Angela, Courtney and the Twins

"You just don't believe you're holding them," writes Bassett (recalling the births of twins Slater, in her arms, and Bronwyn). "It's kind of like: Really? Truly? Finally?"

They first met as students at Yale School of Drama. But it wasn’t until Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance became Hollywood stars that they felt a spark. In Friend...A Love Story, they tell the whole tale-from childhood to their 1997 wedding and a subsequent struggle with infertility that took them through two miscarriages and seven in vitro fertilization treatments. Fortunately, there’s a happy ending. Here the couple share their joy at becoming parents to twins Bronwyn Golden and Slater Josiah on Jan. 27, 2006, through a surrogate.

Angela: Slater is very yellowish; he has my undertones. Bronwyn is a little bigger. Her color is a little ruddier, like Courtney’s. We watch and watch them. After a while Slater opens one eye for a millisecond. Just for that second I could see one black pupil, a glimpse of the eyes I’ll soon stare into lovingly. Our amazing journey was about to begin!

Courtney: Angela and I spend a lot of time thinking about how to lay the foundation for the kind of people we want our children to become. We know that Bronwyn and Slater will need strong Biblical roots to withstand all the temptations Hollywood will present them. I know that teaching them discipline is essential. I want my child to like me just like every parent does. For now, though, I’m not going to be their friend. For now, I’ve got to lay that discipline in there day by day.

Unfortunately, we still live in a world where racial prejudice exists. Therefore, we will teach our children how to navigate racism. Above all, we’re going to raise them to have a deep love of people. I think of the amazing journey of our children’s existence each and every time Angela and I look into their bright little eyes. I know God has an amazing plan in store for all of us. Our hands and our hearts are full.