Beyond the Box

#5: Isabella’s Story of Survival, Strength, and Service

• Monica Kelsey • Season 1 • Episode 6

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What happens when a child once abandoned becomes a passionate advocate for others facing the same fate? Isabella’s remarkable journey, from being left at a Chinese orphanage at less than two days old to becoming a dedicated champion for Safe Haven Baby Boxes in America, showcases the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.

Adopted at age six by an American family, Isabella faced tremendous challenges—adapting to a new language and culture while navigating physical limitations from malnutrition and severe scoliosis. Instead of allowing these difficulties to define her, Isabella embraced them as stepping stones toward growth, competing in pageants, advocating for legislative changes to protect abandoned babies, and pursuing a future in elementary education at the University of Kentucky.

Perhaps most powerful is Isabella’s compassionate reflection on her birth parents, who likely undertook a difficult two-day journey to ensure her safety at an orphanage—a profound act of love in a culture where female babies often faced rejection. Isabella’s story is a powerful testament to the idea that our beginnings never need to dictate our future impact, inviting listeners to reconsider how personal challenges can be transformed into purposeful action.

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Monica:

This is Monica Kelsey from Beyond the Box. Today, my special guest is Isabella from Louisville, Kentucky. She has a story that is kind of like mine. You don't want to miss this episode. I am so happy to interview you today. I've actually had you on my list of people to interview since the beginning. You have always been on that list, Even before the podcast started. I'm like I've got to get Isabel on the podcast. She's got to be one of our guests, so welcome.

Monica:

I wouldn't have a podcast without having you on. You know that You've kind of been with me for the last few years, just kind of riding in the same ship as me, helping in any way possible. Yeah, super busy person, though you do not sit down for long.

Isabella:

Well, I feel like I'm sitting all the time.

Monica:

Good joke, good joke. You got me on that one. So for those of you, so for those of our viewers who don't know who you are, in a really short clip how do you know Monica Kelsey, and what is your story?

Isabella:

petition to be able to try to pass legislation in the state of Kentucky, and it was one of those like situations was like ask for forgiveness later.

Monica:

Oh yeah, that's how we work.

Isabella:

Yeah, you just jump and then ask later yeah, yeah. So what happened was in January of 21,. I started a petition and then, after like I got a decent amount of signatures, um messaged you guys on your facebook and like was introducing myself, you know, saying who I was and that I started a petition, and I was like you know, I hope this is okay. If it's not, then you know I would take it down, but like how much I just loved your organization and what you guys were doing and I wanted to be a part of it. And then, a few weeks later, I feel like we set up a interview, a Zoom interview, and we started talking, and then it kind of like all started there, went from there.

Monica:

Yeah, okay. So why is this so important to you?

Isabella:

So when I was less than two days old, I was abandoned outside of an orphanage in China, and I know that babies they don't they can't control their temperature like us. So when they are left in like unsafe environments outside, where you know you don't know where the temperature is going to be like, then they have a very low chance of survival. But one thing that I love about your organization is that you know you have these boxes, then they're insulated, so it still gives the parents an opportunity to give this baby a chance at life without you know leaving them in a dumpster or, you know, on the side of the steps. But this just shows that, like even the parent, although they know that they can't take care of the baby, they still want what's best.

Isabella:

And I was fortunate where somebody found me. But I know that if it wasn't for that person then I wouldn't be here today. And I've always loved children, I've always loved babies, and I believe that if you don't give a kid a chance, then you never know what they will be able to do in the future, and I'm big on that. So it was really important to for me to be able to help other kids because you know, I was one of those kids and I never want anybody to have to go through what I went through.

Monica:

So it's not a secret that you have a disability. I mean, you're sitting in a wheelchair, which is I love the fact that you don't let that slow you down at all. I mean you're sitting in a wheelchair, which is I love the fact that you don't let that slow you down at all. Like, like you, I have to keep up with you, isabella. Like seriously, but was this due to you being left in the cold?

