Romanian orphan Iani Cleland and his adoptive mother Alana Cleland in New Plymouth
New Plymouth woman Alana Cleland and her adopted Romanian son arrived back in New Zealand this afternoon, ending a seven-year custody battle.
Iani Linguar, 8, had been in the care of New Plymouth nurse Alana Cleland for about five years, when two years ago she was forced to
return him to Romania.
The pair had been there ever since, fighting for Ms Cleland's custody arrangements to be upgraded to adoption, with the battle finally won in January.
Today, Ms Cleland and Iani were greeted by family and friends and children from Iani's school when they flew into New Plymouth airport.
"It was really lovely to see everybody and just think that we've finally made it home," Ms Cleland told Radio New Zealand.
"When we left two years ago we just didn't know what was going to happen ... so to think that we're back and everything's completed is just great"
The plan now was to "get back to reality", getting Iani into school and Ms Cleland into work.
"I think we've had a bit too much excitement over the last two years and it will be nice just to relax a bit."
Ms Cleland said the last two years had been hard.
"Now that we're back we can leave that behind us and just move forward," she said.
"Maybe tomorrow it will feel more real than it does right now. If I knew it was going to be seven years when I was 22 I'm not sure if I would have started out. But now that it's finished and Iani's happy and has a family and I'm his Mum, it's great".
Ms Cleland first came into contact with Iani while on her OE. She formed a bond with the Romanian baby and could not leave him.
- NZPA
