After a year-long adoption process, Thomas Rhett and his wife Lauren welcomed their new daughter, Willa Gray Akins home from Uganda on Thursday.
Thomas Rhett told People:
"On the way to the airport, it was like Christmas Day."
His wife Lauren added:
“It felt like a dream. I’ve dreamed of us all being on the same continent for so long. It finally feels like everyone is where they’re supposed to be.”
The couple first decided to adopt Willa about a year ago when Lauren traveled to Uganda. At the time, Lauren and Thomas had been trying to conceive but hadn't been successful.
Thomas told People that when he saw a photo of Lauren holding Willa:
“Lauren had this amazing glow about her and it just felt like she was already our daughter in a weird way. I just blurted out, ‘We should bring her home.’”
Lauren traveled to Uganda a few weeks ago with the intention of bringing Willa home, but unfortunately the adoption wasn’t finalized before she needed to return to the States for a pregnancy check-up. So Lauren's parents brought her home last week.
Thomas told People:
“It is very weird to be called ‘Dad’ by a little human being, but it is one of the coolest feelings in the world. Nothing beats that.”