Rose Outing today!

Good father/son picture.

You actually turn the seat around and around and it goes up and down.

Jason hanging around!

Dont get any ideas...I wasnt playing basketball..just holding it for Jason!
Our "Fake" tree..the first in a while! It was nice though!

Beauty in Boundless Park!

Jesus has left the building...folks...Jesus has left the building...we guess Christmas is over!

The happy Roses!

Tall Jason
Jason contemplating life..yeah right!

These are some great pictures of the park near us...it is called Boundless Park..made so that EVERY child regardless of any handicap challenges can play and feel safe! It is a neat park. We started their fitness course today...that was hilarious!

HAPPY NEW YEAR from the Roses!

We hope that all your dreams come true this year and that you find true inner peace...which only comes from the Lord! We you a lot of joy, health and goodness in all areas of you life.

We love all of our friends and family very much and we know that we are very blessed every day. Everything we have is a gift from the Lord!

Here is a picture of our best gift.

Merry Christmas 2006...

The Roses want to wish you a very merry Christmas this year....may you know the Love of Christ as you celebrate in whatever way you do. He loves you and we are grateful that He was born in a manger and came to bring us hope, joy and eternal life!

Russ, Lisa and Jason

December 25th, 2006

Our Adoptive Family Support Group Christmas

HAPPY 44th Birthday

TODAY

to

MIKE CHILSON
(Lisa's Bro!)

YESTERDAY

TODAY

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Alabama Post Adoption Connections Montgomery Group!

Our Christmas dinner
All of our gifts from the Lord!
Jason and Santa
Russ playing Rudolph.

We love our APAC friends and we are very grateful that we found this support here in Montgomery. This was a "Christmas gift" that we got back in August.

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Rose Christmas News 2006!

The Roses Christmas Update 2006
Since we last sent you an update on our lives, A LOT has happened! Basically, we came to visit Lisa’s family last Christmas and between December 31 and February 1, moved to back to AL. WOOHOO! It is a crazy God story and before we go any further…you can get the WHOLE story here on our FAMILY BLOG. It will catch you up with pictures and what we have been doing all year! This time each person will write their most memorable time this past year. God has been faithful even during the rough times and we have been convinced time and time again that He is Provider. He used so many new friends to help us get through a BIG CHANGE in our life and we love him even more.

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Lisa’s Lines

I think moving back to Alabama brought on many, mixed feeling. I felt peaceful for the first time in my adult life about moving back, but certainly missed my first love, New York City. I love that city more than anything and when the Lord nudged us to come back, I trusted Him but felt sad. It is good that it is so easy to get there these days.

One of the fun things has been reconnecting with old friends from high school and college. Many people have stayed around and I didn’t really have much contact with them at all. We have had some fun times together getting reacquainted so that has been really cool.

I also got the opportunity to HOMESCHOOL Jason in the spring since we came in the middle of the year. He was an excellent student. We bonded a lot and he caught up on a lot of things academically. I enjoyed that so much. I was sad that I didn’t get to do it anymore than I did.

I started a job with the Montgomery Baptist Association in August of this year as the Church and Community Director. They have a lot of cool ministries going on and if you would like to read about them, go to http://www.mgmbaptist.org/ and click on CCM.

The Lord has stretched me being a mom, being a woman, a minister, a wife this past year. I have wondered what the heck God was doing and then He would surprise me with something. I would always shake my head saying, “ Ok God, I get it!”

My verse this year has been:
“Whether you look to the left or the right, you will hear a voice behind us saying , this is the way, follow it” Isaiah 30:21.

I’m very grateful for everyone who loves me and whom I love. The Lord has brought many people across my path over the years and I am so amazed at what I learned from each of them.

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Jason’s Jive


I love moving to Alabama but I miss everyone in New York. I loved home school. I wish I could still do it. Fifth grade is hard. I am in a regular classroom for the first time and it is very hard. I am doing great in Math and Spelling and Social Studies. I have to work on my conduct.

I am taking Taekwondo to learn to focus since I have ADHD. I am trying for my yellow belt soon. I am an Auburn football fan. They beat Alabama 22-15 at Thanksgiving.

