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Age/sex: 13 year old girl
How many kids are in your family? 3
How many are adopted? 1
Age of adopted sibling(s): 6
How long has your adopted sibling been home? 16 months
Does your adopted sibling have any special needs? Yes, HIV+

What should we know about you? 
I am a straight A Honors Student and I play volleyball and tennis

Describe yourself to someone who can’t see you. 
5’4” Brown long hair, lots of freckles on my face, blue eyes, thin, fun, cool and smart

What should we know about your adopted sibling? 
He is from Ukraine and thinks he knows everything

What did you think when your parents first talked to you about adoption? How was it explained to you?
I was asked how I would feel if it happened and I knew they had been thinking about it. I started crying, but they comforted me and told me about him and I felt better

What did you think/feel as you waited for your sibling to come home? 
 I wished it would go faster

What were your first thoughts/feelings when you met your new sibling? 
I was very happy, excited and overwhelmed

How did your life change when your new sibling came home? 
We had to learn to be more patient

What surprised you the most about your sibling? 
How fast he learned English

What’s the best advice you’ve given or been given? 
If you want a rainbow, you have to put up with the rain.

Is it different being the sibling of an adopted brother/sister than biological? If yes, how? 
Yes, he was six but feels no different than my bio brother.

What do you tell your friends about your sibling?
I don’t really tell them about my brother but they love him. They all knew my parents were adopting so they knew of him.

How would you describe your relationship with your sibling? 
It’s like a normal brother relationship: We fight but we love each other

Do you like hanging out with your sibling?
Yes

Got any good stories about your sibling? 
He will say anything in public.

Can you imagine what life would be like if your family hadn’t adopted your sibling? 
No

Was it easy to adjust to having your new sibling in the family? 
Kind of

What are some advantages – good parts - of having an adopted sibling? 
You get more chances to meet new people

What are some disadvantages – not so good parts – of having an adopted sibling? 
You have to learn to cope with them

How has your family life changed through adopting a child? 
It’s hard to explain, except I have a new brother.

Do other family members treat your sibling differently? How does that make you feel? 
He is 6 so he needs more attention but I understand

What are some words or phrases you use the most? 
“seriously”

Knowing what you know now, would your reaction have been different if your parents told you they’re going to adopt a child? 
Yes, I still wouldn’t want to because I feel there is enough of us but It would be easier to say yes than the first time.

Has your sibling ever embarrassed you?  How?
He shouted out my mom’s bra size in Victoria Secrets. The whole store heard it and it was really funny but embarrassing.

Does your sibling ever frustrate you?  How? 
When he acts like he knows everything and when Mom asks me to help him with homework and he will not do it or even try.

Is there anything about your sibling that just makes you smile?  What? 
He can be really cute when he’s not trying

Is there anything about your sibling that just makes you angry?  What?
When he acts like he knows everything.

Do you think being a sibling has affected your personality? How? 
Yes.  I am more patient and understanding

If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be? Why?
Abe Lincoln  He was pretty cool and a great leader.

How do your friends treat your sibling? 
They love him

What annoys you the most about how people treat your sibling?
When he first got home he got all the attention.

If you could change just one thing about your sibling, what would it be? 
Attention span, his “baby” talk and his know it all attitude

What makes you proud of your sibling? 
How fast he picked up English and how well he adjusted

What has been your happiest moment in life (so far)? 
When my other brother was born

Do you ever feel invisible?
No

What is your favorite thing about your adopted sibling? 
He is funny when he doesn’t try to be

What is the hardest thing about having an adopted sibling? 
Running low on money for the family, sibling fights

What life lesson have you learned from having an adopted sibling?
I learned to share more, I learned to be a better team player, I am more patient

If you had one wish for your adopted sibling, what would it be? 
For his HIV to go away

Describe a perfect day: 
Wake up, breakfast, catch the bus on time, get to school early, hang out with friends till the bell rings, no test in any class, no homework, easy but challenging lessons, ride home on the bus, have a delicious snack, sit on the couch watch TV, my brother’s get home with high behavior marks, we hang out, my dad comes home, we have a delicious supper, then we all set down watch a movie and have popcorn, I go to bed and have sweet dreams.

What’s the weirdest question you’ve ever been asked about your sibling? 
“Why you have no cow?” by my brother

Do your parents include you in discussions about your sibling? How does that make you feel? 
Yes, makes me feel appreciated and valued.

What do you see for your sibling’s future? What part do you think you’ll play in that future? 
I think they will be successful and we will still see each other on weekends. I’ll be a helpful supporting sister.

If your best friend told you his/her family is going to adopt a child, what would your reaction be? What advice would you give your friend? 
I would say it’s going to be okay, you’ll love them once they get here, in a year or two they won’t even think of them as adopted.

What would you think if your parents told you they’re going to adopt again?
I would be kind of scared and reluctant to say yes a second time.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Out of college and at a nice job.

Leave us with your favorite quote, Scripture, poem or song lyric: 
I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.