tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55216752273673327272024-02-20T01:09:42.771-06:00Coming Full CircleCOMING FULL CIRCLE.
One families journey to bring their baby home.Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-81865847040135839032013-07-01T17:00:00.002-05:002013-07-01T17:00:13.956-05:00Waiting on Article five.....so close!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Hello Everyone,<br />
We hope this summer finds you all well. We are so close we can taste it!!!!! We were contacted by the embassy last week and they have officially began processing our article 5 letter and our Dear Amy-Sue's green card. That means we hopefully will travel to India to bring her home by September.<br />
Please continue to pray for her safety and good health inIndia as she waits, and pray for us to have patiente as we wait.<br />
Landon remains in the Dominican on his extended mission trip, please pray for him and check out his Blog at <br />
<a href="mailto:landonnelson@blogspot.com">landonnelson@blogspot.com</a><br />
we are so excited to see the amazing work God is doing through him there, please pray for his continued safety.<br />
We also ask you to pray for Carter as he undergoes a heart procedure on Wednesday July 3rd. We discovered he wqas going in and out of a potentially fatal heart rhythm two weeks ago, and he will have a procedure to correct the heart defect this wednesday at Vanderbilt Children's hospital. The surgery is scheduled for 1230 pm eastern and we ask you to cover him in prayer.<br />
Amy-Sue turned 3 on April 25th, we so hope her next birthday is spent with her forever family. Until then we will stop at nothing to bring this angel home.<br />
In Him,<br />
Kasey</div>
Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-61624686795793848862012-08-22T12:15:00.000-05:002012-08-22T12:15:27.294-05:00The Home Study is on It's Way!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello Everyone. This summer has brought fast action, many changes, and good news. India opened up their registration, and we were very quickly registered. We then received information and word about a little girl who needed a family and that set into motion two months of very quick home study visits, document filing, apostilling, notarizing, and running ourselves ragged. We have to get everything in and signed before our A IC expires in September. (Our home study had already expired along with multiple documents). <br />
When India closed their borders to update their policies, we were put on a 16 month hold that we weren't sure would ever end, so much of our initial work was deemed expired. <br />
The Lord helped us get it done though, and hopefully Mary-Susan Nelson will be with us before 2012 comes to an end. We have two photos, one is of her at 9months, and one is at her second birthday in April. She is absolutely beautiful, and we are all exstatic with excitement.<br />
In the interim Ben and I had started a ministry called "Barnabas Ministry's". We were fufilling the call to help and care for the least of these by caring for and offering assistance to young Christian men who needed help transitioning to adulthood with housing, educational, spiritual, financial, and emotional support. Tito, Billy, and Ryan became a part of our family and home for 3 1/2 very awesome months. We so enjoyed having them with us, and were blessed beyond measure. I have watched the Lord do some amazing work within the minds and hearts of these young men, and watched them grow leaps and bounds. Tito was able to travel to Houston with us for Garricks graduation, and naturally everyone there welcomed him with arms wide open. Ryan and Niki (he stayed with us for a short time in July as well) were able to attend the Foslom reunion, and we were so glad to get to take them to meet some of the extended family.<br />
<br />
Sadly, our agency and the Indian athorities would not place Mary-Susan with us as long as the boys were there, so we were forced to rapidly transition them to other places. We are continuing to work with them as much as possible through non-residential support, but we ask all of you reading and following us to please please keep them and that ministry in your prayers. We have every intention of continuing to answer the call to work with at risk young men in our church and community, and would like for these boys and any future boys to be blessed in prayer. They all knew about our adoption, and understood fully why they had to transition out for the time being, but it didn't make it any easier. We miss them terribly and they are struggling a bit so please pray that God will bring some people and situations to help bridge the gap.<br />
We love you all and will keep you updated on our progress and if and when we receive a travel date.<br />
Thank you for helping us this far to bring her home!<br />
Ben, Kasey, Shelby, Landy, Carter, and Mary-Susan Nelson.<br />
</div>
Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-27055810738772594392012-04-02T12:58:00.001-05:002012-04-02T13:18:39.215-05:00We are officially registered with Cara!!!Hello all! We received word today from our agency that we<br />
Are officially registered with C.A.R.A which is the adoption <br />
Governing body out of India!!!! This is a HUGE milestone as they<br />
Recently changed all of their policies. <br />
Now our agency will send a physical copy of our home study to<br />
India for approval, and then they will request a female referral from<br />
The orphanage or "rippa" we are working with.woot!woot!<br />
