The road to parenthood isn't the same for everyone. Some people become parents by conceiving naturally, via surrogacy or adoption, or by becoming step-parents.
As for others? Well, they find parenthood on the side of a literal road.
The Unusual Road That Led a Florida Couple to Parenthood
Last January, the Polk Sheriff's Department received a 911 call in the wee hours of a Saturday morning about an abandoned newborn baby girl. A couple discovered her after they heard the sound of what they thought were cats screaming and fighting and went out to investigate.
Turns out, it wasn't cats. It was a baby, just an hour old, wrapped up in an old blanket with the umbilical cord and placenta still attached.
Left in a wooded area just off the side of the road in the Regal Loop Mobile Home Park, the baby was six and a half pounds and "very healthy" although she did sustain several insect bites.
EMS took her to a nearby hospital and the Sheriff's office turned her over to the Department of Children and Families.
Despite extensive efforts by PCSO detectives, the girl’s mother was never located or identified.
When the baby's story first came out, she was known to the world as Angel Grace Lnu.
"She's as beautiful as an angel. It's by the grace of God she is not dead, and Lnu is: Last Name Unknown," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at the time she was discovered.
But now — ten months and one day later — she's known by one ecstatic couple as "daughter."
"Happy Gotcha Day"
In a heartwarming Facebook post, the Sheriff's Department reveals that the little girl has been formally adopted.
“We have an exciting update to share with you. Nearly one year ago, on January 28th, at about 1:47 in the morning, PCSO deputies rescued an abandoned newborn baby girl in Mulberry," the post began.
"The temperature outside was in the lower 50’s, and members of Polk County Fire Rescue checked the girl out and determined that, based on the girl’s temperature, she had been born about an hour before she was found," it continued.
"Fast forward ten months and one day -- the baby girl has officially been adopted."
via Polk County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page
The new parents wish to remain anonymous, however, they did agree to have a couple of photos shared of the special day.
“We are thrilled to share with you these photos from this morning of this precious angel with her new mom and dad, along with PCSO’s Detective Green and Sgt. Ryan. Mom & Dad wish to keep their names from being published,” the PCSO wrote, “but they allowed us to share these photos with everyone who followed this child’s story and prayed for her well-being.”
The sweet pictures show the beaming couple with their new daughter adorably dressed in a pink dress, ruffled socks, pink shoes, and her hair in pigtails.
A Happy Beginning
Despite her rocky start, baby Angel is now in the arms of her very own angels, her adoptive parents. And while she may have been found all alone in the world, she's not anymore.
The unusual road that led this Florida couple to parenthood may be unconventional but it's obvious that they've ended up exactly where they're supposed to be. And their journey? Is just beginning.
And may their story encourage us to find love in unexpected places and embrace the extraordinary paths that lead to parenthood.
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