The other night, we were lying in bed and Shane was looking at his computer at a great email that I get every day from BradsDeals.com  They send a list of "special deals" for the day.  We've bought a TV from there, a few pieces of running wear, etc.  They had some Underarmor shirts for men advertised that day and Shane said "I'm gonna order one for me and one for 'Yuri'."  So, in the mail today we got a package that held our first piece of clothing for our new son!!!  I can just see him in it!!  In talking with one of our team members the other day, she told me that we'd have to have something for him to wear -- top to bottom for our "gotcha" day (the day he comes to live with us) as he won't be able to bring ANYTHING with him (unless he'd received it as a gift at some point) from the orphanage.  He won't have his own pajamas.  His own toothbrush.  His own jacket.  His own favorite pair of jeans.  No pictures of family to bring with him.  The fact that his ENTIRE past has been lived within the "same 4 walls" seems unfathomable to me.  Oh the things he's missed out on!!  How much there is for him to learn about!!

My name's Kim and I am a shopaholic...I admit it.  But the thought of beginning to accumulate all the "stuff" that a 16 yr. old needs is quite daunting!!!  I'm gonna have to get busy REALLY quick!!  The hardest part is that we don't have ANY idea what his sizes are!!!  I want to shower him with ALL the things he not only needs, but wants...

Just like God.  His desire is to shower us with all the things that we not only need, but also want.  He WANTS to bless us.  He has GOOD things in store for us...but like I was telling one of our girls the other night, He CAN'T bless us unless we're being obedient to Him.  That's not to say that good things aren't going to happen to people who aren't obedient to God and that bad things are going to happen to those who are disobedient...we all know that's not true.  But I often wonder how many blessings I've missed out on during rebellious times in my life.  What did God have for me that I missed?  I'm so glad He doesn't show me the blessings I DIDN'T receive and doesn't hold a grudge so that I continue to miss them.  He has been so amazingly generous with me even though I've had lots and lots of times that I know that He was just shaking His head at me wondering when I would come to my senses and turn back to a right relationship with my Savior. 

I want to bless "Yuri."  God wants to bless me.  This is my prayer for us both.