The U.S.A is all about a good love story and that is exactly what the Rhett family is. A perfect love story with a million happy endings. The Nashville country star, Thomas Rhett, has shown his love and affection for his beautiful wife, Lauren Atkins, through his song lyrics, music videos, and social medias. Fans were in love with Laurens natural beauty and love of helping others and everyone was a fan of Rhett's music. The two love birds proved that Rhett doesn’t need a glamourous life, “if all I got is your hand in my hand, baby I could die a happy man.”
The couple's attention grew fast when fans heard that their family was growing from two to four very quickly! With the adoption of their beautiful baby girl, Willa, and birth of their biological baby, Ada, all happening within months, fans were excited to be apart of their journey. Thomas Rhett and Lauren Atkins crushed parenting two kids, had a beautiful new family, and shared every moment on social media. Thomas Rhett wrote in his hit song, “Ain't it funny how life changes” and it sure has for this couple!” From elementary school sweethearts to one of the world's best country artist, this family brings us joy and isn't done growing just yet!
20 They Are Open To Adopt Again!
The Rhett's have been vocal that they have enjoyed every minute of this crazy story of their growing family. Going from no kids to two kids is a change for everyone! They have embraced it, enjoyed it, and are finally breathing! The couple told Access Online, "Lauren wants to have five kids before she turns 34. That is her plan. So you can probably expect three new babies in the next five years. She's the boss." They also shared that they would love to adopt again! The couple has no set plans but will "probably just wait for god to put that in our path and figure that out in that way."
19 Willa Is So Easy To Raise.
It is pretty obvious the love Thomas and Lauren Rhett have for their adopted little girl Willa. Rhett told People Magazine, “The word ‘adopted’ doesn’t even make sense in my head anymore really. I know that it happened and I remember it very vividly, but it kind of feels like she has just always been here. Even though Willa Gray comes from [a] whole different part of the world, she’s ours and it feels like she never wasn't." He went on to explain that in Uganda music is a big part of the culture, so when he picks up a guitar, Willa is a dancing machine!
18 The Girls Have Brains & Beauty!
If you follow Lauren Atkin's on social media, then you know the Rhett family thinks school is cool! And, we agree, it totally is! The girls are seen writing letters and doing crafts with Lauren on Instagram and daddy brags about their smarts quite often! He gloated to People Magazine, “Ada is walking. Willa Gray is having full-on conversations with me. She’s smarter than I am. It’s only going to continue to get worse, but it’s been such a life-changing experience in all the best ways possible.” Maybe Rhett should have Blake Shelton tutor him again like the good ole days!
17 He Got It From His Daddy!
If you haven't put the two names together, Rhett Atkins is Thomas Rhett's father. Rhett Atkins was a country artist and a darn good song writer. The man wrote many hits for country stars like Blake Shelton's "Honey Bee." It is fair to say, either Thomas got good at watching his dad produce song lyrics or it is in his genes. Thomas Rhett told CMT, “I’ve always been a worrier. Whether it’s been a test I had to study for or a paper I had to write or a decision I had to make about what song to put on the radio. Dad has always said to trust my gut. It’s a scary thing, but he’d tell me, ’If that’s what you feel in your heart, you should do it.’ He’s always helped to calm me down.” Great advice dad, and Rhett listened!
16 Friends First!
The fact that Thomas Rhett and Lauren Atkins have been friends since they could walk makes their love story one for the books. Their love is beyond strong. It takes a heck of a lady to help, encourage, and push a man to achieve his goals. According to People Magazine, "The pair, who met back in the sixth grade, were friends for years before dating as teens in high school." The country singer told The Boot, “When I heard that she had ended her other relationship, I moved in for the kill. We kissed, and that was it." Okay stop, I am loving this!
15 His Lyrics All Have Meanings.
It is no joke that Thomas Rhett knows how to write lyrics that sit in our hearts and bring a tear to our eyes. The man is a lyric genius or he just is very honest, which people love. Rhett told people that his hit "Life Changes," sparked from a family vent session at a summer song-writing get together with artist and his dad. Rhett was struggling to balance everything happening in his life. Rhett's father explained that “We just started kind of writing it, not as a joke, but I’m talking about to-the-bone-true story about my life, no coulda-beens, no ‘we just kinda made this little section up, because it sounded cool.’ … We wrote it as true as I’ve ever written any song in my life.” Amazing, and probably the reason why it connects with so many fans.