Isabella:

A little bit. So when I lived in the orphanage, when I was outside I I wasn't fed properly, so I didn't get the right nutrition that I needed. So, which meant that at a very young age my bones were really really weak and with that and my very intense scoliosis, it was just safer for me to be in a wheelchair, because once upon a time I was on crutches, but I fell so many times and like broke my hips, fractured so many different things that, like for me to be able to live longer, I would have needed to be in a wheelchair.

Monica:

But you don't let it hold you back. No, definitely you do not let it hold you back. Okay, so let's go back to your beginnings, and this is what I love about you is you are not a victim, and you and I are so much alike in that aspect, because this is our story, but it doesn't hold us back. It's it's. You know. Yes, I was abandoned as an infant, but my, my name is Monica Kelsey, and I'm the founder of safe haven baby boxes. I'm not who I used to be. Yeah, same thing with you. You know you, you don't take back. You know you don't go back to the beginning and kind of waller, in that you say this is my story, but this is who I am today and this is what I'm doing, and I just love that about you. So let's go back to that, though. So you were left on the steps of an orphanage in China and someone found you, took you into the orphanage. How long were you in the orphanage?

Isabella:

I was in the orphanage for six years.

Monica:

So six years. So at that, do you remember any of that time?

Isabella:

A little bit Like I was really, really young, of course, but while I was in China, I did not have a good experience in the orphanage because, well, it was a variety of different things. I was one of those kids that medical students would practice on. So, a lot of the scars on my legs and like the scars on my eyes and like a variety of different things medical students would practice on me. They would, you know, use me to try to, you know, learn the skills that they need. And I also, when I was in the orphanage, it was my responsibility to be able to take care of the babies. So, at like three years old, I was taking care of the infants, making sure that they were fed, you know, make sure that they were changed their diapers and all of that.

Monica:

So I had to grow up really, really fast.

Isabella:

I did, I did.

Monica:

You had to grow up really fast and so so at six years old. Tell me, tell me what happens at six. I mean, obviously you were brought to America, you were adopted here by two amazing parents that that have. Just, I think you're the only daughter, right?

Isabella:

Yes, you have a bunch of brothers.

Monica:

I do, and I love that too. I love that. But OK, so tell me the story of your mom and dad showing up in China and bringing you home.

Isabella:

Yeah, so they started the paperwork when I was actually three years old.

Monica:

Took them three years.

Isabella:

They didn't get me until three years later, when I was six, exactly three weeks before I turned seven. But so it was actually my adopted dad who came. My mom had to stay back because she just had a, um, infant baby that was just born your brother, yep, my little brother, um, so she had to stay back with all of them. So he came and got me and, um, I was terrified because nobody told me what was going on.

Monica:

You didn't know somebody was coming to adopt you.

Isabella:

I did not, like they didn't tell me anything, oh my gosh, like it was kind of terrifying because I was just, you know, going about my day and then all of a sudden they just took me out of the room and put me in this like van, Wow yeah, and of course I meet this american and I was terrified because did you not to interrupt you, but did you speak english? No, okay nope, um, I only spoke mandarin at the time, but even then, that's probably even more terrifying because you can't understand him.

Isabella:

Yeah, and it's a man at that exactly and like he looked way different than I looked, so like it's like what is your dad, does have a very unique presence. He's very American. Yes, very much so, but so like I didn't know anything until, like, I got to the hotel, but even then, like like again, I didn't spoke English, I couldn't really understand him. He was trying to speak Mandarin, but he wasn't very good at it.

Monica:

I'd love to have seen that.

Isabella:

So it was a lot of like sign language, even though, like we didn't know like sign language, it was just kind of a trial or error kind of deal.

Monica:

But then, which was just kind of a try or error kind of deal, but then, now, when he came to pick you up, is that when you literally left China and headed to the United States?

Isabella:

Yeah, so I think I was in China. So when he picked me up, I was in China for like about a day and then we left and, you know, flew here.

