Growing up I always knew that I was adopted. My parents were very open about it, and filled me in on all the details that I was too little to remember. I was only six months old when it all happened, so obviously I had no idea what was happening. I was told that I was always a happy baby and only cried when I was hungry or when nobody was holding me.

My parents’ names are Bill and Sarah, and they were open to adoption after they had had two kids of their own. I along with three other kids were placed with them, and after five years they were able to adopt us all. Then the family was complete, and we lived a pretty adventurous childhood.

In the summer we would go on vacation for a couple of weeks, and we moved all the time it seemed due to my father constantly getting promoted for the company he worked for. Finally he earned the position of Assistant CEO, and he said that was enough. He did not want to take on any more responsibility, and wanted to focus on family.

Three years ago I was entered in a contest to have the chance to win a week-long vacation to Walt Disney World In Florida. There were three winners, and each one was allowed to take up to three guests with them. Somehow I was one of the lucky three contestants that won. So I invited my three closest friends to go along with me on the trip. They all were able to get off work to go on the trip, and it was a success!

We all packed up and car pooled for the airport. We boarded the plane and were off on our adventure. We landed at the airport, got off the plane, and were greeted by the other two winners with their guests, and the travel guides that were going to aid us on our trip. We all spoke to one another getting to know each other’s names before we spent a week together. Everyone was very nice and enjoyable to speak with. However one of the other winners looked like me, and people started mistaking us for one another. After conversing back and forth after a while the other person that looks like me is named Addison. She was also placed into foster care when she was six months old and adopted when she was three. I know absolutely nothing about my biological family. I was so young that I do not even remember anything that happened, so all my memories are from the family that adopted me with all the stories that they told.

On the last day of the trip, Addison and I decided to exchange contact information to keep in touch with one another. We got to know each other very well on the trip, and some part of me just felt complete with her around. After months of communicating with each other and realizing how much we were alike, Addison and I decided to do a DNA test to see if we were related at all. After a couple weeks that felt like months, we both received the results. We decided to FaceTime each other when viewing the results for the first time. Let’s just say it was some amazing news with some laughter, tears, and cheers. Not only were we related, but also twin sisters!

It was the happiest day of my life when Addison and I found out we were twins. It opened up a new world for all of us to explore as family. Nobody ever knew that we were separated twins because it was never told to anyone. I am sad that I missed my childhood with my twin, but I am happy to know that I have found her so we can catch up on the lost time.