This year has been hard with moving and all but my mom and dad tell me that I am brave and an adventurer. I am taller now. I like that. I will be able to sit up front in the car. I like our cars. We have an Intrigue and a Rendevouz. I like both but I miss the subways!

I have been learning about the verse in the Bible.

I Corinthians 10:13

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed. The new has come.”

I am learning to give up some old habits. It is hard.
*****************************************
Russ’ Remarks

2006 has been a year of growth for me. First, after 37 years of being in New York, and living no where else but New York, I move to a foreign place or what feels like a foreign place…. different culture, different accents and back to a suburban lifestyle. I so appreciated the graciousness of our friends in Alabama, making us feel at home, Beverly and Jim, Stan and Jeanne and of course Lisa’s dear friends, the Kallies!!! I lost close to 50 lbs when I got to Alabama working in the Lawn Care business, in the HOT Alabama sun, pushing lawn mowers, swinging weed eaters and just walking parking lots picking up trash, I tried to make the best of it but it literally felt like I was below the equator in some tropical environment. I want my 4 seasons back!

Despite that, we found a wonderful church home at Huffman Baptist where I was involved in the choir, a choir ...what a concept that I haven’t seen in years, since my days in the Lutheran Church. It was wonderful!
But plans change, God knows best and closed all doors to jobs for both Lisa and I, and we landed here in Montgomery and have found home. It took me 2 months in Montgomery to find the most perfect job in all of Russell Rose’s history of jobs! As you all know I have been in the Lawn and Garden business for 20 years and this job is a culmination of everything I’ve learned over those past 2 decades. I am a vendor for Home Depot in their Lawn and Garden department and pretty much deal with everything there except the plants, which I love, I get to see them everyday though, that makes me happy!

It has many perks and takes care of its employees very well, we had a meeting not to long ago and they served us Filet Mingon, which I had to grub off another it was that good ( He didn’t want it so I took it off his plate while the waiter was taking it away LOL). So that gives you a little about how they treat us. That was in Atlanta so it does require me to travel some, but that is fine with me my new car has a tape and CD player which makes traveling fun.

Most everything about the family was filled in by Lisa and Jason, but I will put my 2 cents. The neighborhood we live in is wonderful,. We have the best of both worlds in our duplex, apartment living with a front / back yard. So for those who don’t like to clean get a duplex.

We found a wonderful church at Ridgecrest Baptist here in Montgomery. It reminds me of Trinity Lutheran architecturally in the sanctuary. They were very welcoming and made us feel at home, making the decision really easy for us. It is a mission minded church and we can’t wait to be plugged in further.

We want to wish all of you a blessed Christmas season and a gracious New Year, filled with happiness and prosperity. We thank God for all of you and your support for our family and will be praying for all of you.

All of God’s blessings!!!!

Peace on Earth, Russ, Lisa and Jason

Friends are Friends forever!

photo taken by my friend Nancy Webber

Had a reunion/Christmas party with some of Lisa's high school friends and their families! It was fun!

Happy Christmas Banks Jets!

God is Good in ALL things!

photo taken by somebody else, I think it was Ben Kelley???


Russ and I are priviledged to know these folks. These are Lisa's coworkers who are all generous and compasionate folks. Every one has a story of how the Lord changed their lives, healed their hurts and continues to work every day in teaching them what Christmas is all about...the birth of a little baby who changed the way the world can see life! We are excited that we are working alongside others who see Christmas demonstrated in their lives every day.

Just like the angels who announced the coming of the Lord, we can say,

"Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men!!"

Luke 2

How can the Lord change your life today as you think of the meaning of Christmas!?

Thoughts on Christmas

photo taken from webshots.com
In the little town of Bethlehem, the most important birth in all of human history took place on what we now consider the first Christmas. It was sparsely attended by some bleating farm animals and a handful of shepherds who wouldn’t have been there had not the sky lit up with a multitude of heavenly hosts only minutes before, praising God and inviting the shepherds to the stable. What an invitation! With the exception of that outburst, however, no one else knew. Oh yes, there were some astrologers from the East who figured out what was going on by studying the stars and some ancient manuscripts, but they didn’t make it to town until at least a year or two later when the baby was a child.

