The Fate’s Adoption Journey: Maria & Danielle Fate Update

Maria & Danielle first day of High School for 2009.

It has been over year and half since we adopted the girls. I thought I would catch you up with what's going on in their lives and ours. Boy has God allowed us all to grow through this journey. If you get a chance review the pictures now and before they came to America. Audrey has been an awesome example in their lives, I don't know how we could have journeyed this without the Lord leading the way and what a grand trip it been.

After we adopted the girls we found everything that we would do in our culture was in complete contrast to how they would do things. We were not prepared for the cultural change for instance; they didn't say "thank you" when we would do something nice for them, or they would never say "I'm sorry..."It's not that they did anything wrong we just did things different.

Maria & Danielle met their friend Ellie Smith that they knew from their orphanage in Lou Yang. We met-up in Bend Oregon this last Labor day weekend. The girls were thrilled!!!

These are the staples of good citizenship here in the U.S.A. so you can only imagine a few of the storm clouds that erupted from time-to-time. "But time shows true motivation of our hearts and we don't live by explanation but by the promises of God." Warren Wiersbe. God was able to grow us through this time. I have a entirely different view of how and why people do things that differ from the way we do them. We all agreed we would not trade in the last year and half for anything, but all agreed between the differences of our language, culture, food and faith that it stretched us all more than we imagined.

Our family is complete with two awesome older sisters 15-months apart and five years older than their two step brothers that are 16 months apart and they are five years older than their two adopted sisters that are 17 months apart. Piece to together by the hands of God.

From right to left: Brittany 24, Evan 19, Donny 20, Tim, Danielle 14, Audrey, Maria 15, Andrea 26, and her husband Jordan.

Maria is a sophomore and just finished up Cross Country, she has been running less than a year and their team won North Coast and placed 13th over all in CIF State of California championship.

High school website: http://www.dvhigh.net/

You can see Maria is 3rd from the left. Her name is in the high school trophy case with the rest of the team. Not bad for never running before. She's pulling outstanding grades and is a big help around the house and is the sweetest person you'd ever meet. A true servant's heart.

Danielle is a freshmen in High School and is first chair for the saxophone and is trying out for track to compete against her sister. (Very competitive) She is also pulling straight A's. (without the help of English language Development) She is one of the most focused hardworking kid's I've ever met with a great sense of humor.

Danielle playing her saxophone at Disneyland last year.

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