INDIANAPOLIS — Life hasn't always been easy for Maddy Joerendt-Booker and her brothers and sisters.
The 13-year-old and her biological sister Dezyrae, 17, survived some rough times growing up. They were taken from their parents, placed in foster care and ended up in the home of Roderick and Carolyn Booker.
The Bookers adopted the girls last year.
"We're a pretty chill family," Maddy said. "We're just like our own people. Like every family is different... Every family has their own way of doing stuff."
It started in 2014, when Carolyn and Roderick Booker adopted two boys who happen to be their biological grandsons, Isaiah, 13, and Joshua, 11.
On Friday, the Bookers are adopting two more children, Isabela, 4, and Glayd, 7.
Those adoptions are among 32 that will be finalized Friday as the Marion Superior Court celebrates its annual Adoption Day.
While about 1,800 Hoosier children were adopted in 2021, according to the U.S. Children's Bureau; more than 3,100 others were still waiting for permanent homes.
The Bookers are doing their part to help some of those kids.
Roderick and Carolyn have children, but they are all adults. Carolyn said they were "empty-nesters" when they adopted Isaiah and Joshua in 2014.
Maddy and Dezy moved in to their home about three years ago. They were 10 and 13 at the time. The couple adopted the two girls in 2022.
"They just brightened up my life," Carolyn said. "They were really sweet girls. I didn't have no doubt that I was going to adopt them."
The Bookers welcomed Isabela and Glayd into their lives two years ago. When the Bookers got word that they too needed a forever family, the couple had not doubts.
"They are sweet babies as well," Carolyn said. "They are not going anywhere, I'll keep them. I've just fallen in love with them."
Maddy knows her life could have been so different, and so much worse.
"I'm a lucky kid," Maddy said. "I'm a pretty lucky kid to be here."
There's plenty of room in the Booker family's four-bedroom house for toys, games and football trophies. Carolyn said they probably have room for one more child, even if some of the kids think maybe the house is already too full.
"The love is all around our house, really," Roderick said. "We have our ups and downs. As long as everybody understands each other, we are doing quite quite well around here."
Several thousand children are awaiting adoption in Indiana. You can see the faces of some of them and learn more about adoption at the Indiana Adoption Program's website.
Contact WRTV reporter Vic Ryckaert at victor.ryckaert@wrtv.com or on X/Twitter: @vicryc.
