Recently, Mona, a teenager in a Coyote Hill foster home, was asked to prepare a speech for her English class. The prompt was a “This I Believe” essay, inspired by the popular radio series hosted by Edward R. Murrow.
When Mona started to write her speech, she didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Her essay was grounded in her life experience as a foster sibling, as she and her family opened their home to children in their community. She shared, “Science proves that a family is built on shared DNA. By definition, siblings are children who share at least one common parent. But I believe family goes far beyond blood.”
Mona’s family began fostering when she was just six years old. Over the years, their family welcomed more than 35 children into their home. Some stayed only a few days, others for months, but each one brought their own story — and left a lasting impact on Mona and her
family.
In 2020, her parents received a phone call about two infant twins who needed a short-term, emergency place to stay. This short-term stay brought two children into their lives and changed the structure of their family forever.
Three years after they first welcomed these twins into their home, they made the decision to adopt them. In her speech, Mona shared, “Today, they are my siblings by law, not blood. They were born into a broken family, struggling with addiction, abuse, and neglect. But they’ve been given a new beginning, surrounded by love. This experience has shaped my belief that family is chosen through love, not defined by genetics.”
To Mona, providing a new beginning based on love and rooted in family has an effect that stretches beyond her family system. She believes it reflects the values of our society. “Being an American means having hope — that people aren’t destined for where they came from, but instead can become who they are meant to be,” Mona said. “My siblings are living proof of this. Family is love, not blood — this I believe.”
Today, this same family is once again saying “yes.” After adopting the twins, they are stepping back into fostering this year, opening their home and their hearts to more children in need of safety, love, and belonging. At Coyote Hill, we are grateful for families like theirs who remind us that love has no limits and that every child deserves the chance to be welcomed into a safe home.
