Thankful

Dear Friends and family,
                Just a quick note to update everyone on our progress thus far. It has been quite the roller coaster the past few months, but we have ridden on the wings of your prayers and come out blessed. God saw fit to force me to slow down in September when I contracted systemic shingles and was hospitalized for a seven day forced respite lol. I seem to have caught them from a patient and it was a doozy of a strain that was medicine resistant. Ben was again my knight in shining armor and kept the house running, but as usual anytime you take a momma away from her babies, I was fit to be tied.
                 October saw Ben working very hard to meet deadlines at his new job and working many extra hours. Shelbs volleyball team won the championship and two days later we started basketball season in full swing. Needless to say, as our beloved adoption social worker worked to finalize our home study, we had trouble re-submitting documents that needed to be tweaked because well.....we just were out of any extra time. Thankfully, she is literally an angel from heaven and would email and drop things by for us. We are waiting on one last Police Clearance document from Florida and our home study will be complete! It has taken a looooooong time but it is done. When I feel racked with guilt that I let other things become a priority, God reminds me that this is on his time, not ours.I fully believe it will all work out according to his amazing Glory and wisdom.
                  November saw Ben catching Mono  and Landon becoming ill. Sadly my mother has been diagnosed with an auto immune disorder and has been hospitalized. Again I was needed elsewhere, and that old guilt for not filling out grant applications and putting this first began to creep in. The stress has been un imaginable, and like all struggling Christians in this mess we call earth, I did not handle it the way I know Jesus would have me do it. I am so thankful for his grace, I can not put into words what that gift of redemption and forgiveness means to me in my current stage of life.
                  Some mornings the best I can muster is that I know this is what God has called Ben and I to do.I just repeat that mantra over and over hoping that by days end I can feel confident in his calling. My daily prayer these days is  "Jesus, give me passion for your work. I want to be real, authentic, and I want to make a difference!Send me your Holy Spirit to fill me with an excitement and love for your word and your people." Some days I listen, some days I don't....but I know he loves me and is with me.
                   That being said, your prayers have also brought us many blessings!!!!!Ben has been offered a permanent job with his current company, and we no longer have the worry of where he will be working every six months. It is a good job, and I have been able to reduce my work load to two days a week or less :) God continues to move my children and has lit fires to do his work in their own hearts. Shelby was baptized in August, and Landon gave his testimony to the high school Bible classes at School. I am amazed at the relationships my children have with their heavenly Father. For that I am so thankful for our Church home and church Family at Lakeshore Christian Church. It is an amazing place full of faces of every color and race. We are doing amazing work in our community, and God is clearly working in that Church. I walk in and just feel the spirit.
                    Our application is in place at Illean and our home study is days away from being complete. We ask that you continue to pray for a referral for us and that God finds our daughter and sends her our way. Pray we can find the needed time to complete our Grant applications, and pray that the HIV positive orphanage in India passes their re-license evaluation. Also pray that the Holy Spirit works to help us handle adversity and pitfalls with the grace and understanding of one who follows the living Christ.
                     Your prayers and support mean more than any of you will ever know. May your Thanksgiving be wonderful, and may God bless you and keep you.

Kasey, Ben,Shelby,Landy,and Carter Nelson

Passports

Ben and I ,after much thought, have decided to attempt to go as a family to pick up our newest family member when the time comes. We feel this is going to be a journey and work of the heart of this family as a whole. We wanted to be together the moment we laid eyes on our precious girl.
This decision has not been without much thought and prayer.The kids may have to miss an extended amount of school. India is a tumultuous place with high crime rates and terrible political upheaval....the idea of walking into that with my three babies is very scary for me. We also will be adding quite a bit more financially to our plate. We feel it will be worth it, God has given Ben and I a peace about this and we feel confident he will both protect us and provide. In fact, he already has.
Ben and I had not wanted to fund raise for passports,because we felt that was an expense we should pay for since we could and will use them for more than just the adoption. I wasnt sure where I was going to come up with the 500 plus bucks needed to get all 5 of us passports. Unexpectedly, a benefit I didnt even know existed at work was awarded to me. I referred a friend to apply for a job at Stonecrest where I work. She was hired and has turned out to be a valuable member of the team, so I get a referral bonus!!It will more than cover our passport expenses. God is sooooooo good!
Please pray as we have three documents to notarize and we are ready for our social work visit. Thanks to all who have prayed us through this, and the countless resources we have had to help answer questions. Mike,Suzanne,Mandy,Brian, and Amanda and Yolanda.....you have been more help to me than you can ever know. I thank God every day for the blessing you are in our lives.
Pray for a good home study,quick referral, and quick passport turn around. Also, pray that we can come up with good fund raising ideas and let God continue to work his magic in HIS TIME!!!!!
Love
Ben and Kasey

