Kaley Carling and her husband had dreamt of having a family to call their own for many years. And on October 19 and 21 those dreams were well and truly realised when they became parents to four children within 24 hours.
The US couple had been fostering four children, and by chance all their adoptions were made official at the same time.
"Last week my husband and I were finally able to make our family official! On Wednesday we finalised the adoption for our twins (private adoption); Thursday (my husband's 30th birthday!!) we adopted our foster children that we have had for 14+ months.
"Four kids 2 and under is no joke, but our dreams were realised (times 4!) and we are so grateful and happy! (and tired)," the excited mum wrote on Reddit.
Kaley explained she and her husband had travelled a long and bumpy road to parenthood.
"Our journey to get to this point has been anything but easy; health issues, infertility, failed adoptions, death. Heartbreak. And more heartbreak. S*** that is so crazy you couldn't make it up. It seemed like it would never end," she wrote.
"We are here to give hope to those in a similar situation to persevere, to push through. When you feel like giving up, don't. It will all be worth it in the end ... sleep deprivation and all."
The mum-of-four told Parents.com she tried to conceive "for a couple of years".
"However due to my lupus and RA, that road was proving to be extremely hard on my body," she said.
"My husband and I decided to take a break from 'trying' and to focus more on foster and/or adoption, something that had been a dream of mine since I was a teenager."
But adoption wasn't a straightforward process either, with the couple experiencing the heartbreak of two failed adoptions before completing their family.
Then in August last year the couple met two foster girls - Haven, who is now aged 2, and 14-month-old Indie - who entered foster care when their mother was imprisoned.
That same day they were also contacted by a woman who was pregnant with twins, who was looking for a home for them once they were born.
Kaley and her husband have cared for the two older girls ever since, and the twin girls since their birth nine months ago. But it wasn't until October 19 that they received news the official adoption of all children would be finalised.
Kaley described the time of the adoptions as the "best few days of our lives".
"The judge commented that she's never seen so much love and support in her courtroom before," Kaley told Parents.com.
Writing on Reddit, Kaley explained the twins will continue to have a relationship with their birth mother.
"We have an open adoption and everything has gone wonderfully so far. They have two full blooded brothers that are 4 and 5, and I think it would be great for them to get to know each other at some point," she wrote.
"I'm letting the birth mother be the driver of the relationship, as I don't want to overwhelm her if she's having a hard time. She's a great woman that I am proud for the girls to know one day."
While the older girls have not seen their mother for more than a year, Kaley and her husband do keep in touch with a biological aunt who is supportive of their adoption of the girls.
Kaley admits life is busy, but says she and her husband have absolutely no regrets and are excited about the future with their four children.
"Some days are incredibly difficult," Kaley told Parents.com.
"We've gone from two incomes to one, added FOUR more mouths to feed, and have significant debt from the private adoption for the twins, but our prayers were truly answered and our hearts are full.
"We are so happy to finally be a family."