Elvia Garcia a dedicated mother

Elvia Garcia’s role as a mother is one of the most important in her life.

She and her husband, José, have six children and 21 grandchildren. The youngest two are still at home, and now the couple has taken on the role of foster parents.

They have four foster children, ages 4 months, 19 months, 2 years and 3 years.

Elvia’s children describe the petite woman as strong, independent and determined. She’s passed on some of those traits.

“She likes everything to be done on time and right,” said Erica, 18, the youngest child, who is graduating this year from Floyd High School.

“She’s a very good role model,” said Rebecca, 21, the middle daughter, a stay-at-home mom who helps Elvia keep the house in order.

“She’s good with all kids,” Rebecca said. “She was strict but fair with all of us.”

Elvia, who works as executive administrative assistant at St. Helen’s Catholic Church, has taught her children to be independent, said Lucas, age 28.

“If you want anything, you’ve got to work really hard for it,” he said.

She taught not only her daughters, but her sons how to cook.

“We had to learn how to make tortillas before we could do anything else,” Erika said, adding that their mother taught them to “work hard, not rely on anybody and do what you need for yourself.”

Elvia said her husband and his family taught her about the importance of family unity, which has helped keep the closeknit family together, along with love and faith.

“You’ve got to have faith,” she said. “If you don’t have faith, you won’t be successful.”

Her children say love and faith are important in their lives, too.

The Garcias now have a spacious home, but they raised their children in a much smaller space.

“We always had room for everybody,” Elvia said. “Everybody always ended up at my house.”

The Garcias, who both work full-time, became foster parents because they thought one of their granddaughters might need to be in foster care.

The child got to go home with her father, Elvia said, but she and José decided to stay on as foster parents.

“You wish no child ever has to go into foster care,” Elvia said, though she loves the children dearly. “If I could, I would adopt them all.”

How does she do it? “The Lord gives me strength,” she said. “He’s telling me I can do more.”

The children go to daycare while the couple works, and Elvia said José is a great help.

“He’s got patience, more patience than I do. He’s really good with them,” she said. “You couldn’t do it without help.