As Mary and new mum Laura relax on the couch, toddlers James and Charles happily chatting and playing around them, there's little sign of the upheaval they have lived through in the past seven months.

Even now, Mary and Laura say it's hard to believe they won't have to pack up and move again.

It was in August last year, following a year-long struggle, that Laura won the right to travel to England to adopt the twins, after her half-sister Joanna was deemed unfit to raise them because of her disabilities.

Little did she know, the fight was just beginning.

What was expected to take up to four months stretched out to seven, as British authorities tentatively allowed their first international adoption.

"It was the first inter-country adoption between England and Australia since the Hague Convention was signed in 2002," Laura said.

"Nobody knew what they were doing; it was a test case and we were the guinea pigs."

They met the boys at the beginning of November, finally taking custody of them on December 11.

"It was exciting to get to that point where you were actually meeting them, because I didn't think that was ever going to happen. They bonded to us immediately," Laura said.

"We recognised them; they have a family resemblance. They were smaller than I was expecting; small and baby-like."

She said the children had been declared "special needs" because their parents were, and were thus developmentally delayed.

"They were being treated as vegetables; they weren't allowed to see themselves.

"We treated them as normal, and they blossomed."

While social services financed much of their time in England, there was little physical or emotional support through the stressful months, even when both women were ill.

"We were supposed to have a support advocate but we didn't have one until three-quarters of the way through, even though that's a standard thing any adoption should have.

"We didn't have anyone to talk to. It was insignificant that we were related. They did everything like a standard adoption and that's where the law needs to change...when it's family."

Laura thanked Member for Gilmore Joanna Gash, who helped them gain visas after bureaucratic delays.

The family finally touched down in Sydney on Sunday, exhausted but exhilarated.

"It's a relief to be home because it's done with and we can get on with life. I know they're mine so no one can come and get them."