‘God blessed me with 5 princesses’: Cathedral City family gives forever home to 5 adopted sisters

A Cathedral City family just got a lot bigger and just in time for Thanksgiving – giving a group of sisters a new home.

Jennifer, Mia, Quetzaly, Sofia and Karla, ages 3 to 9, were just adopted this month into the Avena-Rivera family.

"Because they're sisters, we wanted them to be together," said Sofia Rivera Vidal, the girls' adoptive mother. "We were happy to decide yes and say, 'Yes, we're going to adopt all five.'"

Rivera Vidal said the girls were born in Palm Springs and until now, have been in Riverside County's foster system, sometimes separated from each other.

"They're happy to be together more than anything because they know that they are sisters and they were separate at some point," she said.

Miguel Avena, the girl's new dad, said in Spanish, "They're like five little angels; they're a gift from God."

The sisters are reunited after what Riverside County Adoptions Supervisor Jaime Pineda said was a year-and-a-half-long process.

"We don't always have room for for family for large families, and so we here in the Coachella Valley specifically, we need some families to be able to take that chance, take that opportunity," Pineda said.

The girls are settling into their new, permanent home, they have a lot to give thanks for.

News Channel 3 asked Jennifer Avena-Rivera, 9, what she's thankful for this Thanksgiving.

"My dad and my mom," she said. "I'm happy to be with all my sisters."

"God blessed me with five princesses, so that's what I'm gonna be thankful for tomorrow," Rivera Vidal said.