Steven's New Business..check it out!

                                              Steven's own business with the help of others!

Check it out here......

Beads of Grace by Steven

Musings From the Fall.....

This Fall has been sooooooooooooooo busy and stressful. S got into some trouble last year(minor)and has had to do probation for 6 months. He has rebelled the whole way. He finally had a huge blowout and ended up spending 4 nights in the city jail. Since that time(6 weeks ago)he has walked the straight and narrow. It has been amazing. But we are tired, pooped, exhausted. S is a very complicated young man and we know that God is working in his life....he(S)is just taking his time in listening, I guess. I saw this ad on my Weight Watchers page the other day and just had to share it. It is not only for my weight loss but for remembering WHY we adopted our boys. Many times, we have felt like quitting and the Lord just gave us one more moment of strength to keep going. I know He will do that for the rest of our life.

 This Fall I found out that I was gluten intolerant and had some metabolism things going on to keep me from losing weight. I went GF the end of September so it has almost been two months. It has been fun trying new recipes and certainly made me think of new and interesting things to cook and eat. I have lost about 8 pounds without trying and will keep plugging away.


Thanksgiving is upon us and I am very grateful that we are going to be with family and friends this next week. I LOVE family and cherish friends so this will be a treat for me.  Russ and I need a break soon. Hoping we can get away sometime soon and get some couple time. (-;

Only 181 days til the boys graduate. I can't wait. Some days it does not seem like we will make it. But I know it will come sooner or later!!

Today is the 50th Anniversary of JFK's death. Where were you in 1963. I was in our house at 2 yrs old and it was seared in my mind when I saw the casket with Caroline and John John there. I remember gasping and sadness.  I lived in NYC not too far from where John Jr. lived and was saddened when he died too. I am intrigued by the Kennedy family and it has been interesting to watch each one fall from grace, die or succeed.

Today is also my favorite authors death anniversary. He too died on November 22, 1963. CS LEWIS!! Here is a quote I like from him!!  GREAT AUTHOR. Check out his books!

 "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less. CS LEWIS

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.

C. S. Lewis

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/cslewis395865.html#rJhbxHD1qcY6Lsxu.99

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.
C. S. Lewis
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/c_s_lewis.html#PEdKAQOHKGe0E2va.99

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.

C. S. Lewis

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/cslewis395865.html#rJhbxHD1qcY6Lsxu.99

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.
C. S. Lewis
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/c_s_lewis.html#PEdKAQOHKGe0E2va.99

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.
C. S. Lewis
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/c_s_lewis.html#PEdKAQOHKGe0E2va.99

12th Grade.....279 Days til Graduation..........

Having mixed feelings today as we get prepared for the boys to start 12th grade on Monday. Can't believe time has flown by......it seems like just yesterday that we adopted Jason and got him settled in 3rd grade where he had to re learn how to read and write, etc. And now he is about to embark on the last year of school. Steven came to us when he was in 6th grade and 6 quick years later, he is about to finish his last year of school.
                                                           Where did time go?

                Jason and Steven graduating from elementary school/2006.

              Jason and Steven graduating from junior high school/2008.

In a few short months,they will be wearing Cap and Gowns walking across a stage....I think I need to stock up on tissues.

FINAL REPORT FOR STEVEN

Well, Steven is coming home on June 28th. We have mixed feelings....very happy to have him home, concerned for his well being, wondering if things will be quieter than before? Lots of things to do and think about and get ready for. With God, though ALL things are possible. I keep that in the back of my mind every day as it gets closer.

With Steven, we have a new lens to look through and that is the lens of Asperger's Syndrome. Our #1 son has that but it is very different for each child. Steven has the complication of his past and adolescence starting later than usual and so we have to look at the WHOLE picture of his health..not just one aspect. As much as we know that ALL of Steven is NOT Asperger's, it helps to look at him through that lens because it helps us to parent him better. We know that he thinks differently and sees things differently so we have to see through his eyes how he might interpret things. That gives me some relief in a way...there is hope. Actually there is ALWAYS hope, right?

So as we prepare, I will review what Aspies, as we in the autism community call our kids, need and all that goes with it. We will educate our teachers and church leaders etc on what to expect and how to communicate. We will start this part of the journey in a different manner and will hopefully do better with it!

I love our boy! He is creative and quirky and weird and I love all of that......Lord help me to see him the way YOU see him with his gifts and challenges!!

We love our boys! 

 You can help! 

GIVE FORWARD MEDICAL FUND

RESTAURANT.COM ROSE FUND

Home Visit

So Steven go to come home for a few days visit and did really, really well. We had a good time celebrating Jason's birthday and Russ-Fathers Day. It was good to have him home.