Why such an uneventful welcome for such an auspicious event?It’s God’s way. He’s always been quiet about his work on earth. “How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift was given/So God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of his heaven.” He’s even pretty quiet about the way he works in our lives. Silently, he came into the world; silently, he comes into our hearts. No fanfare. No welcoming committee. God has never been into self-promotion. He lets his work speak for itself.And that would be you and me. Believers are the result of Christ’s coming. It is all about good news and glad tidings for all people. A Savior has been born and he has been born for us. Or as the angel announced it: “The Savior -- yes, the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:11 NLT)


It occurs to me there are two ways to take all the fanfare and glitter of this season. We can see it as the over-commercialism of Christmas, or we can take all the lights, and gifts, and decorations, and parties, and bells, and carols, and Christmas specials on TV -- even Santa and reindeer in the front yard -- and bank them all as celebrations of the birth of Christ. We can even take the conversion of old Scrooge as the joy of new life and forgiveness of sins.There’s no law against sanctifying the secularization of Christmas in your own heart and mind. It’s what we make of these things that count, anyway. Every single light can represent another soul secured in eternity as the result of what Christ has accomplished.There was no room available for the Son of God when he came the first time. Let’s make sure there’s room in our hearts this Christmas, and don’t let anyone take away what is good about the glad tidings of Christ’s birth!

sent by Lori Sulger

Mom, is that Jesus?

The other day we were at an anniversary of a church here in Montgomery that had been there for 50 years serving their community. The choir was doing this magnificent special and one of the choir men had a lapel microphone and his booming voice read off some scripture. You couldn't really tell who was talking and our son, Jason, who is 12 but still very innocent and young looked around to see who was talking and wide eyed finally turned to Lisa and asked very seriously, "Mom, is that Jesus?" A few people around us chuckled at his very sincere question...I smiled at his innocence and expectation of seeing Jesus. I asked him later why he asked if that was Jesus and he told me that he thought Jesus had come to visit that day.

I wish, as adults, that our expectation was so exciting and innocent as we attend worship each Sunday. In this Advent season, we are waiting in anticipation of the birth of the Christ, son of the Living God. I wish that as adults come to a worship service, we would be listening so intently for "Jesus" to speak to us. Jason expected Jesus to be there. I wonder how many adults anticipate this season with the same excitement and awe....receiving into their hearts the birth of the Christ child.

In the Message, Mary, the mother of Jesus, anticipates the birth of the Christ Child.....she says,

" I am bursting with God-news"

Im dancing the song of the my Savior God....

What God has done for me will never be forgotten! "Luke 1: 47-49

Christmas at Rockefeller Center(www.webshots.com)

Our continued prayer for you as you read this, that you will experience the joy of Christ, who loves you deeply....that you can rejoice like the angels as they announced the birth of the Christ."




Russ, Lisa and Jason

Our Thanksgiving Visit with Our Friend Carla

Our friend Carla from NC camd to visit. We took her to several places in Montgomery. We had a great time.

Russ, Lisa, Carla and Jason on Montgomery Trolley Tour

This was fascinating.

We visited all ofthe MLK Jr stops and Hank Williams museum etc

Lisa at Museum of Fine Arts.

Quilt made of different textures for kids to touch and feel.

Jason feeding the ducks at Shakespeare Pond.

MORE TO COME.................

24 Days Until Christmas!

Check out www.greatergood.com for a new way to shop for Christmas and have it mean something!

The Roses first Christmas together!

*********************************************
A Christmas Lesson

byTom Krause

"Is there a purpose? Why are we here?"A little boy asked as the yuletide drew near."I really do hope that someday I will know the reason we stand out here in the snow,ringing this bell as people walk by,while thousands of snowflakes descend from the sky."The mother just smiled at her shivering son who would rather be playing and having some funbut soon would discover before evening was donethe meaning of Christmasthe very first one.The young boy exclaimed, "Mother where does it go?""All the pennies we collect - every year in the snow.""Why do we do it? Why do we care?""We worked for these pennies,so why should we share?""

