Here to Help

"It seems that Alana haven't developed emotionally well, to some capacity." Sheri said taking it all in. "I would love to meet her."

"Really?" Dennis couldnt believe Sheri really wanted to help. Most people hear Alana's story and leave it at that.

"Yes, I've seen this in other children before." Sheri said. "In most cases, they just have to learn for themselves. But with Alana's rough start and delay in this part of her development she may always allow herself to be treated poorly. But with intervention, a standard of how one should be treated or a sense of self-worth can be thought."

"It can? We've been trying with her for years Dr. Woods, I'm afraid those scars run deep." Dennis sadly replied.

"Children who have strong support systems at home, can be coached in certain things from outside influences that can then be reinforced at home. If I offer counseling at least two times out of the week and with the love your always giving, Alana will eventually learn how to have long-lasting, mutual, and healthy relationships." Sheri said knowing the Henry's are doing all they can for this beautiful young woman they've adopted.

"You can do that?!" Debra said not bothering to wipe away her tears anymore.

"She can. Sheri is always counseling my Julisa and influencing her to do things I couldn't get her to do." Jill said proudly.

"How are you so sure?" Dennis didn't want to get his hopes up.

"I have to meet her to get a better gauge on how her scars affect her." Sheri cautioned. "There may be a chance that she associate the bad treatment she receives from others, with her birth mother and clings to the familiarities. It can be hard for a child to never see someone they love again, no matter how bad they are for them. Since Alana couldn't properly develop strong foundations of emotional and social development from her time with her birth mother, such as positive past experiences, a general understanding of love, and trust, she doesn't view harsh treatment as negative as we might."

"You know Alana never has anything bad to say about her birth mother. Just would say "'she was busy'" Dennis said in amazement as he finally started to realize what Alana issues really are.

"Yes, I don't believe she views her birth mother as we do..." Debra says feeling like this was the piece to Alana's puzzle that's been missing.

"This is all very interesting." Sheri said "I'm really eager to meet her. I feel like diving into untapped memories and experience with her birth mom and other people she calls "friends" will help me gauge her perception. I can then help her understand her own feelings to these things and help her analyze how they really made her feel and what's healthy and what's not."

"Yes please!" Debra excitedly agreed and exchanged information with Sheri and Jill. Jill also asked to have outings with each other teens regularly to give Julisa something to do this summer break. She didn't sign up for fashion camp or dance camp this summer and even though she says she's been out catching up with friends she will no longer be going to school with, Jill didn't feel like Julisa was being well rounded enough.

Both the Henry's, Sheri and Jill took a day to take the kids out to the beach.

"How is Omar? What's his story?" Jill asked.

"Oh Omar is good. We knew him and his family before he was born. His parents Will and Sheila Briggs, were our school mates at university. We all got married and pregnant the same year. But our pregnancy became optioic. After surgery, I was told I had one fallopian tube left and pregnancy may not happen again." Debra recalled with a tearful smile. "Our friends went on to have their baby boy Omar Briggs, he came two weeks late and they had him on what would have been our baby's due date."

"Wow" Jill and Sheri exclaimed.

"Yeah! They even made us the Godparents and had us over for Sunday dinner after church each week." Dennis reminisced.

"That is so sweet." Sheri added wiping a tear away.

"Yes, the Briggs were extremely supportive of us and what we we're going through." Debra fondly remembered. She then grew somber. "Then one night our friends was on their way to come pick up Omar from our house after attending a conference. They had a terrible car accident and both perished."

Sheri and Jill were in tears.

"Omar's grandparents on his mothers side took over his care. But soon realized his 5year old body had too much energy for their 71-year-old frames to handle." Debra chuckled to Dennis at the memory. "We used to come over after work to put him to bed every night to help, until it became apparent that we should be his permanent care givers. Thats how Omar became ours."

"Wow I feel like Omar was always meant to be yours." Sheri said. Jill nodded in agreement.

"That's how his parents wanted it. They always wanted us to feel like Omar was our child too." Debra said smiling fondly. "Omar even lead us to Alana."