A Family for Me: Lilly

JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) - There are thousands of children in Arkansas who are waiting for a forever family.

One of those children is Lilly, a bubbly third grader who has been in foster care for several years of her life.

"Math and reading really, but I like all of the subjects really," Lilly said about school. "Because I'm smart."

Lilly is a girly-girl. She's watched plenty of YouTube tutorials gearing up for her future job.

"A makeup artist and a hair artist because I know how to braid," Lilly said.

While she is certain of what she will be when she grows up, Lilly is not certain about where she will finish growing up.

"Lilly has endured lots of trauma in her life," adoption specialist Tracy Holloway said. "She has been adopted previously when she was 19 months old. She came back into the foster care system when she was five."

She is separated from her siblings, who have been adopted.

"So she just really needs someone that's going to stick with her for the rest of her life," Holloway said.

This spunky 9-year-old girl needs a patient family that's going to help her deal with the trauma of her past and move forward to a successful life.

"She's going to need someone that understands these behaviors and just doesn't give up easily when the going gets tough because it's going to be tough for her transitioning into a permanent family," Holloway said.

But that is a change that Lilly is ready for.

"A big family," Lilly said when we asked what she wanted.

"It is very important for her to find a family now at 9 years old," Holloway said. "We do not want Lilly to be one of the statistics of exiting out of foster care after being in foster care for 9 years, 12 years, or 15 years and not having a place to call home."

If you are interested in fostering or adoption, click here.

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