Monica:

So this guy you've never met shows up to take you out of an orphanage, to bring you to a completely different country, doesn't speak the same language of you. You guys have no way of communication and you just blindly had faith that this is exactly what was supposed to be, but not that you had a choice.

Isabella:

Yeah, well, in that incident there I couldn't like again, I didn't really have a choice. But also my wheelchair was different then. Like I had halos around my legs, so like my legs were like straight out, I could not move them. It was one of those wheelchairs like with those small wheels, so I couldn't like push or anything, so like I was literally stuck, could not move really without you know help. So it's not like I could just get out and just leave. Yeah, so I really had no choice to trust the process. But at the same time I'm really grateful for it.

Monica:

Wow, yeah Well, you have some amazing parents, Literally, I mean, they have been your biggest cheerleader, allowing you to kind of fulfill your purpose here in America, saving the lives of kids that were once like you, you know, and how amazing is that that you have a family that supports you while you do Christ's work. It's just pretty amazing. Okay, so he shows up, he drags you back to the United States right, Drags you back to the United States. And you show up in the United States and you have this whole family, Because you've got what three brothers I do. You have three brothers, mom and a dad, bunch of farm animals.

Isabella:

Yeah, so it was actually funny because I flew in from the Chicago airport and we went to Michigan so where my grandparents lived on my mom's side, and it was really funny because my mom told my extended family nobody show up Because, you know, she's probably already terrified and just wants to. And she's, she's, she's talking about you, yes, yes, like she's probably jet lagged and just need some you know time, and everybody thought that they were going to be the only ones to show up. Of course, right. So well, everybody was thinking that as soon as I arrived at the house and stuff, there was a whole bunch of these people that I did not know.

Monica:

So that was also a little terrifying. So you show up at this house, now you're being brought to America. You can't speak the language, and now you're at this home with a bunch of people that you don't know Yep, you have to be terrified. I was. You have to be terrified. Did you ever imagine, though, the magnitude of the family that you had? Because you have a lot of aunts and uncles and grandparents, and you just have a huge family. I do. You have a huge family. You have a huge family. Yes, did you ever think that that was possible, I mean, back in the day before you were adopted?

Isabella:

Honestly I didn't know. When I was younger I remember doing like this talent show thing and talent show in China.

Isabella:

Yes, okay, I don't remember like quite what it was, but I I do remember, um they asking you know what you want to do, or what do you want to? Yeah, when you grow up, and I always said that like I wanted a family and but like at just like three, two years old, I kind of like gave up hope because, like I didn't know if, you know, anybody would love me, um would want me, because I had a lot of disabilities and I was really complicated, as my all of my doctors would say. So like I didn't know, that was, if that was going to be possible, um, until I was finally adopted.

Monica:

And you were brought here. Wow, okay, so you show up in Michigan and then you travel back home. I'm assuming they was you living in Louisville at that time.

Isabella:

No, I was actually living in Indiana. Indiana I lived in Brown County at that time.

Monica:

Okay. So you went home, Was you on a farm there as well? Yes, okay, so that's got to be. Like, what is happening? Like, what are these four-legged animals running around this land and what am I supposed to do with them? And I can't communicate, so I don't know what I'm allowed to do, right? So what are your thoughts on that? Like, what were you thinking when you show up and there's all these animals.

Isabella:

Well, so I didn't really like meet the animals at first, so because I went inside. Well, so I didn't really like meet the animals at first, so because I went inside, but I had my own room and everything and the first animal that I met was this it was lab or what is those tall?

Monica:

dogs, the labs, like a Labrador, a retriever.

Isabella:

No, really like really tall.

Monica:

Great Dane.

Isabella:

Yeah, great, ok. Yeah, retriever, no, really like really tall, great dane. Yeah, great day, okay, yeah. Um, so he has been, you know, protecting my room. That was always his room before I moved in, but like my mom, like drew this beautiful mural and like everything was pink because she's had all boys and she was just so excited to have a girl. And funny thing about this dog was that he was really really old, which meant that he tooted a lot oh, okay and um.

