Heavenly 

What do we say about Heavenly? She is happiest when doing her hair and nails and putting on makeup, while playing with her dolls comes in a close second. Like most of our kiddos on the Heart Gallery, she is here because of choices her parents made throughout her young life. Those choices led to instability, uncertainty, fear, and distrust. So now, Heavenly behaves in way that reflects that upbringing. She wants to be in control, so no one else can disappoint her. She wants things her way, because for so long, the focus was always on what her parents wanted for themselves. She makes quick, self-centered decisions because it’s all she was shown growing up. But Heavenly wants to be the kid who makes her parents proud. After a lifetime of being shamed and humiliated, she’s starving for positive, supportive praise and love. She needs a strong, patient two-parent home where she can learn what a nurturing family is supposed to look like and feel like. It will not come quickly, but once Heavenly understands that you aren’t going to leave her and that you accept her and love her despite any bumps that may come up in the road, she’ll open up and realize that she is a child worthy of everything this world has to offer and that it’s OK to trust and accept and just be herself.

Age: 17