It's Finally Here!

First of all, thank you so very much for your prayers and encouraging words regarding my last post. I consider myself truly blessed to have friends like you who love the Lord and lift me up.

God is good.

So, I mentioned last week that it was Joshua's birthday. (The party went fine, by the way. It was loud, but the boys all had fun.) As I watched Joshua opening his presents from his friends, I was surprised at how well they went together. That is, several of his friends either gave him money or a gift card to Target.
Joshua has been saving up to buy a Nintendo DS game system and since he received a few gift cards to Target for Christmas, he planned to get the game there. I figured he must have told his friends about his plan, and that is why so many of them gave the money and gift cards. After they were all gone I asked Joshua if I was right in my assumption, and he told me I was not. He hadn't told his friends about the DS or Target. It just worked out that way.
I smiled at him and said, "Wow. Do you suppose God is even looking out for your toys?"
Joshua was so excited that he finally had enough money saved up to buy his new toy and couldn't wait to go get it. He has been saving up for this for months, and the goal he thought would take forever had finally been achieved. On Saturday he wanted to go to Target to get the DS, but we thought we should call first, to be sure they were in stock.
They were out.
None of the three Target stores in our area had a DS. Not even a pink one. (For which I was secretly thankful. I know he would have bought a pink one if it was the only one available, and I am sure he would have regretted it later...)
Poor Joshua ran to his room in tears. He was so disappointed. I went in behind him to talk with him a bit, but he just looked at me and said, "You're just trying to make me feel better!" Well, yeah.
I could tell nothing I said, and no hope I offered was going to make a difference. Joshua was beyond disappointed. And I understood. So I left him alone, with the promise that we would check every day and, the minute we found one available, we would go and get it.
He called Sunday.
No DS.
As soon as we walked in the door after school Monday, he called.
No DS.
None Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday, either.
Each day Joshua called all three stores and politely asked, "Do you have a Nintendo DS in stock?" I would listen to him and pray silently, Lord, please let today be the day. Then I would hear him say, "Do you know when you're going to get one?"
I got into the habit of saying, "Well, you're one day closer to getting it." Sometimes that helped, and other times it didn't.
I saw some tears on Monday and Tuesday, but by Wednesday Joshua was handling the disappointment pretty well. If nothing else, this week was a good lesson in waiting.

Yesterday when we got home from school, Joshua walked over to the phone to make his daily inventory check and this time the answer was, "We have 12 black ones on the shelf!"
Forget the other things I needed to do.
Dinner could be a little late.
Joshua and I had a date with the electronics department at Target.
It was so much fun watching Joshua's excitement as his anticipation was finally being fulfilled. He nearly floated from the van into the store, and I was practically jogging to keep pace with him. We went right up to the counter and I told the sales clerk, "I have a young man here who would like to take one of those DSs off your hands." And he quickly had Joshua equipped with everything he needed.
While we were driving Joshua turned on the game and started getting everything set up. By the time we got home, Joshua's neighborhood buddy was already at our house and the boys all went to his room right away to start playing. Those of you who know Joshua will not be surprised to know the game he bought for his DS is a Pokemon game. And do you know what he named the very first Pokemon he caught?
Karen.
I am so honored. *grin*

And this morning Joshua got up and cleaned his bathroom right away - without me even telling him to do it...Because last night I told Joshua he could not play the DS until his chores were done. Ahhh. Leverage. I think I might like this DS, too!