Louisville woman fosters, adopts six biological sisters from Hardin County

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Jeffersontown woman adopted six biological sisters from Hardin County.

About 5 years ago, Mandi Septer discovered Necco Foster Care and Counseling, a local agency that needed foster parents.

Septer became a foster mom shortly after. She's single and has never been married. Becoming a mother has always been one of her dreams.

Since 2020, she's fostered more than 17 children. But two years ago, there was a group of siblings, all sisters, that stood out to her the most.

So, in 2023, just days before National Adoption Day, she adopted all six of them.

"Fostering did turn into parenting to me," Septer said. "My biggest thing would be if you have the opportunity to open your home and foster, then give it a try. You won't know until you try it. You won't know the effect you're having on that one child. They may remember that forever."

Originally, Septer was fostering four of them; but then the agency said there were two more. She happily took them in.

Louisville woman adopts six biological sisters from Hardin County — About 5 years ago, Mandi Septer discovered Necco Foster Care and Counseling, a local agency that needed foster parents.

Septer is 44 years old and comes from a military family.

The girls have a wide range in age. The youngest is three and the oldest is 16.

There are even a couple of musicians -- playing the saxophone and piano, another swims and runs cross country, and another plays soccer.

"The adoption wasn't so hard, because at that point, they've been living here for over two years," Septer said. "And the harder part was the transition and they were just thinking man, because my thought process as a single parent. 'Okay, how are we going to do a daily dinner to feed eight of us?' Of course, we conquered that day by day, and then that became our battle rhythm; and then how do we make sporting events and school event and band and a piano? We just figured it out day by day."

Septer said the girls also have an older sister, who is now 19. She aged out of the system last year, or else Septer says she would've adopted her too.

"The oldest can now drive, so having a second driver is extremely helpful. And now the one in the house is 16, and she's the oldest one in the house, and she's helping to drive," Septer said. "It's amazing because I'm not doing it all by myself. My 19-year-old is still very much involved. If something happens and I can't get to daycare in time or I'm tied up with some of the other foster kids situation, she'll come and make sure she'd get my little one from daycare and bring her home and so it's fitting into some family functions."

Mandi's sister said Septer has always been "very independent and successful in her professional career."

All of the sisters, except for one, have a name that starts with the letter "A."

For more information on how to foster or adopt in Kentucky, click here.

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