Gift of Love: Sonya

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Getting the opportunity to sit down in a beauty salon chair is a luxury often taken for granted by many.

“I want you to leave here with everything you expected,” said her hair and makeup artist. “I can do a trim for you and give you a new style.”

“Am I allowed to lighten it and then curl it?” Sonya, 15, asked politely as she began her first consultation. “When I first walked into this place I was like, ‘it’s so fancy!’”

After careful thought, Sonya decided on adding a little more color to her previously box-died blonde, paired with some natural makeup.

“I don’t like going too bold,” Sonya said as she reviewed some color pallet options.

For this sophomore, the experience of getting her hair and makeup done was made even more special because it was all a surprise.

“They were like, ‘we’re picking you up early from school,’ and I was like, ‘why!?” said Sonya. “The girls that I live with were like, ‘you need to wear this and this!’"

As a child of the foster care system, Sonya told us she realized how unusual an afternoon like this one was for a girl in her position.

“My parents never had the time to do this... so...” Sonya said with a shrug.

Without parents who are capable of caring for her on their own, it’s a situation the teen admits is not so beautiful from the outside looking in.

But Sonya’s spirit proves appearances don’t always tell the whole story.

“Do y’all mind if I take pictures because my friend are like what’s happening what’s happening?!” Said Sonya while excitedly laughing. “They’re going to be like, ‘what’s on your head!?’”

Tickled by the thought of her friends getting a laugh, Sonya revealed to us the girls she lives with are the closest thing she has to family at this point in her life.

But she says when it comes to parents, she’s not picky.

“I’m a drama queen,” said Sonya said jokingly. “That’s all I have to say is I’m a drama queen.”

She continued with: “I want my future parents to know that I am in love with music. I have like four playlists.”

It’s true that you glow a little differently when you’re truly happy.

Sonya hopes her beauty inside, and out, shines bright enough for her forever family to see, too.

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

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