Thanks to Illien for their hard work, as registration is the hardest and most<br />
Difficult part of the process, and thanks to all of you who<br />
Continue to hold us up with encouraging words, financial support, and <br />
Prayers. <br />
We will keep u posted. Pray for no snags with mailing the study, pray for<br />
Continued cooperation with the authorities in India, and we also ask you to pray for our <br />
Continued fund raising efforts. Also, Ben is launching a business<br />
And we ask for your prayers that Gods will be done in this area as well.<br />
Thank you and God Bless<br />
Ben,Kasey,Shelby, Landy, and Carter NelsonKasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-47988597495479179672012-02-22T23:56:00.000-06:002012-02-22T23:56:18.841-06:00TEAM NELSON NEEDS YOU!!!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Dear friends, family, and members of Team Nelson,<br />
We hope all is well with you and yours, and we hope the holidays found you with family and loved ones. We were able to visit with Brian and Mandy and Suzanne and mike over the holidays and was a much needed encouragement visit. After losing the Sho Hope grant, we were very discouraged as we had no idea where and how we were going to fund this adoption. Many amazing family members and friends have given generously, but in this economy fund raising has been very very difficult. The economy is also affecting a families ability to secure a no interest or low interest adoption loan. So, we have had to become creative and dig deep for perseverance and beg our Heavinly Father to help us provide for this journey he has us on. Brian and mandy adopted from India 2 years ago, so being able to pray with them and just talk and vent and share was great. <br />
In November I began making organic fragrance crystals, bath salts, and lotions with a personal and individual message on the jar. They were a huge hit at a craft show and we received many orders for the holidays. The response and encouragement from many friends has led us to launch our own fund raising business to try and raise funds for the adoption.<br />
"Scent-Immense" is the name of the business and our web site is finally up and running!!!! We have the ability to accept paypal and credit cards, and would love for you to visit our site as well as like us on facebook. Of course we are still selling the Ugandan Magazine beads and t shirts, and if you would like to order those please contact us on facebook or via thisblog. We will ship any order anywhere.<br />
If you don't have the funds to shop right now that's ok, we covet your prayers and your social networking skills :) Please share our web site and link on your blog , with other adopting families, on your facebook, and anywhere else people will see it! We need exposure and word of mouth!<br />
Also, If you have purchased or recieved these bathsalts and lotion, go to our facebook page and like us and leave a product review....that will let people know that it's a good product.<br />
We are having to raise every bit of our estimated $27,000 adoption on our own. We currently can not have our Dossier sent off until we raise $2,500; then we must begin raising funds to have a court documents prepared and to travel if and when the referral comes through. <br />
We know God has us and our daughter in his hands. We know he will provide, and we believe he will be faithful to complete the good work he has begun in this family.<br />
We love you, pray for you, and miss many of you!<br />
Love<br />
Ben, Kasey, Shelby, Landy, Carter Nelson<br />
</div>Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-51769253246593794222011-10-21T00:22:00.000-05:002011-10-21T00:22:25.778-05:00Some Days you just don't know.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hello friends and Family!<br />
It's been a while since we've updated.....there's been a lot going on! We have been hit with some recent ups and downs.....but we're hanging in there. Show Hope has declined to offer us a grant or any financial assistance with our adoption. That was a huge blow to our enthusiasm as we felt for sure they could give us some sort of aid, but they didn't. We must continue to trust that God has this in his hands. It is so hard to be content and understand that God had needy families that needed that money more than we did, especially as we face the huge task of trying to raise the nearly $11,000.00 left to bring our daughter home. This number means we have a long way to go, but it is also a sweet reminder that we have already (thanks to many people who love us) raised and paid in full for nearly $12,000.00 of our adoption journey. Each step requires a payment to be paid to the adoption agency....we haven't failed to pay them yet, and so that is something to be very grateful for indeed! <br />
We are knee deep in foreign Dossier finalization, and then we will receive a photo, our referral, and get ready for travel. With the delay in funds our goal to have her home by Christmas will not be feasible. So, we will aim for Easter! God's timing, not mine. <br />
Shelby, Landy, and Carter continue to work to raise money to bring their baby sister home and watching them work for our family and for orphan awareness is such an amazing thing for a mom to get to see in her children. Shelby's volleyball team sold Ugandan magazine beads and 147 gear in the fall, and Landon has worked feverishly selling team nelson shirts to anyone he can.<br />