14 Family Vacations Are A Must!
The adorable couple is known for hitting a beach with the kids or hanging out on a yacht together. They have been spotted in the cutest matching bathing suits with smiles plastered to their faces. A little Vitamin D and family time can really help out with their chaotic lives! Recently, the family decided to hit the ski slopes. Miss Willa was crushing it on the hill with mommy and daddy. Dressed head to toe in the most adorable ski outfit riding the chair lift with her parents. The family of four posted a dreamy picture of them by a fire at night and it sure looked like a fun get away!
13 Silly Bedtime Stories!
It is no shock that Willa was adopted. Thank goodness for amazing parents like Thomas and Lauren who have invested in learning about her culture and taking the steps to teach her what she needs. Rhett posted an instagram picture of Willa and him in polka-dot pink bonnets before bed. Willa has different hair needs then her sister and thank goodness the Rhett's are aware of this. Fans were so proud of Rhett for embracing and teaching his daughter the skills she needs to know. He told People Magazine, "“I hope God has given me all the right tools to raise Willa Gray to know that no matter where she comes from, she is our child, and that we want her to express her diversity." Two hands up emoji!
12 Pregnant During The Adoption
Sometimes life happens to you and that is what happened to the Rhett family. While going through the daunting adoption process and finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, they experiences exciting news. According to People Magazine, the couple had just got back from a week-long safari in Tanzania when Lauren started feeling sick. They had discussed waiting to try for a child because they had already started the adoption process. Long story short, Lauren didn't have food poisoning, she was expecting! The ecstatic dad said, “I was in complete and utter shock! No one is ever prepared for something like that. It is almost like we suddenly had twins.”
11 Her Daddy Saved Their Love Story!
It is safe to say, Lauren's dad gets the prize for helping create this amazing journey. As we know, the two were best friends growing up and Rhett always had his eye on Lauren. They tried dating but found friendship was best for them. Both actually engaged in serious relationships, where they were close to tying the knot. Luckily, when they ended their relationships, Lauren's father gave Rhett a little kick he needed! According to Country Living, "Her dad called me and said, 'If you don't come over here tonight and tell Lauren how you feel about her, then I'm going to tell her how you feel about her." Now, that is a love story meant to be!
10 The Story Behind Their Daughter's Names
Being a celebrity is tough when it comes to baby names. They are always looking for something unique because the last thing they want is another Carol running around! Rhett and Lauren took a trip down memory lane and brought some history into their adorable baby names. For Willa Gray, they were looking for something strong! Southern Living reported, “Willard is Thomas Rhett’s grandfather’s name and it means brave, resolutely strong and brave.” Lauren said, "they came to Gray for a middle name because her little brother’s name is Grayson." Ada's name is Lauren's grandmother's name. "And also googling meanings of things, Ada means happy…I thought well that’s fitting. She’s the happiest little surprise we ever had. And so we went with Ada and James is a family name on both sides. Three times on Thomas Rhett’s side.” These names will be on the baby charts before we know it!
9 Holiday Traditions
The holidays are a big deal in the Rhett house. For starters, Rhett's flawless wife starts decorating two months in advance. The family also takes a yearly neighborhood tour to check out all the lights and displays. This past year, they started a new tradition called Country Carolers. Rhett and fellow country star friends go door-to-door and sing a few tunes! They also started a ski trip tradition a few years back and have continued it. The family also goes big for Halloween and has known to throw on a little red, white, and blue for the 4th of July!
8 Using His Fame For A Good Cause
Lauren Atkins is known for her incredible heart and love. She is always volunteering, traveling the world to help, and involved in some charity. With her passion, she has pushed Thomas Rhett to join her on this journey. Rhett said, "So, me and Lauren, we’ve started just viewing this job as an entertainer as a platform and as an outlet to be able to give money where it’s needed, or to even just speak and raise awareness for certain things.” Rhett has been known to play at charity events, donate money to great causes, and support his wife's charity 147 million Orphans.