We are almost ready to bring him home but we need your help! We still have a ways to go on paying for his medical treatment and would love for you to join in what God has been doing in Steven's life.

Several ways:

GIVE FORWARD MEDICAL FUND SITE

RESTAURANT.COM GIFT CARDS

Hope you will join in the quest to help Steven get well!

Peace,
Lisa Rose 

May Update 2013

In many ways, Steven continues to heal and succeed. He has gotten even more healthy than he was and is working out every day. We met with the team of folks who have been treating him and we are continuing to work with them to help him succeed. 

Would you continue to pray for our family?  It is very rough not having Steven home and at the same time, feeling overwhelmed with his needs. We are looking forward to the day when he might make it home and be with us again. 

Jeremiah 30:16-17 the Message

“‘Everyone who hurt you will be hurt;
your enemies will end up as slaves.....
As for you, I’ll come with healing,
curing the incurable because they all gave up on you
and dismissed you as hopeless..."

 www.giveforward.com/supportingsteven4healing

Update on Steven

We will be providing a May update after next week when we go and vist Steven. We need your prayers though. We will also be meeting with Steven's treatment team next Thursday, the 16th for an evaluation of where he is and where he needs to go from here with treatment. We are also praying for an idea that someone at the treatment program had to get long term funding for Steven's stay there. We need some SERIOUS prayers for that.

 

 

If you would like to prayerfully donate, go to:

www.giveforward.com/supportingsteven4healing

 

We need $15,000 by May 31st.

 

thank you for your continued prayers.

 

Russ, Lisa and boys

April Update on Steven

Dear Friends,

We are in the beginning of month 4 of Steven being in treatment. Though it is taking time, we see God working in his heart and mind as he overcomes challenges not only of the abuse and neglect that he endured as a child, but the brain injuries occurred during utero and most likely from physical abuse as well. It has been determined that a large portion of Steven’s issues are due to organic concerns with his brain. That means that we are probably seeing the effects of the birthmother’s drinking on his development now that he is older. He is doing very well in this treatment program and they have hope that he will be able to get to a point of functioning. He is halfway through the program and has done very well in school there. His grades have come up significantly as well. The unfortunate part is that he will live with this “brain injury” from birth for the rest of his life and eventually will need support services. We are in a time of beginning to plan for his future and what that holds. It is overwhelming at times and we have gone through periods of grief as we have been on this journey and learn more from their observations and care for our son.

We thank all of you for continuing to pray. We also know that many of you have given sacrificially in the beginning. We need your help in getting the word out to others who might be able to help continue to scholarship this healing process.   We are still raising funds for Steven’s treatment as it is $200 a day after the first 2 months. Please keep us in mind as you think about helping others. Here is a link to our online, safe, giving website. Mostly, keep us in your prayers as our family endures this journey of healing!  God is good all the time! He will provide, we know!

Russ, Lisa, Jason and Steven Rose

http://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/h262/supportingsteven4healing

 

 

Glimpses of Healing in Steven

Got the best letter from Steven today. Let me share a sentence or two with you all! It made me cry.

"I'm sorry I pushed the boundaries with you Mom. I'm glad that Ive been in your house all this time. I would not have survived all this time if it wasn't for you. I'm sorry I have acted out all this time. Please, forgive me."
He wrote a similar letter to Russ.

God is working in his soul and healing him. 

                              I think of our family verse....

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove your heart of stone and give you a tender heart."

                                                                               Ezekiel 36:26

Phone Calls and Being Human Week 10

We had a phone session with Steven yesterday afternoon which means he is doing good because he "earned" the phone call. If he keeps doing well, he gets a weekend visit when he gets to Phase 3. We are excited at some insight he shared that he has never voiced. We have had two so far and are pleased with his demeanor. 

Please continue to pray for him and for us as we adjust to the idea that he is doing better. What?...you may ask? Well, it is very easy to have him come home and do ONE thing wrong and we all go back into our old pattern of relating to Steven. While Steven is away, we have been working on more ways to help him be successful and when he does mess up, to not overreact! We had gotten good at not overreacting but when we became exhausted and overwhelmed for that last 6 months when he "upped the anty", we went back to old habits. How human we are!

Love Never Gives Up!

Happy Valentine's Day! 

This scripture reminds us of what is important to our family. In light of these past 2 years, we celebrate that God has sustained us. He has helped us endure our circumstances and has given us hope along the way.  We want the world to know that WE LOVE OUR BOYS and we are anticipating the reunification of Steven into our home within the next two months. We will keep these verses in our hearts as we continue this journey of serving our boys as they heal from their pasts. 