I am now an employee in the health clinic at Nissan in Smyrna and love my new job. Occupational Health Nursing is very different than anything I have ever done and it's very interesting. I am so blessed that God has provided not only a very well paying job, but one that I enjoy and fulfills my desire to help others. Ben continues to work at Med solutions, and just finished coaching his second season as the head middle school football coach at Lancaster Christian Academy.<br />
Shelby is in her JR year and we can't believe our baby is almost 17yrs old. She is very busy taking the ACT, SAT, PSAT and getting ready to start looking at colleges and applying for scholarships. Landon is a Sophomore, and is doing so well this year. As many of you know, he has struggled more than any of us to heal after the trauma he received during the home invasion. He was the most physically mistreated during the ordeal, and we are so proud of him as we have watched that terrified little boy grow into a young man as he faced his fears and worked very hard to begin the healing process. He is going to the Dominican Republic this spring on a mission trip with his school, and we are so excited about the work we see God doing through him everyday. Carter is in the 7th grade and continues to excel at athletics, academics, and now excels at attracting young ladies (lol). Seriously, he is a born leader and continues to be involved in his middle school youth group and service opportunities at school.<br />
My Dad is doing well, and although we all are still digesting the term "Alzheimer's"....he is responding very well to medications. <br />
We ask that you continue to pray and support us on this journey. Bringing Mary-Susan home as soon as possible is a huge goal of ours and we couldn't have gotten this far without all of you. Pray that we are able to receive the remaining official documents we are waiting on in a timely manner. Pray that once our Dossier is completed we will not have difficulty at the department of state getting it apostiled. Also pray that our baby girl remain healthy and strong as she battles HIV in a third world country. As soon as we have a referral photo and travel date, we will hopefully be able to send anti virals to her.<br />
Other than that I ask that if any of you are waiting on merchandise in the mail to please give us some grace . My new job has required me to switch sleep schedules and I am working on catching up on merchandise orders and getting them filled. I will send a free shirt to anyone who has waited a lengthy period of time. <br />
May the autumn breeze and colors bring you as much joy and peace as they are us, and may God be with all of your families.<br />
Love you all,<br />
and remember to pray to "Bring Her Home"<br />
Ben, Kasey ,Shelby, Landy,and Carter Nelson<br />
<br />
<em><strong>PS-we still have Ugandan magazine beads for 30$ each and a variety of t-shirts for 25$ a piece for anyone who is interested. Please contact us at </strong></em><a href="mailto:kasey.nelson90@comcast.net"><em><strong>kasey.nelson90@comcast.net</strong></em></a><em><strong> or b</strong></em><a href="mailto:benjamin.nelson06@comcast.net"><em><strong>enjamin.nelson06@comcast.net</strong></em></a><em><strong> and we will give you instructions on how to order. </strong></em><br />
<br />
<em><strong>*Also, if you are interested in a joint fundraiser or selling these for us and you have a market that they would sell well in (craft fairs, school carnivals or fall festivals etc.) contact Ben or I and we will help you get the merchandise. The LCA volleyball team did a joint fund raiser with us and split the profit of what was sold 50/50% .Not only did the girls raise money for our adoption, they helped raise money for 147 million orphans, Amzima</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Contact Ben or I via Email or by phone at-Ben (615)631-0498 and Kasey (615)260-6390</strong></em><br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-52967942821094181102011-04-04T21:00:00.000-05:002011-04-04T21:00:52.845-05:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Things are coming along great!!!!Our Church, friends at work, and relatives are showing us amazing love and support by purchasing our gear and helping us raise funds for the adoption. We have shirts and necklaces and soon will have more selections as I prepare for the Lakeshore Christian Church Womens Expo. <br />
I also want to mention that if any of you are amazon shoppers, go to the blogg and enter amazon through our quick link. Amazon will give a percentage of everything you purchase back to us since you saw their ad on our site. Just another way to earn some quick donations :)<br />
I want to thank all of you who have stopped by our table at church and who have mailed us checks and orders. I am going to the post office tomorrow and will be shipping out some orders so look for them soon.<br />
I also would like to ask you all to pray for my dear nephew Garrick and my Brother in law Gary as they both battle with some pretty serious medical issues. 17 year old Garrick was diagnosed with a neuro muscular disorder two years ago, and has had a rough couple of months. His Dad beat cancer 7 years ago, but as a result of the radiation he endured, has extensive damage to his throat,neck,and lungs. They are very special to us and we ask that you all lift them up in prayer. Ben's Mom has been living with them in Houston for about 2 years now to help with Garricks full time care, we miss her as well.<br />
We began work on our immigration paperwork today, and hopw to get that filed as soon as our passports are delivered in the mail. It is getting closer and closer!<br />
