of adoption into our dialogue rather than ignoring the opportunity. Grateful for your very practical advice and willingness to share!
Dana J says
Happy gotcha day for your sweet Madeley…her joy radiates for all to see!! Thanks for sharing her and your darling family with all of us!!
Carissa says
This was truly truly beautiful, so filled with love and so inspiring. Thank you Shay!