Because once a baby - so meek and so mildwas born in a manger - so humble the child, the son of a King - was born in this way to give us the message He carried that day."The present God gave the world on that night,was the gift of his son to make everything right.

Why did he do it? Why did he care? To teach about loving and how we should share.""The meaning of Christmas, you see my dear son,is not about presents or just having funbut the gift of a father - his own precious Son so the world would be savedwhen his work was all done"Now the little boy smiled - with a tear in his eye as snowflakes kept falling from out of the sky -rang louder the bell as the people walked bywhile down deep in his heartat last he knew why.

Copyright © Tom Krause 2003.

Happy Thanksgiving

From the Roses to you all...Happy Thankgiving.

A friend sent this beautiful picture of Fall in Central Park. We miss that although it is beautiful here too. Leaves change in November here.

Russ, Lisa and Jason

Our Warrior!

Jason got to see his hero, Bibleman, at one of the churches here. He has all the videos.

Jason decided to be Peter(one of the kids)from The Chonicles of Narnia(Lion, witch and the wardrobe). He enjoyed that a lot!

Peace this week!

TheRoses3

Random Pictures!

Our Kitty, Chloe enjoying her new house! She is a Maine Coon who is prissy and is the Queen of the house!

Jasons friend at Graffiti, Lisa!

Jason feeding the ducks at Shakespeare Park in Montgomery

Owen Field and Jason. Owen is Jason's favorite person EVER!

Nana and Gdad watching the grankids play basketball.

Nana, Gdad and all the grankids!
June 06

Enjoy!

The Roses 3

Russ is EMPLOYED...Hallelujah

Hey ..YEA GOD!

Russ starts with MSI on Monday. MSI is a retail merchandiseeer which sells and upkeeps Lawn and Garden products. He will be a retail merchandizer for the two Home Depots in Montogmery! He goes to Atlanta for training this next week. We are so happy for him. Mr Mom duty was NOT doing much for him!

We are very grateful that once again the Lord provided in the nick of time. We are mostly grateful for the provision of shelter, food, clothing and money through friends and family these last 9 months. It is amazing how God works through his people. Thanks to those who did those things as you were His instuments of provision! We are grateful for all that the Lord has done and will continue to do.

Speaking of provision.....a church in Montgomery provided over 300 bags of groceries through a group of young boys ages 9-12 collecting food from church members. Here are some pictures of them dropping it off at the Forest Park Ministry Center. YES..that whole trailer was loaded down with groceries! God is great. Those groceries are feeding the families in Montgomery who are living at or below poverty level. That is 17% of the citys 250,000 residents. AMAZING!

MATTHEW 25!

Enjoy the photos of these little boys doing service for the Lord!
Peace along the way!
TheRoses3

Getting to know Jason

Here are some great websites for family and friends who want to get to know more about Jason and his adoption experience. There are lots of articles on topics that might interest you.

APAC(Alabama Post Adoption Connections)is where we hang out a lot these days!

We are now the Parent Coordinators for our monthly support group...

www.casapac.org

Our adoption agency that we used in NYC

www.coac.org

Older Child Adoptions

www.olderchildadoption.com

Attachment Issues

www.nancythomasparenting.com

Adoption in General

www.adoption.com

Thanks for your support!
TheRoses3

More Fun Pictures!

Enjoy the pictures. More are coming!




We found these from our vacation in VA this past June:

Russ feeding a very hungry animal. What you dont see is that the oaf tried to eat our steering wheel!







Lisa with her boss, Ken, and ministry assistant, Judy.

These are the ministry center directors. Lisa meets together with them every other month to go over center issues and to pray together!

montgomery ministries

Dorothy McNeal, director of the Day Street Center(to your right)with a volunteer celebrating volunteerism.

Eric Jackson, chaplain to Montgomery Police and Fire. He took these 5 firefighters to NYC for 9-11. They were able to minister to firefighters in more ways than one.










Kathy Kelley(to your left) is our Converstaional English Director. She directs the classes which have 118 students from all over the world. Here she talks to a volunteer.