almost there

Well, we have the documents from KY and are two forms away from being completed with our end of the home study. I beg for your prayers as our family has been bombarded with attacks from the enemy continuously as we press forward with this journey. Since mid June we have suffered the following: one third degree burn, one brown recluse spider bite, a ruptured ear drum, a lightening strike on our home that destroyed about 3000$ worth of merchandise, two destroyed cell phones by different accidents, damage to our vehicle, and several more personal attacks i cant share.
But as i write this I am also reminded that we have experienced some amazing blessings as well. God has placed such good people in our lives  and i am reminded that for every pitfall there have been 20 or 30 precious moments.
School is around the corner, and I fear with the extra demands our adoption will take the back burner. Pray I can continue to follow Gods lead and keep focused on what he would have me focus on daily. He is moving physical and emotional mountains in this household and I know he will be faithful to help us complete the good work he has began in us.
We love you all.
Kasey and Ben

Amazing everyday.

Just a quick note to share how amazing God has been at re-affirming our calling to adopt. I went home this past weekend for my 20 yr highschool reunion. While there I sold memory DVD's as an adoption fundraiser and made over three hundred dollars thanks to my very kind classmates.
While there I spoke with 4 couples who had adopted or were in the process of adopting.It was so good to have like minded people to speak with about our goals and frustrations. Once again God is placing people in our lives who understand and can offer us encouragement when others close to us can't wrap their hands around what it is we feel we are called to do.
In the end I know that it doesn't matter who understands or encourages me.....it's that God is just providing what we need from whom he sees fit to put into our lives. We have less than six documents to finish for the home study and then we have our visits with the social workers.Please pray that the process moves along in a timely manner.
Also, I thought I would mention that Ben has decided to put Law school on hold for a while. His new job was requiring more and more time from him and he felt like he should focus on the task at hand and our family both here and abroad.It was his decision, and he literally looks like 300 lbs has been lifted off of his shoulders.We know God will let us know where he wants to take us next...please pray that we continue to hear his voice and do not grow weary.
In His Amazing Love
Kasey :)

A different kind of Labor.

Well, we are knee deep into our home study and needless to say it is proving to be full of questions,twists,turns,and work.So many forms to have filled out....so many questions to answer. So many unknowns. I sit and wonder "will this be thing that makes me unfit to adopt?"
As most of you know, I have had some health issues over the years. I am so scared that these will keep me from being able to add to my family. I have never been in better health physically and emotionally....but the enemy wants me to believe that I just don't have what it takes.He sometimes convinces me that as soon as the respective agencies find out about about my past medical issues, they'll kindly tell us thanks but no thanks.
The other day I was very discouraged, and in the midst of my sadness I was reminded of my third pregnancy.While pregnant with Carter, I was faced with the most emotionally trying season of my life. I was being fed through a tube in my chest, and battled infection after infection.At 5 months I was told by my physician to abort my baby. She told me that due to my complications, she wasn't sure "what kind of baby" I would have. Ben and I both quickly explained to my Ob/Gyn that abortion was not an option, and we set about the business of waiting. We waited and prayed. We had hundreds of family members praying diligently, and although there were many unknowns, we never once believed that it was not worth it.We also never believed that our son, regardless of his physical makeup would be anything less than beautiful and perfect. We trusted God knew exactly what he was doing,and layed it quietly and confidently in his hands. Although born 8 weeks early after 53 hours of labor and weighing a tiny 3 lb 8 oz....our Carter (now 11 yrs old) is the picture of health and a star athelete. He is very smart, and is passionate about everything he does. God not only took care of the situation, he gave us a boy who has defied the doubters and proven God is capable of any and all things.
I must be ever mindful that he is capable of taking care of this as well. Ben and I know that this is a calling he has placed on our hearts. He will open any and all doors that need to be. We are waiting, and trusting, and praying. Just like we waited with the birth of our other three children. It is a different kind of labor....slower and longer and less predictable.....but it is labor just the same. I ask for your prayers as we continue this very scary and long journey.We can feel your prayers and they are lifting us up and keeping us encouraged.
We will keep you posted.
Love
Kasey and Ben

