Thomas Rhett | Willa Gray

Thomas Rhett is known for his degree of fame, soulful lyrics, and, perhaps most importantly, his cute romance with Lauren Akins Rhett. The story goes like this: the couple struggled to conceive initially, which prompted them to seek adoption in 2016. She met an orphan named Blessing at a children’s home in Uganda, and that child changed their lives forever.

The adoption took a year to complete, including several trips to Uganda to navigate the country’s complex legal system. Ugandan adoption regulations required the soon-to-be parents to foster Willa in the country for a year. Lauren and Thomas traveled abroad regularly to advance the adoption process. Willa Gray, the newest addition to the Rhett family, arrived in Nashville on May 11, 2017. Lauren became pregnant suddenly in the middle of their regular back-and-forth trips to Uganda, as luck (and a little faith) would have it.