In this episode, I talk with Julie—an identical twin, adoptive daughter, and now grandmother—about the extraordinary journey she and her sister took to find their birth mother at the age of 48. What began as a search sparked by a health scare turned into a deeply emotional exploration of identity, loyalty, and sisterhood.Julie shares how navigating a closed adoption system, confronting family dynamics, and facing both rejection and reunion shaped her understanding of herself as a twin and as a daughter. We discuss the emotional layers of being raised with your twin while separated from your origins, the challenges of searching later in life, and the complicated but powerful connection they ultimately forged with their birth mom.We also explore what it means to honor both adoptive and biological family bonds, how DNA testing changed everything, and why twinhood remained Julie’s strongest anchor through the ups and downs. Julie’s story is a powerful reminder of how deeply identity and connection intertwine—and how even decades later, it's never too late to seek the truth.Whether you're an adoptive parent of twins, a twin yourself, or simply curious about how identity and family evolve over time, this episode is full of vulnerability, wisdom, and hope. EPISODE THEMES 📝Growing up as identical twins in a closed adoptionWhy Julie and her sister began their search at 48How changing state laws opened the door to reunionThe emotional complexity of adoptive and birth family rolesFacing rejection—and acceptance—during the searchNavigating loyalty, identity, and grief as adult adopteesHow twinhood shaped every step of the journeyAdvice for adoptive parents raising twins today GIVEAWAYS 💰🎉 YOU'RE INVITED: Need more support, join us each month for our Twiniversity Virtual Meeting. Meet Nat and Lauren and bring them your biggest twin life challenges each month of the year. For dates and more details visit. www.twiniversity.com/Membership✔️Subscribe to the Twiniversity Email Newsletter! https://www.twiniversity.com/subscribe/Expecting twins? Twiniversity has you COVERED with online classes! ⬇️Breastfeeding Twins: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/HTaVcGhH/checkoutTwins After Singletons: https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/hegrd8Ez/checkoutBaby Safety (CPR, First Aid, Car Seat Safety, Childproofing): https://twiniversity.mykajabi.com/offers/AccFMLk8/checkout CONNECT WITH JULIE MCGUE 💌Website: https://juliemcgueauthor.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-ryan-mcgue-a246b841/?trk=public-profile-join-page Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julieryanmcgue/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliemcguewrites/?ref=_xav_ig_profile_page_web# CONNECT WITH US 🎙️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TwiniversityPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/twiniversity/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twiniversity/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twiniversityX: twitter.com/TwiniversitySpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60TDcDJoEtQHwqLzZ8L9rX?si=9734d507f23845e6Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/twiniversityEmail:
[email protected]
UK