matters of age and relationship with adoption child

What is the name of your state? soon it will be California.

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I really hope that someone out there will be able to shed some light on this idea I've got. This is what's going on: My girlfriend lives in California, I live in Ohio. Long distance.
She is 16 years old while I will be 18 on the 17th of this month. She has a foster family (or adopted?? make any diffirence?) that doesn't want to tolerate her, and she doesn't want to tolerate them. So recently she left, technically ran away and is now staying with her birth mother, sister, and brother. ...Things aren't great there... Her foster parents know that she's there and is letting her stay there for now. They are looking into putting her into a group home. She has been in numerous group homes throughout the years. Now in 2 months I am moving out to California to be with her. The group home may object to that... strongly. Anyways, the idea I had was if I could adopt my girlfriend. Sound crazy? Oh well, I love her. PLEASE don't start flaming me for loving her, I get that enough from my own family. But the way I see it, we would both be much happier if she lived with me while she finished school, and maybe even carry a part-time job, but the job is really her choice. I already intend to get a place out there, and get a job of course. I would provide for her in every way she deserves. I'm not really sure how adoption works... would she legally be considered my daughter? If so I guess that kinda makes things sound really weird. That's not really the point tho. The point is that she's not happy with her parents, not happy with her birth mother, not happy at any group home, and I DO NOT want her back out on the streets. I've already talked to her "parents" about it. They are actually fine with it. So... what I'm really asking for here is a little advice on... how the court would take it, IF it is possible at all (got my fingers crossed tight), what we would have to do to start the process, go through with it, and finish the thing too. Can anybody help me at all? Advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you everyone.

[nextwife]

Won't work.

From Ca Summary of adoption laws:

[url]http://www.adoptionsolutions.com/general/state%20laws/ca_law.htm[/url]

"Who Can Adopt?

Any adult can adopt, as long as they are at least 10 YEARS older than the adoptee"

Even if you could, if you have any thoughts of staying together with this troubled young woman down the road as a couple, don't even THINK about adopting her (even if you could). Do you realize what that would make any future relationship? If you adopted, she would legally be your daughter. That would forever prohibit any relationship other than as parental. The thought of any adoptive parent in a "couple" relationship with their adopted child makes my skin crawl.