Two peas in a pod.  That's Claire Emily and Emma Grace, our two newest daughters, who came to us from China only a few months back; yet their journey to America started late last year.

Last year we had decided that we wanted to add to the family.  The children were growing up and we missed the sound of pattering of little feet, so we decided to adopt a small child.  Well that small child soon turned into two; we found out that we were getting not one child, but two.  Twins.  Both girls, aged two years. 

When we saw their picture that the agency sent us, we couldn't help but fall in love with them.  They were absolutely beautiful.  Identical; you couldn't tell one apart from the other.  We soon learned their names:  Xie Anyou and Chu Xien; they were only a few minutes apart in age. 

We started making the house ready for our two daughters.  We got them a room most little girls would only dream of.  Toys.  Clothes.  A canopy twin bed.  A dresser for their clothes and most prized treasures.  A toybox.  It was perfect.  It was a princess dream room.

It seemed like we would never get the two girls.  For months, we waited, worried, fretted.  Then came that wonderful call of the agency saying that the adoption had been approved:  we would be getting Xie and Chu in a few months time, after their medical records had been completed and they would be cleared to come to the United States of America, their new home.

At the news, we cried, as you can imagine.  It was the best news of our lives; it was like Christmas, the Fourth of July, our birthdays, and Thanksgiving all rolled up into one.

A few months later, Xie and Chu did come.  You never heard such a noisier bunch than our family.  Parents, children, grandparents, other relatives went to the airport to welcome the two newest members of the Myers family to their new home in America.  It was wonderful, but when the two girls were placed into our arms, we realized that our biggest dream had finally come true .

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At first, there were adjustments on all our parts.  Xie and Chu (since renamed Claire Emily and Emma Grace) have started to learn English and are getting used to having us as their family.  They are learning all of our names, and they are getting settled in their new lives as Chinese-Americans.  They have since started preschool and are making their first friends.  Each day is filled with excitement and adventure; it is neat to watch them discover the world about them as they go about their busy day.

We are getting used to having small kids in our family again.  Diapers.  Sippy cups.  Singing songs about Mother Goose or learning the new members of Sesame Street.  Buying toddler sized clothing and trying to find toys most suitable for their needs and growing minds.  Yes, we are living this adventure, too, right along with the twins, and it is a joy!

We don't know what the future holds for our twins, but we do know this:  we are all in this together, and so far, it's been a wild, exhilerating ride!

*To be continued.*