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Families are various sizes and various races. Families can live far away from one another or multiple generations can live together in the same house or apartment. No matter the size of the whole or the proximity of the parts, families are unique units.

Beki and Jason Myers are the parents of two boys. Their family lives in Parsons and both parents work in Tucker County. The boys joined the family in October to the delight of both Beki and Jason Myers as well as both of their respective parents and siblings. Both boys had been a part of this family since April 17, 2007, and Dec. 11, 2007.

What makes this family different from others is that these two boys were adopted by the Myerses.

Since they were married, Beki Myers said she wanted to have children. However, medical problems throughout her life made conceiving very difficult. She suffered through various diseases including endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Her dream to become a mother of a newborn baby was hampered severely by the issues she and her husband faced.

Beki became pregnant in 2001. However, the couple's happiness was "short lived" when Beki had a miscarriage. This would be the only time she would ever become pregnant.

"In 2005," she said, "I ended up having a hysterectomy and to me this was the beginning of a new chapter in my life."

The Myerses longed to be parents and since the natural way was no longer available to them, they turned to adoption. Beki said they began looking at overseas adoption options when they decided this was the way they were going to have a child in their lives.

After looking at all of the agencies that offered international adoptions, the Myerses found a program that adopted children from area cities to local interested parents.

The Parent Resource for Information Development Education (PRIDE) is where Beki and Jason found help in adopting a child from, not only in the country and in West Virginia, but within the area surrounding Tucker County.

After completing certification in February 2007, Beki said she and Jason waited for "that one special call."

That call came two months later - April 16.

Once the Myerses informed the agency they were interested in that specific child, he came to live with them the following day. After more than half a year, the boy's brother also came there to live.

Because of regulations, the boys had to live with the Myers family for six consecutive months before the adoption could take place.

This, for Beki, was one of the most difficult parts of their experience.

"This is where your time and patience is really weighed upon," she said.

In the end, adoption papers were filed for both boys in July 2009. Officially, the boys became members of their new family in October.

"We just want people to know that adoption to us was not in our blood but in our hearts," the new mother stated. "These very special little boys mean the world to us and to our families."

For many of the families that participate in adopting a child, or children in the Myerses' case, a child that is brought into a family is an experience that holds a special place in the lives of everyone that is part of it.

"We have always thought of these children as our own and have never treated these children any differently," Jason said. "They may not have our blood but they have our hearts and souls, and to us that is all it takes to make the perfect family."