Kasee

She is an inspiration. I remember the first time I met her, well, I say the first time I met her-- the first time I remember meeting her. We were at church. I had seen her in passing, but this time I had to talk to her. So I walked up, introduced myself, and said "hey, lets have lunch this week to talk about Africa."

That lunch changed it all.

We talked and talked about life. We shared stories about our mission trips, we showed pictures, we laughed, and we cried. I remember later that week we had our first hammock date and again, we talked and talked. It was like we'd known each other forever. She has a way of making people feel comfortable and a way of listening to people so well. Her heart is golden and Jesus placed her in my life at the perfect time.

Her name is Kasee.
She is one of the strongest people I know. I laugh as I write some of this stuff because honestly, I can't begin to tell you about our memories. I would have to write a book. I remember telling Kasee about a prayer meeting that we had before leaving on my first trip in 2012. I told her all about a girl who prayed over me and how much the prayer meant. I remembered the prayer perfectly "I feel like God is wanting you to know that when you get to Africa, you are going to hug those little girls and they are going to feel like princesses, your hugs will remind them of their beauty"-- in my head I was going to Africa to play with the little boys. I got to Africa, only to be surrounded by little girls, I never had a little boy the entire trip. I knew that prayer deemed true. I remember telling her all about it and telling her that I had no clue who prayed it, but it meant so much. She looked up at me and said 'I did.' It was real. This friendship was from Jesus and he kept showing us in the funniest ways.

When Kasee and I became friends, we became friends fast. She would stay at my house all the time. She was engaged to her now husband, Higgins, and she was about to start a nursing job. I was working part time so this made for plenty of sleepovers and sleepovers turned into pulling all nighters to watch New Girl. It was magical.

I remember when I asked Kasee to house sit with me. The house was huge and the two boys were pre-teens. They wanted nothing to do with anything besides video games and playing outside. I got lonely in that huge house, quick. She was there minutes after I complained about how lonely I was. That night she sat down beside me and handed me an envelope and just smiled. I looked confused and I think I asked if she was breaking up with me. She of course laughed and told me to open it. It was a little letter asking me to be in her wedding. Her wedding. The most important day of her life she wanted me, someone she'd only known for 3 months, to be in her wedding. Funny thing is, the wedding was 2 months away. We got my dress fitted, my shoes, my earrings, and I was in her wedding.

There are seriously so many special moments with Kasee - so many. I can't list some without crying. She helped me through something I didn't think I would make it through. She reminds me of my beauty at least three times a week with just a text that says 'you're beautiful'. She is there anytime I need her; she is one of the bravest people I know; and I don't say that lightly. She's helped me see things in a different light; she has taught me so much about Jesus.

Recently, Kasee started complaining about headaches that she couldn't shake. It then turned into double vision, facial pain, numbness, nausea, and dizziness. We thought it was from the stress of starting a new job and moving into their new home, but the symptoms got worse. She decided to see a physician here in town which then lead her to seeing several other doctors. There was one doctor who told her it was a cystic tumor, but he basically had no clue how to fix it. She honestly had lost hope. Who wouldn't? Then she was directed to a Neurosurgeon in California who specializes in these types of tumors. This past week she had a phone interview set up with him to talk about her MRI.With no hesitation, he told her he could help her. He told her all about the cyst and explained it to her in such a caring way. He explained that the cyst is pressing against vital areas of the brain that could cause major damage and be detrimental.It is located near the pineal glad, which is in the dead center of her brain. This surgery is almost mandatory.

She told me this while she sat across from me on my couch yesterday.(The night before when we were watching New Girl on Netflix, we would text each other when to hit play and text about it like we were both sitting on the couch at my house watching it together). She sat on the couch and said, "I have to have the surgery. Higgins and I have to fly to California for me to have brain surgery." I listened to her list the seven thousand things she had going on in her mind. She listed things from Higgins having to take off work, to her not wanting to let her boss down, to how will we fly out there, to her family, to her mom, to her sister. She never once said anything about herself. She didn't tell me about how nervous she was or how upset she was. She still had a peace about her. It is a peace straight from Jesus. She said that she knew she would be fine, she was just worried about how everyone else was going to be. This time while sitting on the couch-- we'd switched seats, literally. We have our usual spots on the couch, but they flipped this time. I was the one listening to her talk about the surgery and talk about how her husband and family will deal.  But then at the end of the conversation she said her usual "I'm going to be okay."

She is going to be okay.The doctors know what they are doing. Not only do those doctors know what they are doing, but Jesus, her creator, knows what he is doing and that is the most beautiful part of this mess.

Kasee and Higgins are still waiting to hear back from the insurance company to see what will be covered. However, they know what won't be covered already.  This includes the airfare, hotel, and meals. They will both be out of work. Kasee for at least 3 months and Higgins about 2 weeks. With this page, they are hoping to raise money for this unexpected journey.

Kasee was the first person I ever wrote a blog about, I just never posted it. It is in a book I have at my house, I never really knew why I didn't transfer the pictures and the blog. Maybe, its because Jesus knew that I would have the privilege to write something this special one day.

http://www.gofundme.com/kaseem

To hear their story click below: 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=C_Mym4Fcauk