The Ball is officially Rolling!!!!

       A lot has happened since we last posted. Ben and I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet with several close friends and family members who have given us a valuable pay load of information. We have chosen the person who is completing our home study, and the paper work is on its way to our in box.
Ben and I have felt an un relenting call over the past two weeks to not only adopt, but to be willing to adopt a child with special needs or illness.  Many very manageable illness's and conditions are a literal death sentence to many of the worlds orphans. Thanks to the shining example of several family members and friends, Ben and I have seen that God truly creates beauty from ashes and blesses those who obey his call ten fold. As a nurse, mom,daughter,sister,aunt,friend, and christian....I can not sit back and ignore the realization that If I do not act, another child becomes a statistic. Ben and I believe that if we are "ok" with accepting a special needs child into our home, then that is exactly what we should do.
    We know that this is not a decision to take lightly , and it was not one we made without lots of prayer and consideration.  Ben has worked with the special needs children's ministry at church for several years now, and the fact that I am paid a very good wage to care for the sick makes the decision to bring one of these beautiful angels into our home a no brainer. We are fully confident that God the father will give us every ounce of love,joy,peace,patience,kindness,goodness,faithfulness,gentleness, and self -control that we allow him to pour out upon us. We have weighed all of the scenerios and possible problems and like a very wise and Godly women told me last night "Obedience trumps worst case scenerio every time".
      Our children are beginning to understand, and this whole journey has sparked numerous conversations about living life with a purpose and making sure our actions always point to the one who gives us our purpose. God is working in amazing ways, and we are already being blessed.
      We specifically ask for prayer that our home study progresses well and without issue. We ask that you cover our children in prayer as they get used to the idea of not only having another brother/sister, but of having a family member who might require a  bit more grace and care.
       We will keep you all posted, and thank each and every one of who have called, emailed,facebooked, or sent word that you are praying for us and support us. It is good to be held up and surrounded by Gods people, and we feel it!!!!!God is truly doing something Heavenly in the lives of my family.
Kasey
Isaiah 60:22- "The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation;I am the Lord,in its time I will hasten it.

Here we Go!

        Have you ever felt complete and total confirmation from God? I used to be quite the skeptic, but circumstances in the past 7-10 years of my life have erased any and all doubt that we have a mighty God, who longs to bless and interact with us so much....that he often sends his spirit to make sure we know when he's talking.

Some of you know that Ben and I have been praying recently about the decision to adopt a baby girl from India. I first began feeling the nudges of that call 6 years ago after watching a documentary about the red light district in Calcutta. Females born there are destined to be sold into the sex trade (some as young as 5yrs), and are left to die of either drug addiction or one of the many diseases the slavery they are forced into brings upon them. Child prostitution is neither illegal nor prohibited there, and my heart breaks for them.

     Then, life got in the way....or more clearly to me now....the enemy got in the way.On January 1st 2003 2 armed gunmen came into our home and held us hostage in a violent home invasion for over 3 hours. They were apprehended, but what followed were years of trials and testifying and therapy. I put the desire to adopt on the back burner because quite frankly.....I needed to desperately tend to the three very wounded children I already had in my home. It seemed as though every time things would begin to return to normal, another tragedy or hardship or medical emergency would strike and leave us licking our wounds and numbly picking up the pieces.

