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Excerpt continued from Ready or Not...Here We Come!

The first year with twins is crazy, humbling, amazing, frustrating, confusing, and miraculous, and it goes by all too quickly. What initially does not seem survivable will make you laugh hysterically years later when you reminisce. I occasionally bump into a new mom of twins. I can’t help but say, “Congratulations—You have such an amazing adventure ahead.” Some of these women smile and say, “Thanks,” some look at me like I’m crazy (I’m sure their pain medication is causing their confused response). Some say, with great trepidation, “Really? Gosh, I sure hope so!”

Mothering a set of twins is an indescribably experience. It's already miraculous to be a mom. To bring two children into the world simultaneously, raise them as their unique selves, and watch them grow and develop into the people they are meant to be is simply astonishing. It's a hard road, but nothing worthwhile is every easy, right?

Expectant moms of twins are too often told (frequently by people with no experience) how hard the journey is going to be. I think that’s terribly sad. Of course it will be hard—some days, getting to the dry cleaners before they close is hard. The difference is, this experience will be the most rewarding kind of hard you’ll ever face.

The secret to your success lies in your perspective and attitude. There will be days when you think, “Screw attitude and perspective, this sucks!” But those days will be few and far between. You will get past them, I promise.

I meet mothers of twins left and right. Many of their kids are older now, and they comment that raising twins gets more fun every year. Only about 1 percent of all the women I’ve met say something stupid like, “Oh, it only gets harder as they get older.” I’ve never understood those women. Even if that were their perspective, what benefit does it provide either of us to communicate it?