Couple officially adopt their biological children after a 2-yr-long legal battle: 'My heart is full'

Editor's note: This article was originally published on December 9, 2022. It has since been updated.

Custody battles are messy and extremely exhausting for parents and one Michigan couple has been fighting a long battle to adopt their own biological twins, born through a gestational carrier, reports PEOPLE. They have been finally relieved after they were granted custody of Eames and Ellison. Tammy Myers, their mother, told the outlet, "Words cannot express how excited we are to put this adoption process behind us. This ongoing whirlwind has become our normal, and this craziness has all led to this special moment." Their children were born on January 11, 2021, and they chose a gestational carrier because Tammy was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatments did not allow her to carry the children, hence, the couple decided to go a different way. The couple already had a daughter, Corryn, who is now 10, but they wanted to expand their family.

Eames and Ellison were Tammy and Jordan's biological children and had been in their care since birth with the full approval of their gestational carrier. However, due to Michigan's harsh surrogacy regulations, they were obliged to adopt their children and the process took two long years. However, they believe the timing is perfect as there has been an introduction of new surrogacy bills in the Michigan House of Representatives. Tammy said, "It's a great day: We are finally being recognized as our biological twins' legal parents, and I'm feeling very hopeful that we will see a change to this crazy, outdated Michigan law." 

The couple had to battle for emergency legal rights for the twins, which were refused, as were Jordan's paternal rights to the children. Even if Jordan had been given paternity, Tammy would still have had to adopt her biological children as a stepparent because she did not carry them herself. Michigan's 1988 Surrogate Parenting Act makes paid surrogacy unlawful for carriers and intended parents and states that any agreement reached between parties will not be accepted in court. Though their own legal battle in Michigan is coming to an end, the Myers are not giving up. They have been advocating for the passage of four bills introduced by Michigan Senators and Representatives. Though Tammy and Jordan are now the twins' adoptive parents, they have been their legal guardians from birth. They have seen Eames and Ellison grow from newborns to full-fledged toddlers who walk, run, play hide-and-seek, and communicate. 

Tammy says, "They're so much fun and have changed so much over the past year. They were a little bit behind because they were preemies, but over the past year, they've fully caught up growth-wise and developmentally. They're happy, full-of-life little toddlers." 

After this hearing, little will change at their house save that the twins will be allowed to be added to the family health insurance plan. Prior to today, and in accordance with Michigan law, the twins' gestational carrier Lauren and, by virtue of their marriage, Lauren's husband Jonathan was mentioned on the birth certificate. Finally, Tammy and Jordan's names will be on it. Lauren and Jonathan will remain active in the twins' lives as Eames and Ellison's godparents. 

Tammy said, "Although this journey has been traumatic and long, it has also been pretty amazing at the same time. With support coming from people around the globe, it's also hard not to feel that every single aspect of this experience was part of a much bigger plan—every moment representing another puzzle piece that has fallen into place. The big picture is finally clear, and my heart is so full."