ALCOA, Tenn. — More than a year ago, Carrie and Gary Mitchell began the process of adopting a new child from a Bulgarian orphanage.
Milko, now 3 years old, was originally supposed to arrive home with his new family in March. But around that time, the coronavirus pandemic put most travel on pause.
"We first started this process in May of last year and then he became our son in March," Carrie Mitchell said. "It's been hard knowing that he's our son, but he was still in an orphanage in Eastern Europe."
Last month, her husband Gary traveled to Bulgaria so that Milko could finally come to Tennessee. It was just the beginning of a long trip home.
"My husband went to pick him up, but had to quarantine for two weeks first," Carrie Mitchell said. "He's been gone for almost a month."
Gary documented life in quarantine each day: different meals, work, calling home and a countdown until he could leave quarantine and pick Milko up from the orphanage.
From there, they finalized all the paperwork and began their journey home.
Nearly 24 hours later, after stops in Paris and Detroit, they made it to McGhee Tyson Airport where the rest of the Mitchell family was waiting.
There were balloons, posters and a group of excited siblings waiting to meet their new brother.
"Both sets of grandparents are here and we have some friends that are here," Carrie Mitchell said. "We're really looking forward to getting to know him and bonding and attaching with him."