Most siblings make many childhood memories while growing up together, but for siblings Jewell Rowlands and Greg Scheid they are starting to make memories together for the first time in 57 years.

Rowlands and Scheid were separated during early childhood after their mother suffered from a nervous breakdown and four of her five children were relinquished to the state of Kansas. It wasn’t until a couple of months ago when Rowlands and Scheid found each other across the U.S. and Scheid and his wife decided to fly to Sea-Tac from Kansas to meet and stay with his long lost sister in Sequim.

“I ran to him and hugged him for a couple of minutes,” Rowlands said.

“We knew we liked each other right away,” Scheid said.

The two were reunited after their aunt called Rowlands and told her she had a brother in Kansas. Rowlands called Scheid’s number and the siblings set up a plan for him to fly out to Seattle during the first week of July and stay with Rowlands for 18 days.

Rowlands said she always knew she might have siblings but family could not find any records as to where her other siblings were. She grew up in several foster homes throughout the country, as did Scheid, and the five siblings were separated for most of their lives.

“It’s been a tough life,” Rowlands said. “We ended up getting bounced around.”

Two of their siblings have died as well as their mother and one brother they do not have contact with, so for the duo they are almost all that’s left of their immediate family.

“I’m starting to have a picture in my mind of me as a little girl with four little boys,” Rowlands said.

Now that the two have been reunited, the siblings say they are already finding many similarities between them.

“We’re both artistic,” Rowlands said.

Both siblings said they have a knack for creativity: for Rowlands it’s transferred over into her dog grooming business and for Scheid it’s always been sketching and painting. The siblings said their brother Robbie also was artistic.

Rowlands and Scheid are both dog lovers, self-employed and grew up in similar Christian households. They both believe their Christian upbringings have pulled them through their tough childhoods.

“Because we were raised in Christian homes it had an impact on our hearts and souls,” Rowlands said. “It helped me to be a good person as an adult,” she said. “(Greg) is a good person.”

Both siblings also said they had to learn to build their lives from almost nothing coming from the foster care system.

“For kids that got in the (foster care) system, I think we’re fortunate we came through it,” Rowlands said.

“I felt so alone for many years. I’m not alone anymore.”

While Scheid is visiting his sister in Sequim, they had a barbecue for the Fourth of July, plan to visit the Olympic Game Farm, Pike Place Market and possibly go to the Sol Duc Hot Springs and the Space Needle.