7 147 Million Orphans
147 Million Orphans is beyond important to the Rhett family. Lauren eats, sleeps, and breaths to help this foundation. 147 Million Orphans is organization that provides food, water, medicine, shelter and education for children who need it the most. During her latest trip to Uganda, People Magazine said that "she and her team helped rid an entire dormitory of bed bugs, donating brand new mattresses and sheets." With the help of her hubby and friends, Lauren has made an impact on these kids and told US Weekly, "My heart has always been driven to that. It just started as this calling in my life, to speak for these children who don't have a voice. This is what I was really here to do. It lined up perfectly with my heart."
6 The Adoption Journey Was Not Easy
The adoption process is not a simple "fill out these papers" and get a baby the next day. Many horrific stories have been shared about parents adopting babies to have them taken back only months later. The couple shared their experience with People Magazine. He told them, “I don’t think anyone can fully prepare you for the journey of adopting someone, especially from a third-world country where there are so many different laws. Every day you wake up with a whole new set of challenges that you never even heard of.” On a trip to Uganda, Lauren fell in love with the little girl. She had no family and Lauren wanted to help. Thomas said they would be the helpers, which led to the year long adoption process. Although there were bumps in the road, it was the best decision they ever made!
5 High Heeled Flip Flops
Everybody goes through a phase in life that they look back on and just shake their head. Rhett had been playing music since he was a little boy. With the help of his dad, he got extra practice on the drums and did a few performances for his parents! But, before Rhett became this country star he was a rock'n'roll wanna-be! The singer was a member of the band, High Heeled Flip Flops, "which the singer described as "punk rock" during a Town Hall with Hoda Kotb on Sirius XM's The Highway." Rhett was the drummer and told Popculture.com, "We all dyed our hair black and sang in British accents," he recalled. "We loved being rebellious."
4 How They Balance Parenting And Music Life
Basically, the Rhett's have twins. Any mommy you know that is pregnant with twins is in sheer panic. How are you supposed to care for one human, let alone two! Stress hit the family hard with both babies coming, Rhett's music tour, and life. But, he said if Luke Bryan and other country stars can do it, so can I! Rhett spoke out to People Magazine, “It’s not like there ever is a perfect time to have kids, or a perfect time to put out a record. We just happen to be doing both at the exact same time! We keep going back to 'Take it one day at a time.’" Luckily, they adjusted quickly when the realized how easy Willa was. “At first I was like, if we bring a baby on the bus, how is she going to sleep? There are bumps on the road. What is she going to eat out there? What if there’s only Subway? But Willa just goes with the flow. There isn’t much about our lifestyle we changed.”
3 Funny Adoption Announcement
I am a sucker for creative and funny baby announcements, but this one might take the cake! Lauren and Thomas brought a gift to the soon to be Grandpa to open. Grandpa was given a picture of Willa but didn't understand. A Taste of Country shared that Grandpa Rhett said, "Aw that’s cool, that’s a cool pic." The couple responded to LOOK at the picture. Grandpa's response was, "Yeah, I see it! — What is it?' They also had a shirt, which helped grandpa finally clue in! The shirt was a Big Brother/Big Sister shirt to show that they were adopting and having a biological child. That story is priceless. I hope they got it on film!
2 Silly Questions & Fun Nights Out!
This couple doesn't hide behind Gucci suits and fancy things. They leave the house in cut off shorts and baggy shirts. They also tease each other and enjoy ones company. Thomas Rhett recently posted an instagram video of a funny question Lauren asked him. Lauren playfully was trying to cover his mouth so he wouldn't spill her silly story to the world while Thomas laughed uncontrollably. He said, "“So we’re watching ‘This is Us’ right now. And Lauren just asked me if…If Pittsburgh was in Massachusetts?" It was clear that the two have fun together and are still madly in love! And for all you wondering, Pittsburgh is not in Massachusetts!
1 A Happy Man
If you have listened to Rhett's songs then you know, Lauren is the main attraction to many of his songs. The couple got engaged at the young age of 22 and this duo's love story will last forever. Rhett isn't a big extravagant guy, which is maybe why fans love them. They are down to earth and normal. His proposal is sweet, adorable, and from the heart. According to A Taste of Country, the two were big on drinking wine and signing the bottle with a silver Sharpie. So, he took her to a restaurant their families always went to and wrote "Marry me" on the bottle. With the help of his mom, she cued some Frank Sinatra and the answer was Yes!
Resources: People Magazine, A Taste of Country, Popculture.com, Access Online, Country Living, Instagram.com