A family of four in northern Kentucky recently adopted three siblings to make sure they stayed together.

Jeannine Ruck and her husband, Jack, of Fort Thomas, legally adopted Will, 7; his brother, Eli, 6; and their sister, Anna Mae, 2, during an adoption ceremony at the Campbell County Court on Thursday morning, according to WLWT.

Jeannine said that although the three-and-a-half-year process from foster to adoption was long and hard, it was worth every minute to finally have a daughter of their own.

“We’ve always wanted a daughter, and now we have one — and she’s sassy just like me. Even though I didn’t have her, but she acts just like me. I’m raising her to be a strong, independent woman,” the mom said.

She urged others to consider adopting children because there are lots of kids who need families.

“There are so many children out there that need loving homes,” she said. “The holidays are coming up. They just need someone to love them unconditionally. Like I said, there’s so many kids that are waiting to be adopted.”

The U.S. Departement of Health and Human Services Child Welfare website stated that siblings who are kept together through the foster care and adoption process experience more stability.

The site read:

Having a brother or sister provides children with a peer partner with whom they can explore their environments, navigate social and cognitive challenges, and learn skills. Sibling relationships can provide a source of continuity throughout a child’s lifetime and can be the longest relationships that people experience.