DALLAS — Were you lucky enough to have awesome grandparents in your life?
Van’Naiaya, 15, believes her grandmother is watching over her from heaven and watching over her story, because the teen needs wonderful parents to adopt her. She is today’s Wednesday’s Child.
Going up never felt so good!
"I ain't ever been up this high. Oh, my gosh!" said Van'Naiaya.
She felt on top of the world when she visited Reunion Tower. She got to go to the top of the ball for a spectacular view of Dallas.
Van'Naiaya had fun looking at all the skyscrapers. One of them, Fountain Plaza, reminded her of the shape of her grandmother's old home. Her grandmother was the only loving parent she ever had.
When asked what her grandmother meant to her, she responded "everything."
She taught Van'Naiaya some wonderful lessons.
"I'm outgoing. I'm strong and I'm courageous," she said proudly.
Van'Naiaya has been in foster care since she was 9 years old.
"I don't want to have to bear a child and treat them how my mother treated me," she said in a whisper.
She wants to be the one to break the cycle of abuse in her family. One way to do that is by loving herself.
Van'Naiaya needs a forever family who will help her to become a better reader, to help guide her in school and to teach her how to love others by loving her.
"I want a family that's gonna [sic] love me and stuff, and a family that believes in me," she said.
Van'Naiaya is not afraid of heights, but one thing that is scary, is the thought of aging out of the system when she turns 18. That's why Van'Naiaya wanted to be featured on Wednesday's Child.
"I want somebody to see me on TV and then want to adopt me, so I can have a loving home,” she said.
With her grandma watching over her in heaven, and with the strength of her advocates, Van'Naiaya can't wait to feel on top of the world with a forever family to call her own.
For more information on how to adopt Van'Naiaya, please send all approved home studies to LaQueena Warren at LaQueena.Warren@dfps.texas.gov. Please remember to include Van'Naiaya's name within the subject line.
If you're not licensed, please visit adoptchildren.org to find out more information on how to become licensed to foster and/or adopt or contact LaQueena Warren at 817-304-1272.
If you would like to read more Wednesday's Child stories and more about how to get the process started, click here.