Meant to be Together
The moment that Tyler and Mandi met little Hunter, they knew that he was their meant-to-be son. They were going to do everything in their power to keep it that way.
As time went on and they grew more attached to their boy, they were committed to keeping their family together.
Love at First Sight
Mandi said that a “whirlwind of emotions" soon followed. The couple first made a stop at Target in order to buy all the baby items they needed. “We arrived at children’s services and there was Hunter, all bundled up in a receiving blanket, and he was being held by our caseworker,” said Mandi.
Additionally, Mandi stated, “He was eight days old and absolutely perfect. We fell in love with him instantly.”
Constant Stress
Still, being an adoptive parent isn't easy and can create a lot of stress for the family. The chance always exists that the biological parents will later come out and threaten the new family and try to win their child back.
This is what would ultimately happen to Tyler and Mandi, and they would soon realize that their little family wasn't official quite yet.
Their Adoption Hearing Date Is Set
As happy as the couple was to meet Hunter, they would continue to ride one roller coaster of a ride over the following sixteen months. They spent months maneuvering the mountains of paperwork and bureaucratic red tape.
The year and a half involved hearings and meetings while they finalized paperwork for their case so that they could be seen by a judge. Their hearing was set for December 18, 2017 – only one week before Christmas.
Whatever It Takes
When the family finally had their court date, they had already been together for 17 months. While this may not seem like a long time, when you're a parent creating a bond with a baby, it feels like way more.
The thought of having to give up this child whom you've spent over a year caring for is unbearable. However, Tyler and Mandi were a power couple and they were ready for whatever it would take.