First Family Back Home in Utah with Baby Asha

First Family Back Home in Utah with Baby Asha


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Richard Piatt ReportingThe Governor's mansion is decked out for Christmas. But for the Huntsman's, one year old Asha is the best addition of the season.

Governor Huntsman, the first lady and two of their kids are back in Utah tonight with the newest member of their family. One-year old Asha is spending her first night in the Governor's mansion after being adopted in India.

The Huntsman's named their baby Asha Bahrat Huntsman. Asha means 'hope'; Bahrat means 'India'.

The little girl's story started in extreme poverty and is continuing in the loving arms of Utah's first family.

Governor Huntmsan: "We obviously love her a great deal, and she's going to be a great addition to the family and to the state."

First Family Back Home in Utah with Baby Asha

The Huntsmans feel strongly that Asha and seven-year-old Graci Mae--both international adoptions--are blessings to the family.

As a newborn, just hours hold, Asha had been abandoned on the side of a road in remote India and taken to an orphanage run by nuns just south of Aminabaad, the Capitol of Gujerad. Seeing the conditions firsthand was humbling to them all.

Liddy Huntsman: "We drove by houses that were literally made of sticks and tarp. And I've seen that on TV, but I never really thought it was like that. But seeing it in real life, it very much humbled me."

Right now, Asha favors 18-year-old Liddy Huntsman. When anyone else--including the Governor--tries to hold her, she is quick to voice her displeasure.

The rest of the Huntsmans are already bonding to Asha, but they're also being reminded of the reality of having a baby in the house.

Some might say Asha is a lucky little girl. But the Huntsmans say they also feel blessed.

Mary Kay Huntsman, First Lady: "It's been hard to describe what we went through when they handed us little Asha."

The Huntsman's have been wading through bureaucracy and filling out applications for a year now. The Governor is quick to point out this is their last child.

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