Blessings to you allm and have a great week!<br />
Love<br />
Kasey,Ben,Shelby,Landy,and Carter Nelson<br />
</div>Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-70114055952743522462011-03-21T11:34:00.002-05:002011-03-21T12:08:04.134-05:00How to get your shirts and Magazine beads.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Ok, so many of you who live out of town have asked how you can get some beads or a t shirt. The best way to do this is to email me your order and I'll confirm. You can then send me payment and I will then ship your order to you. Or you can mail me a list of what you want with a check and your address enclosed and I will ship your items to you (please make checks payable to Ben Nelson and write adoption in memo line)! If anyone thinks they could maybe sell some beads or t shirts for us at their church or office or where ever, just send us an email and we can arrange that as well.The beads are hand made from recycled strips of paper and are georgeous!!!! Your purchase will not only help to fund our adoption, but will help a village of women ostracized because of their HIV positive status in Uganda (these women make the beads). There are photos of the beads in the margin and pictures of what our t shirts look like.<br />
Please add 2$ for shipping when you place your order.<br />
The beads come in two sizes and the shirts are standard childrens and adult sizes.<br />
<br />
BEADS<br />
<br />
short $25<br />
long $30<br />
<br />
SHIRTS<br />
<br />
all sizes $15<br />
Thanks everyone so much for your interest.<br />
<br />
Kasey and Ben Nelson<br />
<br />
<a href="mailto:kasey.nelson90@comcast.net">kasey.nelson90@comcast.net</a><br />
<br />
<a href="mailto:benjaminnelson06@comcast.net">benjaminnelson06@comcast.net</a><br />
<br />
Kasey and Ben Nelson<br />
603 myatt st<br />
Smyrna TN 37167</div>Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-31366413664812654732011-03-11T13:02:00.002-06:002011-03-11T14:44:05.859-06:00One Step Closer.....Help us Bring Her Home!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Dear friends and Family,<br />
it has been a while since we have posted, but so much has happened. your prayers have been much appreciated as we continue to move through this process. We discovered just how tedious home study completion was as it took us several months to acquire the much needed documentation and education requirements needed for its completion.<br />
Illien International has officially accepted us as an adopting family, as has the orphanage they work with in India. Our social worker has sent the final draft of the home study to Illien for their final review. After this, we wait for a referral and complete our foreign dossier' while we wait. At this time the adoption governing body in India is reviewing its policies on international adoption, in light of things that occurred in Haiti after the earthquake and hurricane there. We do not know how long this will take. We have been told that things can continue in anticipation of them finishing that review. But India time is not United States time so we must wait for God to work things out there in his awesome timing.<br />
In the meantime, Ben and I will begin navigating the immigration systems of both the US and India with the help of Illien and Project Hopeful. Project Hopeful is an amazing non profit that helps families adopting HIV + orphans obtain the special visa that is required to bring home an HIV+ child. Most of the documentation we rounded up for our home study can also be used for our dossier', so minus our fingerprinting and FBI clearance (which neither of us should have a problem with) we are confirmed for takeoff!!!!<br />
Ben and I both feel like our baby girl is born, we can feel her. We do not know her face,age,or where she is.....but we feel she is alive and waiting. We have begun the hardest part of this process and that is FUNDRAISING!!!!<br />
Our total expenses will be $23,000 give or take. With our completed home study we are now eligible to apply for grants and scholarships, as well as inquire about low interest adoption loans. A large portion of the grants are not available to us because of our income (regardless of gross income, I don't know many couples in their late 30's who have $23,000 at their disposal). So with the help of some awesome companies and groups we have begun to start that journey.<br />
We are selling handmade beaded necklaces, that not only will help fund our adoption, but will help to support a tribe of women in Uganda who make them and use their growing business as a way to support themselves and their families. Most of these women are HIV+ or have AIDS and have been banished from their former communities to fend for themselves. Through 147 million orphans, we are able to purchase these gorgeous necklaces wholesale and sell them as a fundraiser. I have a set, and get a compliment every time i leave the house with them on. No two pieces are alike, as each bead is hand crafted by these women and then strung into a one of a kind necklace. We will be selling these for $25 a piece. We are working with zazoo.com and purchased wholesale T-shirts that we designed and will sell for $20 a piece. They are awesome! We also have a beautiful brown shirt from 147million orphans that encourages adoption support and was generously donated to us by another family who adopted from India, and no longer needed them for fundraising.<br />
I have purchased a table at our Women's ministry expo, and we have a couple of other ideas up our sleeves to get the funds we need to bring our Mary-Sue home.<br />
