A North Texan couple adopted seven Filipino siblings who had been separated for more than two years.
Chris and Jessica Milam of Denton County are determined to raise two brothers and five sisters, ages 5-12, who were separated in three different foster homes in Texas.
The couple went through an eight-month adoption process to reunite and bring home the siblings they said were meant for them.
“From the moment I read their profiles, I was like, ‘Oh, these are the kids for us,'” Jessica told Fox 4 News† “They loved animals, they loved crafts, they loved plants.”
More from NextShark: Taiwanese Police Use ‘Animal Crossing’ to Find Owner of Lost Nintendo Switch
“We had an empty house that we had just moved into,” she added. “We built a house to fill with kids, so we knew we had the space. We are self-employed, so it makes it a little easier to look after seven children of different ages.”
The judge announced that it would be in the children’s best interests to allow the couple’s adoption, have the children’s names changed and the files sealed.
“They all said, ‘Can we just come home with you today, can we just come today?’ remembers Jessica. “They tried to negotiate before. So they were so excited to really be together, but also to have parents who would be their parents forever.”
More from NextShark: US State Department criticizes China’s human rights record in latest report
The couple, who originally planned to become adoptive parents on a smaller scale, wanted the siblings to understand that they would all become a family.
“It means we’ll be there forever,” one of the girls told Fox 4.
“We will have a family that will take care of us until we are adults and can take care of ourselves,” her older brother added.
More from NextShark: Chinese students get homework app removed from 1-star rated store during school cancellation
Featured image via KDFW FOX 4
More from NextShark: Suspect of murder of Christina Lee says too little evidence for his conviction: ‘I’m not in front of the camera to touch her’
