Thomas Rhett & Wife Open Up About Turbulent Adoption Process

by Victoria Haggerty ‐

thomas rhett adoption

photo: Thomas Rhett/ Lauren Akins Instagram

Country artist Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren Akins had a year full of blessings, including officially getting to call Willa Gray their daughter. More here!

Life just one year ago was a lot different for country music star Thomas Rhett and his wife Lauren Akins. The couple had no children— but that was all about to change when they would welcome their first daughter, Willa Gray, home from Uganda in May.

Having children is something the couple has dreamed about and asked God for and now that their dreams are coming true they take every minute to gush about their two bundles of joy. On the 2018 Grammy Awards Red Carpet the two couldn’t stop talking about their girls with E! News!

Thomas Rhett said that it has been “amazing” to watch Willa be a big sister to newborn Ada James.

“She was jealous at first I think, but it’s so fun to watch her,” Thomas Rhett said. “She loves our little Ada so much.”

“It’s something we just hoped for for so long,” Lauren spoke of her eldest daughter. “She was very fresh off just coming to America, so it was something that we really wanted her to feel comfortable.”

Willa has become more comfortable with her little sister for sure! The video of the two of them meeting for the first time is heartbreakingly adorable!

So this is about 17 hrs post delivery & after I'd slept for the first time in about 58 hours so I'm still a bit zonked in the video, but this is when Willa Gray met Ada for the first time 💗💗I know everyone is wondering about WG & AJ and how they're doing together 😘 honestly it's taken WG a little bit of adjusting and she's been staying with family and friends off & on especially when Thomas Rhett leaves because I think it's impossible for me to recover, take care of our 2 pups and a newborn and a 21 month old all at the same time 😂 soooo Willa Gray hasn't been around a ton the last week but don't worry! There will be LOTS of sister time soon. And she LOVES Ada now. We're just working on being "gentle" right now haha She's home today and so is daddy so all is right in our world at least for a little bit :) p.s. The fact that WG was showing AJ her bug bite meant she wanted to be friends with her right off the bat so we knew that was a good sign 😂 (sorry for the novel)

A post shared by Lauren Akins (@laur_akins) on

“I think I was more nervous that she just wouldn’t feel comfortable but the second I was like, ‘Do you wanna give her a kiss?’ and she leaned over and kissed [Ada], I was like, ‘Thank you God,’” Lauren added on the 2018 Grammy Awards Red Carpet. “It couldn’t be sweeter.”

Having Willa become an official member of the family wasn’t easy though. TR and Lauren also opened up about the emotional aspect it took to officially call her their daughter.

“It is definitely the hardest thing we’ve ever been through,” Lauren shared with E! News. “But I think it needs to be hard because you have to fight for that baby just like you do. I’ve done both now — I’ve had one biological and I’ve had one through adoption. It’s a battle to bring your child home. And it just strengthens you as parents and as a team. It is hard but it’s so worth it.”

Since Willa Gray has been home the whole Akins clan has just been enjoying life together and accomplishing many milestones. From Willa Gray’s first birthday with her family to Christmas as a family of four, they’ve done it all and with big smiles on their faces!

For more Akins family updates keep up with Country Fancast!

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