A couple flying home with their newly adopted daughter received an impromptu baby shower on the plane
New dad Dustin Moore admitted on Twitter it had been a difficult week. The California nutritionist didn't want to air his grievances on social media, he wanted to turn the mood around. So, instead of talking about his hard week, he shared a story about a recent day – the day he and his wife brought their new daughter home.
"I hope our story uplifts you, and reminds you there is goodness to be had in this world," Moore wrote on Twitter diving into the heartwarming tale.
"Not too long ago, my wife and I boarded a @SouthwestAir flight with our recently adopted infant daughter," he wrote. When the couple boarded the plane, Moore apologized to his fellow passengers – as many parents with babies feel pressured to do while flying.
"About mid flight, our daughter awoke and politely informed us she wanted a new new diaper," Moore's Twitter thread continued. "After inquiring about space for a table change, a thoughtful flight attendant (named Jenny) cleared a space in the back of the plane and gave us privacy."
It’s been a difficult week.
— Dustin Moore, MS, RD (@theamericanrd) February 9, 2020
But, rather than publicly air my grievances, I’d like to share w/ you the kindness strangers offered us the day we brought our daughter home.
I hope our story uplifts you, and reminds you there is goodness to be had in this world.
A thread... /1
The act of kindness from Jenny was just the first of several on this flight home. Next, the flight attendant and fellow passengers complimented the couple on their new baby girl.
On the flight, Moore explained to inquiring passengers why they were flying with such a young baby – they had just adopted her and were bringing her home. Moore told CBS News he and his wife picked their newborn daughter up in Colorado, where she was born, and she was only eight days old when they boarded the flight home to California. The couple isn't sharing their daughter's name or photos of her as a condition of their adoption.
"About 10 minutes later, another attendant (named Bobby) greeted us w/ a warm smile, and inquired about our daughter," Moore's Twitter thread continued. "We repeated the story w/ a few details, and he congratulated us before walking away. My wife and I exchanged curious looks, but thought nothing more about it."
"Then, we heard the intercom," Moore wrote. "The attendant Bobby came on and announced a special guest on the flight. Our daughter."
Bobby told the flight about Moore and his wife, Caren's, new bundle of joy. "The entire cabin erupted in cheers and applause," Moore wrote.
Next, the flight attendant said the crew was going to pass out pens and napkins so fellow passengers could write down advice or words of encouragement for the new parents. "We sat in speechless gratitude, as people kept peeking over their chairs to congratulate us," Moore's thread continued.
Bobby read some of the notes out loud, then gave the Moores a bundle of about 60 napkins, all with kind words like: "Rub each other's feet, and rub the baby's feet," and, "Make time for date night," and, "Always tell her you love her," Moore wrote.
The flight attendant also gave the Moores a set of pilot wings for their baby girl – who, as an infant, had already experienced flying.
Then, the Moores learned the two kind flight attendants, Jenny and Bobby, were actually a couple, too. "We learned they were married, and that someone had done a similar act for them on their honeymoon flight," Moore said. Jenny wanted to pay it forward, just like the act of kindness they received on their honeymoon.
"Even as we disembarked, people kept approaching us and wishing us well, and complimenting our beautiful daughter," Moore wrote. "Our hearts were full."
Moore posted another tweet: "But there's more. What all of those perfect strangers and attendants did not know, was the emotionally tender state of two brand-new parents," he wrote. "Parents who after 9 years of trying had been blessed with their first child. Parents who felt scared, but determined in their new role."
"The outpouring of love from that flight, brought on by the actions of two thoughtfully observant flight attendants... it exceeds my ability to describe what it meant to us," Moore continued. "How much those wings and written notes uplifted two new parents determined to love their new daughter."
He then shared an image of a photo album where he and his wife have stored all of the notes they received from complete strangers on that flight. "[Twitter] is used oft as a means to share what's wrong," Moore wrote. "I hope you'll take time to share what is good."
Moore said he and his wife were at first concerned about how people would feel about them and their adopted daughter. "We were insecure about people not thinking much of our daughter," he told CBS News. "It's not very rational, but we were just concerned about what people would think by the virtue of her being adopted by us – we didn't give birth to her."
"But the fact that that entire flight, everybody cheered, everybody took the time to share those notes with our daughter, it was just everything we needed in that moment just to feel secure. And to feel, 'Okay, this is going to be great,'" he said.