To God Be the Glory! 
Russ and Lisa 

For ways you can continue to support Steven CLICK on the picture above! 

WE GOT TO VISIT OUR SON!

God is good. We had a wonderful visit with Steven on Friday at his treatment program. Less manipulation, more smiles, more initiated affection, more eye contact, more interest in what we have been doing. Still not sure when he will come home but we are just taking one day at a time. He has chosen the 12 steps to be his guide the rest of the time(YAY because it works!!) and if he works them, he will see even more change. He is over 6 ft tall now and has gained some muscle and fat!! YAY! He still has problems complying with rules(not huge ones)an...d still have some major control issues but is working on that!

Awesome team. Awesome place. We just got more confirmation that this was the right place. We had a very pleasant visit. They have a church come in from Huntsville and we saw in his Bible that he was taking notes for the first time ever(the sermons are geared toward change)and a topcial study on Wednesdays related to adolescence.

Thank you so much for praying us through this visit. We are just taking one day at a time and are cautiously optimistic!! God is good all the time. It was tiring but Russ and I stayed around the area and sleep in this morning.

Respite

Jason, Russ and I get to go to a retreat this weekend for families with kids who have disabilities. It was a nice surprise to get offered a full scholarship to come to the retreat and have some down time away from everything. Will post a few pictures when we return. I am sure there will be LOTS to tell. God is good for giving us this gift!

Week 6

Talked to Steven's therapist today. This next week is going to be a very important week for Steven. They have what is called Adventure week and everything they do will be centered around helping Steven face his fears, his ownership of behavior and contemplating what he plans to do next in his life(Ie:go home or stay). This week will really show where he is in his journey and how they will proceed in treatment. This week will determine if he needs longer treatment or maybe only another 4-6 weeks !  Would you consider partnering with us each day and commiting to pray for wisdom from above for Steven? 

 

Adiventure Week will end with us visiting him on Friday and seeing how that goes.

They will not tell him we are coming until sometime Thursday.  This is a great matter of prayer. We NEED for these guys to have GREAT WISDOM this next week so that Steven won't come home too early but not stay too long(he could get used to that routine and do things to get to stay).

He starts Week 7 tomorrow(Friday). He is STILL in Phase 1 but almost at 2(THERE ARE FOUR PHASES). They say that if he can own things, the other phases will go much quicker.

Thank you for your continued prayers!
 Happier Moments!!

 

Proud of Jason

 This is by far the best picture that communicates Jason's spirit!

I was reading a blog of a mom friend who has a son with special needs. She was asked what it was she was most proud of with her son.  I have been asked that too. She made a list and I decided that today I needed to make a list too. Jason has been a bright spot in our family the last 8 1/2 years and we are so blessed to have him come into our family. The Rose family will never be the same(in a good way)because of Jason.

So, here is my list of what  I am proud of in Jason:

1. I am proud that he has overcome A LOT and he has done most of the work. He is a different person than he was when he arrived into our home like a bull in a china shop!
2. He gets up and bounces out of bed most days with a smile on his face and ready for action!
    (Wish I could be that way).
3. He is extremely tender-hearted and hurts deeply for others who are hurting. 
4. Even when Steven was at his worst behavior, Jason still defended him and loved him despite what he did. 
5. Even when Steven stole from him, Jason would just say, "that's ok. He needs it more than me." 
6. He has a very forgiving heart. 
7. He just trucks right along and looks past others meanness at school when they tease him and call him names. He still just treats them with care and friendship. 
8. I am proud that despite his learning difficulties, he continues to want to learn all he can. He used to hate school! Now, he loves it! 
9. I am proud that he has a good work ethic. Not many kids do today! 
10. I am proud that he is a helper. Never had to ask him twice to do a chore.


“Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . those who mourn . . . the meek . . . those who hunger and thirst for righteousness . . . the merciful . . . the pure in heart . . . the peacemakers . . . those who are persecuted because of righteousness. . . . Blessed are you when people insult you . . . and falsely say all kinds of evil against you. . . . Great is your reward in heaven.” (Matthew 5:3–12 NIV)

Weeks 4 and 5

Steven is still in Phase 1.

He is not ready to accept responsibility for his actions toward our family. There has been some progress though. He is showing some genuine emotions in group and individual. That is a good sign! We are patiently waiting for some kind of ownership of his actions so we are trusting the Lord.  He has not been writing us much which is one of the reasons he is still in Phase 1. Owning his behavior and keeping in touch with family are BIG REQUIREMENTS for kids there.

