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This story will melt your heart—A three-year-old from Phoenix was recently adopted and a photo of him celebrating has gone viral.

According to KTLA News, the toddler Michael, had been in foster care for two years before Tara Montgomery adopted him on Tuesday. The single mom of three other children said that she didn’t expect to adopt Michael at first, only help him.

“Michael was placed with us on Feb. 14, 2015, when he was 18 months old. We were his third foster family,” Montgomery said. “His original case plan was reunification with his ‘bio-mom.’ When that plan failed, a new plan was set.”

Yet, this new turn of events is “just what (her) family needed.”

Montgomery’s 17-year-old daughter Dea Brown tweeted the adorable pic earlier this week and since then it has been retweeted over 56,000 times. It was taken right after the adoption was deemed official.

This photo is the definition of his personality,Montgomery later told ABC News. “He couldn’t help but let everyone know that he was being adopted today. We are so happy to have Michael in our lives.”

Montgomery also told ABC that she and her family had an instant connection with Michael.

“It felt like he was a part of our family right from the start,” Montgomery said, calling him her “valentine baby.”

She added: “After his mom’s rights were severed, I knew he was going to be ours forever. He is the most loving, smart, funny and happy kiddo. He wakes in the morning and says, ‘Mom, I so happy.‘”

Montgomery hopes that her family’s story will encourage other people to open up their hearts and homes.

“If you are thinking about it, just do it. The impact you are making will last a lifetime on the child,” Montgomery said.

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#BlackBoyJoy: Three-Year-Old’s Adorable Adoption Photos Go Viral  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com