Papillion couple, Mario and Monte Foreman-Powell, made headlines last year following a surprise appearance on “The Ellen Show”.After years of having to hide their love, the couple shared their story and the struggles they faced early in their relationship. “It was not really accepted to be gay,” Monte said during a 2021 interview with KETV. In their Ellen appearance, the couple also announced their latest adventure: embarking on the journey to becoming parents through surrogacy. Ever since then, the Foreman-Powells have shared their life’s ups and downs freely. That includes documenting their journey to become fathers, taking followers along for each step on social media.The couple even introduced people to their surrogate. “What we tell people all the time is she was our friend before our surrogate,” Monte said. Ariel Hadsell is a good friend of the couples, with a husband and three children of her own. “I think it made it a lot easier that we’re closer as friends and now, we’re family,” Hadsell said. The couple found out they were expecting just before Father’s Day last year. By fall, they learned they’d be welcoming a baby girl. Then, on Feb. 10, Mario and Monte’s longtime dream of welcoming a child became a reality. Marayla Auline Foreman-Powell was born. “I just started crying,” Mario said, “I was like, ‘oh my gosh’, this is a real baby that’s right in front of us.” Mario and Monte wanted to share their journey to be the example they never had for this path to parenthood, and they want to provide information they’ve learned along the way about navigating surrogacy. “We speak about the real things. We don’t sugarcoat it, but we also opened this platform up because we didn’t have that when we started this process,” Monte said. They also have a message of hope for other families. “Just keep pushing forward regardless of what setbacks you go through. Because it’s worth it,” Mario said. “It’s just like an unconditional love,” Monte said. It’s that love the couple says is at the core of any family. “That baby only knows love,” Monte said, “and she just happens to get extra love with two fathers and a mother.” The process forged an even closer bond between Mario, Monte and Ariel. The Foreman-Powells said Ariel comes over every other day. They always want her to be in Marayla’s life and said their daughter will always know who her biological mother is. “We decided that once she comes of age and she whatever she decides that she wants to call her, then that’s what their relationship with each other will be, and we will be honest with her the entire time,” Monte said. For her part, Ariel said she hadn’t thought about being a surrogate before but was happy to do it. “Me and my husband talked about it and we’re like, ‘I mean yeah, what greater gift can I give to somebody else? You know?’ So yeah. And like I said, we’re truly family after all this, and it’s just amazing that I was able to give them a baby,” Ariel said. The most precious gifts: a baby and bonds that will last a lifetime. A story of love they now share with the world. “So yeah we are family, and it’s very different, but this is our story. It’s our life,” Monte said. Mario, Monte and Ariel said they’re talking about baby number two and giving Marayla to a sibling.You can follow along with this family on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
Papillion couple, Mario and Monte Foreman-Powell, made headlines last year following a surprise appearance on “The Ellen Show”.
After years of having to hide their love, the couple shared their story and the struggles they faced early in their relationship.
“It was not really accepted to be gay,” Monte said during a 2021 interview with KETV.
In their Ellen appearance, the couple also announced their latest adventure: embarking on the journey to becoming parents through surrogacy.
Ever since then, the Foreman-Powells have shared their life’s ups and downs freely. That includes documenting their journey to become fathers, taking followers along for each step on social media.
The couple even introduced people to their surrogate.
“What we tell people all the time is she was our friend before our surrogate,” Monte said.
Ariel Hadsell is a good friend of the couples, with a husband and three children of her own.
“I think it made it a lot easier that we’re closer as friends and now, we’re family,” Hadsell said.
The couple found out they were expecting just before Father’s Day last year. By fall, they learned they’d be welcoming a baby girl.
Then, on Feb. 10, Mario and Monte’s longtime dream of welcoming a child became a reality.
Marayla Auline Foreman-Powell was born.
“I just started crying,” Mario said, “I was like, ‘oh my gosh’, this is a real baby that’s right in front of us.”
Mario and Monte wanted to share their journey to be the example they never had for this path to parenthood, and they want to provide information they’ve learned along the way about navigating surrogacy.
“We speak about the real things. We don’t sugarcoat it, but we also opened this platform up because we didn’t have that when we started this process,” Monte said.
They also have a message of hope for other families.
“Just keep pushing forward regardless of what setbacks you go through. Because it’s worth it,” Mario said.
“It’s just like an unconditional love,” Monte said.
It’s that love the couple says is at the core of any family.
“That baby only knows love,” Monte said, “and she just happens to get extra love with two fathers and a mother.”
The process forged an even closer bond between Mario, Monte and Ariel.
The Foreman-Powells said Ariel comes over every other day.
They always want her to be in Marayla’s life and said their daughter will always know who her biological mother is.
“We decided that once she comes of age and she whatever she decides that she wants to call her, then that’s what their relationship with each other will be, and we will be honest with her the entire time,” Monte said.
For her part, Ariel said she hadn’t thought about being a surrogate before but was happy to do it.
“Me and my husband talked about it and we’re like, ‘I mean yeah, what greater gift can I give to somebody else? You know?’ So yeah. And like I said, we’re truly family after all this, and it’s just amazing that I was able to give them a baby,” Ariel said.
The most precious gifts: a baby and bonds that will last a lifetime. A story of love they now share with the world.
“So yeah we are family, and it’s very different, but this is our story. It’s our life,” Monte said.
Mario, Monte and Ariel said they’re talking about baby number two and giving Marayla to a sibling.
You can follow along with this family on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
