My best friend Erin has seven year old twin boys. I was there when the doctor told Erin she needed an emergency c-section. I was there when the boys needed to stay in the NICU and I was there when Erin covered my hands with sanitizer before letting me touch them. It was my first experience with the NICU, with understanding the fragile life of an infant (or in this case two), and it was the first time I ever realized that parents can withstand anything if it means keeping a child safe and healthy. Erin was a rock during my stay with Matilda in the hospital and checked in on me daily. I am forever thankful for her love and support.
It had been more than two years since I saw the twins last. I used to be able to tell them apart, but now they seemed so similar. Parker adored both of them. He giggled and buckled over with enjoyment as they acted out different scenarios in the backyard.
It was then that I wondered if he could tell them apart, or better yet, if he realized they looked the same. And the truth is, none of that mattered to him. They made him feel welcome. They invited him into their world of imagination. They created a place where similarities and differences were nonexistent.
I have so much love in my heart for Austin and Tristan. They gave me a glimpse into hospital life, they showed me that rough starts don't equal a rough life, and they brought me hope.