Isabella:

So every night I just remember like asking my mom's, like before she left, like, please take the dog out. He farts too much yeah, exactly, it is stunk up the whole place, but we had goats and we had pigs and those were like the two main things that we had on that farm.

Monica:

And then here you are, yep, coming from an orphanage in China to a farm in America.

Isabella:

Yep In the middle of nowhere, like we had, I think, five acres.

Monica:

Welcome to America, Isabella.

Isabella:

No, really.

Monica:

Oh my gosh, no, really, oh my gosh, so okay, so you start your life here and you obviously were adopted and started going to school and learning the English language, because you're very well spoken now, thank you. Because you're very well spoken now, thank you. So when you, when you're in school, was it? And if you don't want to answer this, don't answer this, but was it tough for you to integrate into the American American schools?

Isabella:

Yes, so I. So after I came to the United States, I lived in Indiana for about a year or so because I had to have a lot of surgeries and figure out, like what we needed to do to be able to move forward, and then after that we actually moved on the road for two years. So I was homeschooled. I didn't actually start public school until the fourth grade, but I definitely felt very different because English was my second language. I didn't know how to really read or write and like do any of the things that like they were trying to teach.

Isabella:

So I definitely felt like, you know, I was behind, but also, because I was adopted, I was held a year behind. So instead of like being in fifth grade, you know, they held me back to fourth grade. But I definitely felt, you know, very different and that like I wasn't going to be able to like catch up with anybody because I didn't understand what they were trying to say or do. Like I understood what they were saying but when I came, reading was super duper hard for me. Like it took me a really long time to be able to grasp that I bet, considering that you didn't even speak the language when you got here yeah, wow okay, so, uh, you start.

Monica:

Now are you in public schools, now are you being homeschooled um, I'm graduated now, so you're high school graduate.

Isabella:

Yep, so I start um college in the fall. So, okay, where are you being homeschooled? I'm graduated now, so you're a high school graduate. Yep, so I start college in the fall.

Monica:

So okay, where are you going?

Isabella:

University of Kentucky so of course you are.

Monica:

Of course you are. So what is your? What is going to be your major?

Isabella:

Elementary education, really, yeah, so I'm hoping to be great at this, thank you. I'm hoping to get an undergrad in elementary education, but ultimately, what I really want to do is to be a school counselor, so, but that's later down the road because that's a master's thing.

Monica:

So so are you going to still live at home with mom and dad? No, I'll be moving. What See? This is why I love you, isabella, because you never surprised me. I should never be surprised at what you can accomplish, because you are just. Nothing is stopping you, like nothing. Like you, you're going to live on your own. Yep, Holy smokes.

Isabella:

I'm really excited though.

Monica:

Well, you're probably excited to get out of your parents house. I mean, let's be honest here, you just graduated high school. Not that they're bad people, but it's just it's time for you to open your wings a little bit and see what yeah, what's in store.

Isabella:

Yeah, I'm excited to see what the world has and this is definitely going to be a new chapter. It's going to probably be difficult, but I'm excited to learn and just adjust to it.

Monica:

Are you going to live in the dorms? I am Get out, oh my goodness.

Isabella:

The University of Kentucky dorms, though they, oh my goodness. The university of kentucky dorms, though they're nice do they have handicap accessible ones?

Monica:

okay?

Isabella:

so I was gonna say that would be really tough if they didn't yeah, well, every college, like they kind of have to, yeah, but the dorms at uk they're they're kind of like apartment styles, so like I'll have my own room and all that stuff and then my roommates and I will share a common area a little bit.

Monica:

So it's really nice I bet okay, so it's advanced a little bit. Since I was in college, I only spent one semester in college. I graduated high school and I went down to the university of cincinnati and majors in criminal justice. I was going to be a. Yeah, I wanted to be a lawyer. I'd have been really good at that, because I can argue anybody out.

Isabella:

Right. I wanted to be a lawyer for the longest time, but then decided to change career paths.