 Things at home are so much more peaceful than they were. Mornings especially, are so nice. I will just leave it at that!(-;  Russ, Jason and I are doing better. We went to church for the first time in a while yesterday. All I did was cry because it brought so many emotions up. I missed him not being there, I remembered how he acted out at church sometimes, I remembered the stress of wondering what he was going to do next and not being able to worship.After talking with our pastor, I felt somewhat better, but all day, I was in a fog. The Lord is healing us all, but as a mother, I am especially emotional these days.

We continue to trust the Lord for Steven's healing in His time. We know He will provide for Steven's stay at the treatment program. If you would like to help, please go to:

www.giveforward.com/raisingrelief4steven

 This is one of my favorites of Steven. He was happy that day and I love his smile! 

Week 3

WEEK 3 

Steven is still in Phase 1 and he will be there until he is able to own up to what he has done in the past instead of blaming others. That is a tall order for us humans! He is resisting some as he continues to get to know staff. His therapist says "he is right where he is supposed to be...testing limits, etc"

I told someone the other day.."if God would just heal Steven on my timetable, things would be so much easier!" HA!! Good thing God doesn't work that way!! Good thing that He loves Steven so much that He is patiently loving our son through his healing.

It is interesting, as a mother, to not be in charge of your son. It has been hard. I am not there when he feels scared or lonely. I can't be there to help him if he gets sick. I can't help him! The Lord has put us(Russ and I)as parents in a position ourselves of "waiting" and that is very hard! (we cannot see or talk to Steven-only letters-until he is out of Phase 1).

Russ and I are at a new phase of our relationship with the Lord which will of course deepen but right now, the growing pains are hard. This journey is one of the harder ones....not only getting Steven help but going through our own healing. I am so glad I am not alone in it. I am so glad that the Lord God, the one who is CREATOR of the Universe is on our side and is loving us through so many ways!   

Continue to pray for Steven, for Russ, Jason and me. Our family is having to adjust to this new way of living and being a family and it is tough on everyone! 

Psalm 30:5 "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning".

 

thanks for your continued prayers.....

 

Update on Our Family

Dear friends and family;

Just wanted to take a moment and update you on what has happened over the last 2 ½ weeks concerning our son. I am sorry it has taken so long but after the 21^st when we got our son to treatment, Russ, Jason and I have been trying to rest and recover from the very, very stressful year we have had. We all got the bronchial thing that was going around and are just now getting somewhat back to “normal”.

This week, we sat down and addressed over 150 thank you letters for the over $25,000 raised for Steven’s treatment.  We were in awe of the many contributions(including some of you) and the very generous spirits that we saw. This is surely what the church is all about. I think of the church in Acts that gave to help a brother or sister in need. They gathered up their own things and put it toward helping the fellow believer in need. We are so grateful for ALL of your support, not only financially but prayerfully as well.

We got our son to treatment on December 21^st and were in awe of the wonderful staff that is at this place. I am sure you understand that we need to keep this place as private as we can to not only protect our son but the other kids that are there. It is in North Alabama and in the country so he has a very pastoral place to heal. We will not see our son until his treatment is over which will be 8-12 weeks from now. He will be in pretty intense therapy and will be working on some new ways of learning to cope with the stresses of life and family. Our son did not grow up in a healthy/loving family and so it has been hard for him to be a part of one. We get to write him letters each week and he can write us back too.  Thanks for being a part of the team that helped Steven get healthy.

The verse we sent in our thank you letters was appropriate for him and surely all kids who are abandoned and abused. Read this from the Message:

Jeremiah 30:16-17 the Message
“‘Everyone who hurt you will be hurt;
your enemies will end up as slaves.....
As for you, I’ll come with healing,
curing the incurable,
Because they all gave up on you
and dismissed you as hopeless..

We certainly believe that the Lord rescued our son from the hurt and pain he went through for 11 years, but we also know that he has entrusted us to help him be healed(James 1:27). Through many circumstances that led us to this place, we know that there is HOPE in the midst of his darkness. And we appreciate all of you for your support. 

The prayer request that we sent out to our financial supporters as well as our prayer supporters was this:

We are asking folks to pray  for his healing-specifically him being able to communicate his pain and grief over what happened to him the first 11 years of his life. Pray for our family at home as we recover from a very long time of extreme stress that this pain has done to Steven and our whole family.

 If you would like to continue to support Steven's treatment, you can go to:

Raising Relief for Steven

OR 

for a tax deductible gift:

Montgomery Baptist Association CCM, Inc.

20 Interstate Park Drive

Montgomery, AL 36109 

FOR ROSE FUND

May God Bless you richly as you continue to serve Him through prayer, giving and support of not only the Body of Christ but those who are separated from Him.

With much gratitude,

Russ, Lisa, Jason and Steven Rose

The boys 2012 Christmas

www.theroses3.blogspot.com