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SALT LAKE CITY — A South Jordan family's adoption of a daughter from Russia had been on hold for a couple of months because of red tape. They finally gained clearance, and Thursday their plane touched down at Salt Lake International Airport.
Wayne and Jeana Bonner said they always knew it was meant to be: that 5-year-old Jaymi, born in a country far away, was supposed to be a part of their family. Getting her home, however, proved to be a bigger challenge than they ever anticipated.
The Bonners already have two daughters, one of whom has Down syndrome, and they wanted to adopt another special needs child from Russia.
Wayne and Jeana traveled to Russia several times to meet Jaymi. After nearly two years of going through the adoption process, this past December they received the ruling they had been hoping for: a Russian court appointed the Bonners Jaymi's legal guardians.
Deseret News:
South Jordan couple describes legal limbo, separation involved in Russian adoption
As she was greeted by her new family and friends in Utah, Jaymi Viktoria Bonner just smiled and waved, a little American flag clutched in her fist. She's too little to understand the difficulties involved in getting her here, but it's a process her parents will never forget.Then, in the middle of their adoption, the Russian government put a ban on all adoptions of children to families in the United States.
"Russian law is that you have to wait 30 days for that ruling to be official, and in the middle of this 30 days is when the Russian ban was enacted," Wayne said.
Suddenly, Jamyi and the Bonners were in limbo.
Jeana traveled to Russia to try and get her daughter out quickly. She ended up staying for more than a month before Russian officials finally gave clearance for Jaymi to leave.
On Thursday afternoon — Valentines Day, of all days — mother and daughter arrived in Salt Lake City. Finally home, Jaymi had a big hug all ready for her new dad.
Now, the Bonners say, their home is complete.
"We want to give (Jaymi) the opportunities she deserves," Wayne Bonner said.
"She deserves a family, and all children deserve a family," Jeana said. "I'd do it again if I had to — I'm glad I don't."