Monica:

Well, that's exactly after one semester at the University of Cincinnati, I discovered that college probably wasn't my thing. Yeah, and so I joined the United States military. So there's that Quite a curveball there, for sure. But OK, so you're going to start college in the fall. So what? What is I mean? I know that you want to be, you know, a social worker, but what is? You know you've, you've done so much.

Isabella:

Now You've was a Girl Scouts. No, I did. So it's Scouting America now. So OK yeah.

Monica:

So you did that, and then you were in pageants.

Isabella:

I did.

Monica:

And so I wanted to touch on pageants for you, because again, this just shows the whole thing of nothing, holds you back, like you're putting on these gowns.

Isabella:

Yeah.

Monica:

And wheeling out in your chair. Yeah, Like just saying hey world, here I come, Look how beautiful I am, you know, and here's my dress, so tell us about that. How did you get started in pageants? And well, I mean, what was your biggest success in the pageants?

Isabella:

So I started pageants when I started the fourth grade, so it was around 2017,. I want to say the reason I started them was because I was getting really I was getting bullied a lot in school because I was, you know, different than everybody else and that my confidence was super duper low. So my physical therapist suggested that I try pageants to be able to try to see if I can, you know, lift my confidence and just kind of get out of my bubble a little bit. And I did my first pageant and I loved it, like it was hooked. I was hooked Like sorry, parents, all the money, yeah, but it was. I learned a lot, you know. I met a lot of friends. I learned a lot of skills. So I did them for about seven years.

Isabella:

Um, since then I've, you know, held a lot of titles. I've been to two national pageants where I've placed in the top 15 out of like 30 plus girls. So that's definitely probably my biggest accomplishment. But, you know, through the pageants, we also, you know, work with community service a lot. So you know, through the pageants, we also, you know, work with community service a lot. So you know, that's where, like Safe Haven Baby Box also came in because I remember you know you sponsoring some of them as well and I was able to spread that message on a national level, which was super duper cool because not a lot of people knew about what safe haven baby box was. But be able to, you know, share that story and why I do what I do and why you do what you do, that was super duper cool.

Monica:

Well, and it just kind of goes to to show that you aren't who you were. You know, yes, you were abandoned as an infant, but your name is Isabella and you're doing pageants now and I, you know, it's like. It's like we're so much more than our past, so much more than our beginnings. I wish people would see that more, because sometimes they can't see through the, you know, the broken, brokenness.

Isabella:

Yeah, and one thing that, like I always say to people, is like I wish that I did not go through the things that I went through, but at the same time, I'm grateful for them, because that has made me into the person that I am today, and without those experiences I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today. I wouldn't be able to, you know, have a story, to be able to relate to other people. And then I think that's what's important whenever you're trying to work in the organization or really do anything in life, if you can't relate to others, then it's really hard to be able to, you know, do anything. So if you can do that and you know inspire others, then that's truly what matters.

Monica:

Oh, and you are truly inspiring others, you too, so thank you. So let me go back for a second, because I think the listeners are really going to be wanting to know more about your history, and you know have. Do you know who your biological parents are? I do not. Do you ever want to know?

Isabella:

I don't think so. I do. I remember, like when we were trying to pass legislation in the state of kentucky and one of the things that, like you know senators and all those people one of the major questions that they had is, you know, through this, what if that child wants to know their biological family? And I remember what I said and what I did was I took a DNA test because, you know, technology is so advanced these days, there's so many different you know tests that you can take. So during that year around I took a DNA test and I did find, like some of my you know ancestors and stuff like that.

Isabella:

But I didn't really do it for me. I did it to kind of show other people that you can. You know you're still giving this child a life. But in the future, when this child grows up, if they want to be able to find their ancestors, their family, then they can still do that. You know, it's still possible. So, um, I think, like my parent, my birth parents, they did what was best. They knew that they can't, they couldn't take care of me, but they still wanted what was best for me, they wanted a life for me. So they knew, they did everything they knew how to do and you know, the rest of that was up to god. And then he sent me my family well and you know it.

