Gift of Love: Samantha & Marlee

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - If you ask Samatha, 16, and her little sister Marlee, 13, who their favorite person is, they would very likely say each other.

But that being said, there’s still plenty of “sisterly love” to go around.

“I don’t want to bowl first,” said Samantha as she grabbed for her purple bowling ball at Green Acres Bowling in Tyler.

“Sam, you have to!” said Marlee with a jovial smirk.

From the beginning of their first game, Sam and Marlee showed to be each other’s biggest cheerleaders.

“Look at that one!” Sam said watching her sister nearly take down every pin in one sweep. “All but one!”

If you’re a parent, you know this sentiment is not too common among teenagers. However, Marlee and Sam explained they’re stronger together than they are apart. “We’ve been together all our lives and every time we're apart for long periods of time, it feels empty, it feels weird,” said Sam.

For both, it’s been a long journey through the complicated foster system. They’ve spent time in-and-out of care, with different family members, finally leading them to their current girls group home.

After so much moving around, Marlee said she simple wants, “a normal life.” These girls will be the first to admit they have plenty of differences. But one thing they can agree on is what they want to do with their future.

“I want to be the case worker that the kid is like, ‘oh I love my case worker,’” said Sam.

“I just like kids,” said Marlee. “I want kids to have a better life than I did.” A knack for perspective, big sister quickly clarified what she envisioned when we asked her to describe her “dream family.” “We have a bunch of wants but at the same time, they don't have to have anything at all,” said Sam. “We just want somebody that actually wants us.I just know that I really want this and I know that we really need it.”

Until then, they both explained, “we’re trying to stay positive.”

For more information on how to adopt Samantha & Marlee, or other East Texas children available for adoption. Please email Brittney.Rountree@dfps.state.tx.us .