After a year of trying different variations and ideas in our minds, we have chosen the name Mary-Susan Rene Nelson (after my grandmother and Ben's only sister Susan Rene Nelson who passed away way too soon from ovarian cancer 6 years ago). She will be called Mary-Sue and I love it! Susan was a second mama to Ben while growing up. He was born the day after her 9th birthday, and Ben's mom says she thought he was a present for her. They had a very very special and close relationship and we wanted to honor her life and love of children. Now that we have a name, you can hear the words Mary-Sue spoken frequently in this house. We even bought her a dress the other day and it is hanging in the closet of her soon to be bedroom!<br />
Having a name is helping the kids to grow excited and have something to hang on to as we wait. It is hard for Ben and I to remain patient, so we know it is even harder for them.<br />
Ben and I ask for your continued prayers as we anxiously wait for our official referral and start the task of fundraising. Please keep our families and children in your prayers as it is sometimes hard to sacrifice time and money for a child they cant yet see, touch, or hear.<br />
We also ask for your prayers for several of our extended family members who are battling serious health issues. Our nephew Garrick is battling a debilitating neuro muscular disease, and was recently hospitalized for several weeks because of it. My Dad is battling some health issues that are very difficult for our family to digest, and Ben and I want to ask that you pray for Gods healing mercy and grace to be present in those situations.<br />
We serve an amazing God, and without his encouragement and holy-spirit we truly could not have made it this far. Hopefully the next time I post, I will have word about a referral. Until then, Team Nelson (our shirts have this across the back ) wishes you and yours the best and thanks you for lifting our family up.<br />
Please pass this blog on to any and everyone you know! We want as many people we can get to be praying and supporting our journey. We want one day to be able to read Mary-Sue the comments you left on this blog, and show her all the places on the map that she had people praying for her.<br />
We love you all,<br />
Ben, Kasey, Shelby, Landy, and Carter Nelson</div>Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-37414957511320868822010-11-26T11:24:00.000-06:002010-11-26T11:24:05.590-06:00ThankfulDear Friends and family,<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Kasey, Ben,Shelby,Landy,and Carter NelsonKasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-17292469625791216162010-08-11T11:19:00.000-05:002010-08-11T11:19:44.456-05:00PassportsBen 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. <br />
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.<br />
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!<br />
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.<br />
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!!!!!<br />
Love<br />
Ben and KaseyKasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-63961060986773709222010-07-26T13:16:00.000-05:002010-07-26T13:16:39.363-05:00almost thereWell, 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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
We love you all.<br />
Kasey and BenKasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-26756603929972448122010-06-08T20:38:00.000-05:002010-06-08T20:38:39.141-05:00Amazing 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.<br />
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.<br />
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. <br />
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.<br />
In His Amazing Love<br />
Kasey :)Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-49238620511892141592010-06-02T02:51:00.000-05:002010-06-02T02:51:33.367-05:00A 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?" <br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
We will keep you posted.<br />
Love<br />
Kasey and BenKasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-55740907379082204722010-05-21T23:12:00.000-05:002010-05-21T23:12:31.361-05:00The 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. <br />
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.<br />
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".<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
Kasey<br />
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.Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5521675227367332727.post-29780877663345988632010-05-10T05:13:00.000-05:002010-05-10T05:13:48.371-05:00Here we Go!<div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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. </span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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 </span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"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. </span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 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.</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We love You,</span></em></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ben,Kasey,Shelby,Landy,and Carter Nelson</span></em></strong></div><br />
<strong>Psalm 82:3-4 </strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. </strong><br />
<strong>4 Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.</strong>Kasey-http://www.blogger.com/profile/16470099969269691839noreply@blogger.com6