Monica:

You can tell how much your birth parents loved you, because they didn't dump you in a dumpster, they didn't put you in a trash can.

Isabella:

They laid you at the doors of a place where they knew you could be taken care of yeah, in china, like by the way that you look, they could kind of figure out what part that you were from. So so, based off of that- Well, that's stereotyping. Yes, it definitely is, but from like. Based off of that, what I've been told is that they walked at least two days to be able to drop me off at that orphanage.

Monica:

Well, that brings up a whole nother question. So, from where they lived to get to the orphanage, they carried you for two days, which you were two days old when they found you. Yeah, so literally she gives birth your birth mom and then walks two days to make sure that you're safe.

Isabella:

Yep, and like, on top of that, I don't know if you know this, but in China if you have a girl, then you're expected to abort them. So a lot of times, midwives, they will carry sandbags with them because girls are considered not hardworking, only the boys are. So for them to say, but also, like, say no to that and then walk two days just to give me everything that they knew that they could was. I'm super grateful for it, because without that in itself I wouldn't be here today. And like, although sometimes, you know, I get upset and I get mad, it's like, why didn't they want me, you know? But then I think about you know, they did everything that they knew how to do to be able to give me a good life.

Monica:

I don't think it was that they didn't want you. Yeah, I think they just wanted what was best for you, and it wasn't them. Yep, you know, and I think they would be very proud of you today, for sure, and of the parents that you received. You know, it was probably a prayer that was answered for them. Yeah, you know, and so I don't think they didn't want you. I think they did want you, but they wanted something more for you yes, which is exactly what you got.

Isabella:

Yeah, you know so okay.

Monica:

So more questions are coming up in my mind as you're talking. And so okay, so was there a note with you like what? How did you know that they walked two days?

Isabella:

um from. So when I was adopted, there was, you know, my the records that they sent. So just based off of like their records and then what my parents told me off of that, do you have?

Monica:

I mean, did they keep your outfit, did they keep any net? I mean, do you have anything linking you to them?

Monica:

I don't think so no I didn't some, you know, like in our baby boxes, some of the birth moms put notes yeah some of them will wrap their baby in a blanket or something and these items go with this infant so that they will always have that, and so I didn't know if they had left something with you, but I guess probably back then yeah, Probably wasn't something that they were thinking of, you know, having for the next family that you know, your family that adopted you was just, you know, probably not thought of like that. I wonder if they're doing that today Now. Are adoptions still happening? Is the orphanage still open that you were in?

Isabella:

Honestly, I'm not sure.

Monica:

Have you been back to China? I have not. Do you want to go back?

Isabella:

I don't know Really. It's like through the last few years I've, you know, trying to open up more. When I came to the United States I kind of forgot Mandarin, because when I was in China it was such a traumatizing experience for me that, like when I left I was like, okay, I don't want to associate myself with that at all. But as I grow up and through the years, years, I'm trying to relearn the language, which, let me tell you, is really hard. Like, yeah, I thought it was gonna be easy because, like I knew it, but then, like I think, because like I was only like six and younger, so like you, you don't really know a lot of words, in that you know sense anyway. So that that's really hard in itself. But I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back yet, but maybe someday we'll see.

Monica:

So what if your birth mom just showed up? Maybe she found you or connected or seen where you were, I don't know. Would you meet with her?

Isabella:

I don't know that, that that would be like a twist. That would be like a twist.

Monica:

That would be a question that you did not anticipate asking.

Isabella:

Yeah, really. But honestly I think like I would have to like think really hard about that, because that's tough, you know.

Monica:

Yeah. But I'm not sure I don't know, maybe think about it.

Isabella:

You never know, but I'm not sure, I don't know, maybe think about it. You never know.

