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If you could describe your twin in a few sentences,
what would you say?
Erin If you saw Emily, you’d agree with me when I say she is drop-dead
gorgeous. However, she’s equally gorgeous inside. Emily is the quieter one of the
duo, and she is incredibly loyal, a great wife, mother, and avid dog-lover/ rescue
advocate.
Emily It is hard to fully describe all that makes Erin who she is. She has always
been outgoing and easy to talk to. I would say that Erin is also beautiful, loyal, a
great wife, and mother. She is the person that will always be there for you when
you need her, whether that is a simple text, a phone call/vent session, or a
meet-up just to offer support. She never fails to check back in on you either. Erin is
genuinely a good person with a very loving heart.
What do you think is the best thing about being a twin?
Erin I think it’s like having a built-in best friend. I didn’t always see it that way,
and I’m sure Emily would also agree. But now, she’s truly one of my very best
friends. I would be surprised if there’s been 3 days that have gone by where we
haven’t talked in the past probably 6 or 7 years. Out of everyone in our family, and
we are an incredibly close family, Emily and I probably still see each other and talk
the most frequently. I really appreciate the gift that being a twin is now.
Emily I agree that it is like having a built-in best friend, but maybe even better
than that. It is a unique relationship because this person knows you truly and fully
since you have spent your whole life together. This type of relationship provides
us with the freedom of being open and honest because we know each other so
well. We also are confident that at the end of the day we have each other’s backs
no matter what. We definitely talk several times a week, and we always manage to
see each other even if it’s just for a short time.
Having a twin also presents some challenges that others
may not understand. What do you think is the most
challenging part about being a twin?
Erin When I came out of those early teen years, it stopped being challenging
for me. But I think as a child, it’s challenging because you have to share so much.
We shared a room, a car, and way too many comparisons as children. You don’t
really get a chance to appreciate each other because you don’t get a chance to miss
each other. It was a treat to have 30 minutes alone in the room by yourself.
Emily I think the most challenging thing is just the younger years. When you
share most things and are so intertwined it can make you more frustrated or
annoyed at the person, rather than appreciative of them. We were so different in
our personalities and likes that I, thankfully, never felt like we personally were
“competing” with each other—though I did feel like it was easy for others to
compare us.
Have you each been close your whole lives, or have you
found that you’ve gotten closer as you’ve gotten older?
Erin We were always close in that we were sisters and we knew we had each
other’s backs like any sibling would. But we definitely bickered like close siblings
as well when we were younger. Like I mentioned above, we shared everything
so sometimes we just needed our own space. I think when we went to college
is when our relationship changed. Suddenly we both had some extra space and
grew up a little. Since then, we’ve been very close.
Emily We have always loved each other because we were family, but we didn’t
have the relationship that we do now. It was during college that we really began to
develop a close friendship beyond just being twins and sisters. Ever since then, we
have just gotten closer as the years go by.
What piece of advice would you give new parents who
find out they are having twins?
Erin Prepare for battles throughout the childhood years over things and space
because kids are kids and inherently selfish. As your twins grow, they will have a
wonderful bond. There’s literally nothing I wouldn’t do for Emily. She’s one of my
very best friends, but that type of bond takes time and comes with maturity. It’s ok
if it isn’t heaven from the very beginning.
Emily I would say just let them be themselves and grow at their own rate.
Although it’s easy to have the same expectations for both, just try to remember
that each is still their own separate person. Also, I would say to most definitely
prepare for battles. It most likely won’t always be that way–but some of that is just
normal as you grow up.
Sometimes twins often have special or unique quirks.
Are there any special quirks or moments you remember
with your twin that stand out?
Erin When we were little, we shared a room with twin beds. There were many
nights Emily would get scared and would yell out across the room for me to scoot
over and that she was coming over. Then, in the pitch black, I’d hear those little
legs running and she’d hop in the bed with me. We also used to tell each other
goodnight with this weird saying that we’d say as fast as we could. I can’t even type
it out it makes no sense–but it made sense to us!
Emily I would say Erin letting my little, scared self get in the bed with her is
one of the funnier moments I remember, as well. She always let me get on the
inside of the bed, by the wall, so that I was shielded from whatever imaginary
thing I was afraid of. I do remember how fun our birthday sleepovers were. We
were both able to have friends over so that made for one big fun slumber party!
What is your favorite trait or something you admire
about your twin?
Erin There’s a lot I admire about Emily – she’s such a genuinely good,
kind-hearted person, so that’s hard. Emily is very non-judgmental and tends to
stick up for the underdog, and I love that about her. She is very against racism and
anyone that is treated poorly, so I would say she has this fierce loyalty about her. If
she is on your side, that woman would jump through a barrel for you. She’s also
very independent, and I admire that! I could go on and on!
Emily Like I mentioned earlier, Erin is just genuinely a good person with a
huge heart. She is self-sacrificing and always there for her family. Erin is an old
soul, and she loves the country and anything related to farm-life. Though she is
mainly a gentle person, she also has this sassy, firecracker side of her that you are
lucky if you get to see it. Erin is funny, witty, sensitive, loyal, encouraging, and so
much more!
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