Since the couple married, one of their firm plans was to become foster or adoptive parents. But before exploring either option, they asked their own two children, 16-year-old Courtney and 13-year-old Isaiah, for their opinion on expanding the family. To Dede's delight, the two boys "were very excited about the prospect."

Through the help and guidance of Campbell foster-care agency FamiliesFirst, siblings Nakayla, 3, and 7-year-old Daijah were introduced to the Rays in 2000. After Dede and Ray went through the state-mandated foster-parent training, licensing and background checks, both girls moved in with the Rays in 2001.

Yet it wasn't long after Daijah and Nakayla moved into the Rays' Campbell home that the couple discovered their new foster children had three older siblings—Ashlee, 9, Marcus, 10, and Shawn, 8—who were still living in the Sacramento foster-care system. In an effort to bring the siblings together, the couple began driving up to Sacramento as often as possible to get to know Ashlee, Marcus and Shawn. By April of 2002, all three youths moved down to Campbell, and the five siblings were finally reunited, living under one roof with stay-at-home mom Dede and pastor of the Home Church the Rev. "Ray" Ray.

And, each child has been officially adopted into the family, a feat that doesn't occur often, because the main objective of foster parenting is to return the child to his or her biological parents, FamiliesFirst program manager Janet St. Clair Lazar says. Two years after Marcus, Shawn and Ashlee moved in, the Rays say it seems natural to have their five adopted children living alongside their two biological sons.

"This was all in the Lord's plans for us," 43-year-old Dede says. "And the fact that we were able to get all the kids together is wonderful."

The youth like to play basketball or musical instruments together. Generally, they say that it's just nice to have someone around to hang out with or to play cards or a game of Monopoly with. Marcus likes his new home because he never used to have a skating partner.

"We just like to be together and have fun," Courtney says. "And there is usually someone to talk to, which is nice."

And Ray is encouraged with the progress all the siblings have made living in a new home, especially with that of Shawn, who is naturally quiet.

"Shawn has experienced a huge growth since he's been here," 45-year-old Ray says. "Now he speaks his mind and he's really blossoming."

He adds, "This all just feels like a divine appointment. I always felt we would have a larger family, and now that we do, it just seems natural."

Before becoming members of the Ray family, Daijah, Nakayla, Shawn, Ashlee and Marcus were part of the more than half-million children currently in foster care throughout the country, twice as many as in 1987. According to the National Resource Center for Foster Care and Permanency Planning, most children are in foster care due to abuse or neglect.

For more information about FamiliesFirst, 1475 South Bascom Ave., Suite 112, call 408.369.2220.