Monica:

You see these stories all over the place on YouTube and stuff where they, these parents, are just showing up or these kids are just showing up at these people's houses. You know it's one thing about adoption in this country, you know. You know, 50 years ago we promised these parents you know some of these parents, I guess I should say that these kids would never have access to their information. And now, here, 50 years later, we've opened all these records and basically lied to these families. 50 years ago, you know that when we told them that your, you know, a child will never know who you are and I know that that's not true for everyone, but it is true for some. And and I actually got to meet a mom that had placed her babies for adoption it was twins and they came back and found her and she was devastated. And it wasn't the fact that they found her, I mean because she was always curious, it was a closed adoption. She was always curious. It was the fact that she felt like she was lied to.

Isabella:

Yeah.

Monica:

And I get that. Yeah, I get that. You know. I think people today think that the child has all the rights. Well, we can't forget about the mother, who has that right as well If she places for adoption and doesn't want that child to find them. You know, and and to your um, to to your statement earlier, there's a DNA test out there that will show you everything you need to know from parents if they've taken one to your ethnicity. You know, I took the 23andMe one.

Monica:

I did too, I was like shocked. Yeah, I was like what? Like I have second and third cousins that are African American. You can see the photos. Did you notice that, where you can see your linked people, that if they have a photo on their thing, yeah, yeah, yeah, I was like going through there, going, I mean, I knew I was dark complected, I was like I didn't realize I had this in there and so to see all this, it was like wow, like holy smokes.

Isabella:

Yeah.

Monica:

It's just a new world for me, opened up, and, and now they can test for everything genetic, yeah, which I just think is just amazing.

Isabella:

Um, but was you surprised at what you've seen on yours? I did, so I I didn't get like a whole bunch. Um, I I found a lot of like second cousins and stuff. But one thing that I like did find I was like I thought that I was 100 like chinese, but I found out that I was actually 15 k, which was like a total shock to me.

Monica:

Wow.

Isabella:

So that was like one of the biggest things.

Monica:

So was all of the relatives that did the 23andMe in China, or people in America.

Isabella:

There were people in like Hawaii and stuff Like. Some were, you know, on the other side, but yeah, somewhere here. It was really crazy.

Monica:

Did anybody contact you? No, did you contact anybody? I did not. Yeah, I probably wouldn't either.

Isabella:

Yeah, I did it when I was like first started this process you know, working with you guys and I like, although I was opening myself up more, I wasn't ready for that yet.

Monica:

Well, and sometimes you can take those tests and just stick them in your back pocket, yep, and wait for that moment when you are ready. Yeah, because you are young, you know you're still trying to figure out life, still enjoying life. You know you're at that age where life can kind of go either direction for you and the question for you is which direction are you going to go? You know, based on what you want to do with your life, you're at the perfect age for that. So what's next for Isabella? I mean, I know college is next, but you know what's next? I mean, what do you want your future to hold?

Isabella:

Well, of course I want to go into education. So I want to be a teacher. I want to be able to be able to be that like, to be able to help other kids, especially on the younger side, because I just I love tiny children. So, being able to be that first impression and to be able to teach them you know all the basic things that they need to know, and just being there for them because you know education. There's so many people, like so many children, out there that doesn't have a safe space, you know, even at home or anything of that sort. So I want my classroom to be that safe space. I want to be there for those kids, like, although I know that I won't be able to reach 100% of them, but if I could just reach at least one, then that's all that matters. But long, long down the road, I definitely also want to be a mom, but that's far away.

Monica:

You would be a great mom. Thank you, I appreciate it. You'd be a great mom, you really would. So volunteering for Safe Haven Baby Boxes what's that been like.

Isabella:

Honestly, it's been so rewarding to be able to, because we've had a few surrenderments in the state of Kentucky. Yeah, we have so many boxes since we started over 50 yeah, and it's. It's really the first one I do in Oklahoma.

Monica:

Yeah, and you were there, I was, and spoke.

Isabella:

yes, um, I look at pictures of that still every day and it's, oh my gosh, like I I can't really put into words like how grateful I am to you, to the organization and everything that it has provided me, because knowing that, like, although I don't want these boxes to be used, to know that it can be a resource out there for the parent that you know might need it, it's what's important, you know. And we've had two surrenderments.

