Casey

Casey Irwin got out of prison in February. She had been there for over 5 years. Her children are 8 and 9 years old. They are the same ages as my kids. Her kids are Curtis James and Lily Rose. My kids are Cooper James and Tilly Moon. I met her while I was in Federal Prison in Pekin, IL. She has not had an easy life. Her mother suffers from manic depression, which made Casey’s childhood very unstable. While Casey was in prison she had the burden of knowing that her kids were in the care of her mentally ill mother. Her mother was doing the best she could, but Casey knew first hand that it would not be enough.
During Casey’s imprisonment her son went to visit his father in Oregon for part of the summer. Lily, who has a different dad, went along for the visit. While they were there Casey’s mom decided that she could not take care of the kids anymore and asked Curt’s father if the kids would be able to stay there for the school year. So the kids stayed in Oregon, far away from the only home they knew with their grandma in Minnesota. They started a new school. Tried to make new friends and lived with people they had only met a couple of times. Casey, in prison in Illinois, wanted to be closer to the kids so that they could visit her. She requested a transfer to the closest women’s federal prison which is in Dublin, California. She was only there about a month, about halfway through the school year, when Curt’s father and his wife (who have a little girl of their own as well) decided that it was not working out to have Casey’s children. They sent them back to Minnesota to live with Grandma once again. So Casey had to serve the remainder of her time 2000 miles away from her kids.
Casey is a funny, bright and big hearted girl. Casey spent her time in prison trying to improve who she is as a person. She studied horticulture, computers and most importantly, grew in Christ.
Casey is currently at a half way house in Minnesota. She is working as a telemarketer, trying to rebuild her life. Her mom has not been helpful but Casey is trying to keep her face toward the SON. She faces many obstacles. She has started with nothing. She wears second hand clothes; reports where she is at all times and prays for the strength to get back on her feet. She hopes for a day when her home is with her children.
I know first hand what it is to start all over. AND I know first hand what God can do to rebuild and restore.
If you read this all the way through then I can count on you to say a prayer for Casey right now.