Janice Aletheia Webb

I call my sister Goober. I'm not sure why that got started but its been her nickname for a long time. Several years ago I gave her a James Avery charm that was a peanut for her birthday (a goober is a peanut).

My sweet "little" sister turned 18 yesterday. She is out of high school, getting ready for college and now legally able to buy lottery tickets. Aletheia and I were both adopted 8 1/2 years apart as infants. My parents adopted me, then had both of my brothers and then planned on adopting another girl. They even asked me what I wanted in a sister. I just wanted her to look like me. I remember answering the phone when the lady from Christian Services of the Southwest called to tell my mom and dad that they found me a sister. The day before we were supposed to drive to Dallas to pick Aletheia up from her foster home I broke my arm - I mean, it was a bad break, the bomes came out and everything. To make a long story short, I was in the hospital for about 3 days and had several surgeries so I was not able to go to Dallas to meet my new sister. To be fair my parents didnt take my brothers either.

One of the first pictures I have is of my mom, sister and I in matching outfits that my mom made us. I was trying to very carefully hold this cute baby with my right arm in a cast past the elbow. So, I now had a sister. We have shared a bedroom, gotten in fights, teamed up against our brothers, done girly things like getting facials, cried, laughed etc. She was the co-Maid of Honor at my wedding and I'm sure that someday (not too soon) I'll be in hers.

My one request was that my sister look like me - brown hair, brown eyes etc. She has the brown eyes, but her hair has lightened to a dark blong color and she is tall and thin like my brothers. I am the shortest kid by at least several inches.

I love having a little sister who is adopted like me. Our stories are very different but it is a unique bond that we share. I can't believe she is 18 now!! She went from a cute little girl with big ears and a pixie hair cut to a tall, beautiful young adult with an amazing singing voice and a loving heart.

Happy Birthday Goober. I love you.