A couple was forced to legally adopt their own biological children in order that they could be listed on their birth certificate as their parents.
Tammy and Jordan Myers' legal fight began when their fraternal twins, Ellison and Eames, had not yet been born, as reported by PEOPLE.
The couple - who already had a daughter together - had decided to grow their family through gestational surrogacy after the mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and was unable to carry children.
They then found a gestational carrier and began the process. During that time, they also went ahead and applied for a pre-birth order for the twins because of the strict surrogacy laws in Michigan.
Things took a turn for the parents on January 11, 2021, when their twin newborns ended up being born eight weeks early and the pre-birth order was not approved in time, meaning they could not be named on their offspring's birth certificates.
"It's something that we have struggled with day in and day out," Tammy said, according to ABC News. "It sucked the joy out of something that should have been only happy feelings. It just has been a hard pill to swallow. But at the same time, it's kind of fueled our ambitions to change the situation."
Since February 2021, the couple had two of their pre-birth order applications denied, which left them with the option of adoption. However, the state's Surrogate Parenting Act of 1988 requires a judge to rule that someone going through surrogacy be named parent to the child, or go through the adoption process.
Being unable to place themselves on their children's birth certificates, the Myers asked the twins' gestational carrier and her husband to be Eames and Ellison's co-godparents.
Jordan opened up about the legal proceedings, sharing that it was "really hard" for his family, and adding: "We had our dreams coming true and it just felt like the floor was falling out from beneath us and now we were kind of being thrown into a bit of a tailspin from a legal perspective."
In December 2022, the couple was finally allowed to adopt their children, but the mom wasn't satisfied with the result after enduring a tough two-year legal battle over an outdated law. Tammy, who’s been fighting to change the laws for more than three years now, told ABC: "I honestly don't think that I'll be able to put it behind me until I see this law changed."
As many people share a similar story to Tammy and Jordan, last Thursday (March 14), the state Senate moved the new Michigan Family Protection Act vote to this week so that families impacted by the rule can have closure. The legislation would allow all children born in Michigan to have access to a secure legal relationship with their parents, which is essential to their well-being.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer shared on X (formerly Twitter) that she was just waiting for the bill to make it to her desk, writing: "I will continue working closely with my partners in the Michigan Legislature to make our state the best place to start, raise, and grow your family."
Congresswoman Hillary Scholten also added that the law change comes after "the grit, bravery, and strength of Tammy and Jordan Myers, and every family who stepped forward to share their stories, that will help us in our effort," adding: "I cannot thank these heroes enough."
Now, approximately fifteen months on from adopting their kids, the proud mom spoke to PEOPLE about what this fight meant to her, sharing: "It's never felt done because for me, the end wasn't our adoption.
"The end was changing and righting this wrong, that I didn't want any other family to go through this," she continued. "The whirlwind of the last three years and the trauma that has ensued because of it, I was so fixated on the end goal that it was a race to get across the finish line.
"Knowing that if these bills are passed into law it will help countless Michigan families who will someday walk in my shoes puts it all into perspective for me," she concluded.
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