What does it mean to "provide for" our kids?

I have been thinking the past few days about what it means to provide for our children. How much "stuff" do we need to provide? How many outfits do they need? How many activities do they need to participate in? What about cars, braces, college, prom dresses... who pays? What is truly necessary and what is culturally necessary? How important is it to me to follow my perception of the cultural necessities? How important is it to my kids?

All these questions rattle around my head in part because of the change of seasons. I have five kids that all "need" summer wardrobes. I have five kids that "need" to get signed up for summer camps, swimming lessons, behind the wheel, voice lessons, gymnastics, etc... I have five kids that "need" to go on a summer vacation.

I also have five kids that talk each and every week about adding more children to our family. There is seriously not a week that goes by in which one of our kids does not ask when we will add another child to our family. They offer suggestions about what age and gender would be the best fit in our family. They make suggestions about where this possible sibling would sleep. They are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that our home should house, love, and nurture more children.

I love their hearts; and if I did not have to balance the checkbook, I might be just as determined to continue adding to our family as they are. But I do have to balance the checkbook. I (really we) do have to decide what it means to provide for my kids.

I struggle with what the answer is to that question. I am SO VERY AWARE of the millions of orphans in the world. I am SO VERY AWARE that there are millions of children that are not getting their basic needs met. I am also SO VERY AWARE that my very American (though open-hearted and fairly undemanding) kids have a lot of "needs."

So...what does it mean to provide for our kids in America?

(This confusing swirl of a post probably has you thinking we are seriously considering another adoption. That is both true and false. The very real need of millions of children to have a family is always on our minds and hearts. Discerning what God would have us do in response to their need is always central in our prayers. So, considering if we could possibly provide for more children is constantly in our thoughts as well. However, at the moment we do not have further adoption plans. Our only plan at the moment is to seek His will for our family each and every day and to do our best to follow where He leads. In reality, this confusing swirl of thoughts is the result of simply trying to plan our summer wardrobes and activities! A woman's brain is a crazy thing!)