Rachel Castillo and her husband were well on their way to an empty nest.
The Castillos’ two oldest children flew the coop within about a year of each other. Their oldest, Monica, 20, enrolled at Cal Poly, while their middle child, 19-year-old Nico, went to live in a home for those with behavioral issues. Nico is severely autistic, ADHD and epileptic.
That left Rachel and Othon home with just one – Olivia, now 11 years old. Without older siblings to help mold her, scold her, guide her and grow her, Rachel worried about Olivia’s development.
“My husband was looking forward to an empty nest,” she said jokingly. “For me, it’s always been in my nature to help people.
“My son and daughter left within a year of each other, which made it lonely for our 11 year old. Would this help her? Would this teach her? Would this help her learn to appreciate what she has and what others don’t? Would it teach her to give and be a giving person?”
Truth be told, though, Olivia wasn’t her only concern. Rachel missed having little ones around the house, hanging from her legs and calling out to her in the middle of the night. That’s when the parents to three became the party of five, welcoming two foster children into their home and hearts.
Rachel and Othon are raising a pair of siblings, a 2-year-old girl and her five-month-old brother. While they don’t have parental rights, the Castillos hope to someday adopt the two.
Until then, they’ll raise their foster children like their own, giving them a love and life they weren’t promised at birth.
“Our goal was to give a child a home – a child who needed a home,” Rachel said. “We wanted the child to feel loved, to feel safe and know what a loving, functioning family is like. That way they can take that with them wherever they go.
“We feel that we’ve given (our daughter) a life that she wouldn’t have had, and we’re confident we can give (her brother) that.”
This weekend, the once nearly empty nest will burst with energy and excitement. Mother’s Day is Sunday, and Rachel hopes to spend it with all those that make her a mother.
“When they’re all home, it’s like ‘Oh my, gosh,’ ” Rachel said. “It’s the best thing ever, but it can be pretty crazy.”
Though Nico stands nearly 6 feet tall, he and the knee-high 2-year-old get along famously. They interact the way siblings of similar age would. They play with and fight over the same toys and are virtually inseparable.
“Younger kids absolutely adore him,” Rachel said, “and he adores them. He loves kids … he loves babies.”
Part of being a foster parent is accepting that which is out of your control, Rachel says. She doesn’t know if the siblings will remain in their custody permanently, but that won’t keep Othon and Rachel from raising them like their own.
She loves being a mom to her children; those that she has birthed and those that she has bonded with.
“These rewards are much greater than anything else,” Rachel said. “These are my babies.”
