A Utah couple returned from Romania Saturday night with four new members of their family.

Jean and Steve Brown of Midway have spent the past five weeks in Romania adopting three small boys and one little girl. The couple has five other children ranging from age 16 months to 14 years. The Browns now have seven children under the age of 4.It was recently announced that the Romanian government would allow no more adoptions of Romanian children until it could organize a commission to handle the incredible number of requests they were receiving from the United States.

The Browns were lucky to just miss the deadline established by the government as the cutoff on adoptions.

"We actually just missed the deadline. Things worked out very well for us. There is now a commission for adoption. All of the orphanages are to put the children on a list," Jean Brown said.

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"It's a long process but worth it. It was a lifetime opportunity. The people of Romania were wonderful to us. They have lived with terrible oppression; it's terrible there. They (the children) need a better choice. We're happy to give it to them," said the new mother, whose voice quavered as she expressed her happiness at arriving home with her new children.

Christian, 21/2, and Victoria, 13 months, are brother and sister. Victoria received her name because she was born seven days after the successful Romanian revolution. The Browns also adopted twins, 4 weeks old. All four children were abandoned at hospitals after birth.

"Their parents have no means of support or very little income. Some bring home $30 to $50 a month," said Jean Brown. The Browns contacted the Romanian government directly and have been working on the adoption since November. The government was fairly cooperative and helped them find a place to stay while working out the details of the adoption.

"We are elated to be home. We feel most blessed to have done it," she sighed. Steve Brown is an orthodontist. He and his wife said all members of their family are "thrilled" about the adoptions.

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