Monica:

You've had three.

Isabella:

Well, three Okay.

Monica:

Three or four. You might have had four, I don't know. I have to look at the stats.

Isabella:

There's, you know, definitely been a few, but it's. It's really awesome because, again, although I don't want these to be used, I'm super, duper grateful for the birth parents because, again, they know that they can't give the this baby um the life that they, he or she, needs, but they still want what's best for them and so they take this step, which I think is so admirable, because not a lot of people, you know, do that. Because we see in the news all the time where, you know, babies are still being put in dumpsters and, like I just want this resource to be put everywhere so that doesn't happen anymore.

Monica:

Yep, yep, absolutely. You know, I interviewed a birth mom on my podcast. It hasn't been aired yet, it'll probably air before this, so you'll probably be able to hear it before long, but it's her words and um and her story. And she used our box, um, and to hear her story and hear her heart, I think is really going to change this movement, because it's it's one of those things where I can't be that voice yeah, I can try, but I can't be her voice and she's now stepping up and being the voice for those moms who, um, don't have a voice, that they, well, I guess they do have a voice, but they don't want to put it out there publicly yeah, which is like understandable too yeah they're probably scared.

Monica:

Yeah, oh, yeah. Well, and when you hear this, moms, I mean I sat at a table with her, I got to know her, I've been texting her. You know that's one of the greatest things about my job is getting to know these birth moms. But she's amazing, absolutely amazing. She's very resilient, she's very, very strong. I mean to go through what she's went through. She, uh, her identity was leaked publicly and it was by somebody that should have protected her, and that just pisses me off, like you have no idea, and so I feel like my job now is to protect her. It's like that mama bear it all over again. I'm going to protect this birth mom because the people who should have protected her didn't.

Isabella:

Yeah.

Monica:

And so we're actually becoming quite good friends and she's she's joining our team. Yeah, she is joining our team. So she is going to be working on a birth mom support group. You know, there's adoption support groups out there, but there's not support groups for moms who have surrendered, you know. And so for her to be that person, it just makes sense, you know, because she is that person, she is that voice, and for her to be able to do this for others, she's now giving them their voice back and, you know, stating it publicly, I just I can't wait for people to see this podcast. You guys are just going to flip out.

Isabella:

Well, I'm excited.

Monica:

Oh girl, wait till you see it, you're going to cry. I was crying, I don't cry, I am not a crier, but yeah, there were some moments when she was talking. I just I just had to stop. Just I, in the end, I'm never lost for words as well. You know this, I was lost for words. There was one time I was trying to say something and it just was not coming out right at all.

Isabella:

Wow.

Monica:

So well. Thank you, isabella, for coming on beyond the box with Monica Kelsey, thank you for telling us your story, thank you for being you, thank you for being resilient. Thank you for being resilient, thank you for being loving and just a heart and somebody that just makes us smile Every time we think of you. We just smile because you are the example that I think every child that has a bad beginning needs to see the outcome of what you've become, and that is a strong woman that is not taking no, is taking names and every day is getting up, dressing up and showing up, and that is what is truly important and I appreciate you.

Isabella:

Thank you. I appreciate you too. Thank you for you know, starting this organization and then for allowing me to be a part, be a small part of it, because without you know, without this and without this resource, I think the world would be a much worse place than what it's in right now, but because of you and this organization, it's so much better and I am just so incredibly grateful for you and everything Well job's not done yet. Nope, it's just getting started. We got work to do, we do.

Monica:

But I'm glad you're in our bus. I think you're the perfect person to be riding in this bus, as Christ is driving us around on a bumpy road that makes a ton of turns and a bunch of stops, but we're in the safest vehicle out there.

Isabella:

We are.

Monica:

So, anyways, thank you again for coming on. Thank you, this is Monica Kelsey from Beyond the Box. You heard it Isabella from Louisville, abandoned at an orphanage in China two days after she was born. We will see you next time on Beyond the Box.