    We had several friends and absolutely adored family members successfully navigate the adoption process, but as we sat back and watched we always were left with the feeling that it just wasn't meant to be. I had no idea why, but we just began to accept it. I had been forced to have an emergency hysterectomy after the birth of our youngest son Carter.This became one of the hardest faith struggles I have ever had.Ben and I used to giggle while engaged about just how many children he was going to let this KY girl from a family of five bring into our home. I would have had as many children as God chose to bless me with....why on earth would he have rendered me barren at 26 years old!But, who was I to question...I began to feel God just didn't feel like I was mother material.

            Then a series of events began to take place that slowly prepared us for where we are today. (Mind you, I say that to you knowing that just yesterday I was again doubting if God considered me worthy enough to entrust with another child lol).God began to show me that he most assuredly thought I was mother material, he just meant for me to grow my family in a different way. Ben and I watched as two of his cousins navigated two of the most unbelievable international adoptions.  Sweet Josie Love Mayernick and Mia Harvey made it home from Uganda and India to celebrate thanksgiving, and that ice cap the enemy had placed over our hearts began to melt like butter.

             By watching their witness and example, we began to realize that when God calls,you go! We have watched the sweet reward he has blessed them with after remaining faithful when not very many people would. We were inspired and humbled.Gradually God began bringing into our lives Godly couples who were following Gods command to care for the orphaned, who amazingly, were just as real and stressed and flawed and needing of his Grace than we were. They weren't independantly wealthy,they weren't perfect parents, and they all affirmed over and over with their testimonys that they would have never made it had it not been for the support and love of Christ and his people.

         But, as most of you know, watching and crying with someone else....isnt the same as stepping out there for yourself. There always seemed to be a reason to not even begin to think about bringing another child into our home. In Novemeber ...slam!Ben , who is in the middle of his second semester of Law School was told he would no longer have a job after April 30th. December....slam!I was forced to have 37 years of scoliosis corrected in my spine before it fused bent and left me disabled. January....slam!Our beautiful daughter and oldest son began to struggle like they never had before with the pain left behind from the home invasion. We were being beaten up big time, and we clung to Jesus with everything we had. We fought and cried and were angry and saddened.We blamed other people and God and anything to keep from realizing that life is messy, and God sometimes lets it get REALLY messy when we start letting our our own voices drown out his still and quiet call to follow his plan. Ben found a job and we were blessed financially again. The kids began to heal as did my back. Things were good, we weren't clinging so tightly anymore.

            As March began I found myself drawn to the bloggs of the friends and family who had adopted their precious babies and were basking in the Joy of the Lord with them.The things of the past began to fade away. Ben and i realized that what this family needed, was to complete the circle that God had intended from the beginning. That loss of a job was to allow him to have a new job AND severance pay so that we could become debt free and get on about the business of living for the sake of his call.

           Our children are extactic. The boys have agreed to share a room(if you know my boys that in itself is a miracle straight from heaven)! Our Shelby will finally have the little sister or sisters(we have decided not to seperate siblings) she has asked for all of her life. Mostly, we have a peace that passes all understanding about this decision. Our dreams of a a big house on acres of land in a good school district just don't trump the ever affirming voice of a God that we know wants to bless us with a child that more than likely has not even been born into a brothel yet.

          Today at church the praise team began to sing "Mighty to save" I knew without a doubt that this is where the Lord is leading this family. I felt a stir in a womb that isnt even physically there.I have never had such a sweet mothers day present as to stand next to my soulmate and three precious children and sing

"Savior,he can move mountains.My God is mighty to save, he is mighty to save.Forever,auther of salvation,he has conquered the grave". He does and he will move mountains.

         Amazingly, I wasnt thinking of the baby girl he has waiting for me to "save".I was thinking of my family, who after being battered and broken and wounded, is being saved from believing that God just really didnt have anything else planned for us to go through. He is saving us from the danger of living a life without passion or purpose.

       We covet all of your prayers as we start out on this journey together. I specifically ask that you pray that the enemy will not capitalize on his life long ability to make me think Im just not capable of much of anything.I covet your scriptures, your thoughts, your encouragement, and your love. This will take a long time and we are prepared for that. India is not an easy country to adopt from, but thank goodness God has placed two amazing people in our lives who did it less than a year ago.

We love You,

Ben,Kasey,Shelby,Landy,and Carter Nelson

Psalm 82:3-4

3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.