Little Treasures.

Have you ever noticed that kids have no concept of value? I could buy Bella the most expensive collectors edition Barbie, and she would be just as equally thrilled with a new lip gloss from the 99cent isle at Target. When we go to the Pediatricians' office, both kids gasp and squeal with sheer delight when they get to pick out a sticker. They forget the fact that they are sick or have just gotten a shot- and instead they focus all their attention on their new found little piece of treasure. What a great attitude!
I've been convicted lately to stop the "I wish I had..." or the "If Only..." disease. Even if I had all the things that I think I need (scratch that- things I want), there will always be something or someone bigger and better, right? So when does the cycle end? When will I jump up and down and squeal with delight like my kids, over the things I already have? My girls' bible study knows about this all too well. We just finished a book that we read together about contentment. So with them as my witnesses and accountability, I am vowing to start finding the joy and appreciation in the little treasures in my life.

So here are a few little treasures I've come across today...

Our Family- How can I start an appreciation list without putting this first??My Job- Yes, as much as I dread going to work sometimes, I feel like God specifically picked this profession just for me. Becoming a NICU nurse was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. **Sidenote** This picture was taken of me when I was doing my NICU clinical rotation in college- I look so young! I think I was 19 in this picture....it feels like yesterday!**A small Summertime treasure- Concord Grapes. They only appear in stores for two months during the year, and I just about bought every carton when I saw them in the store yesterday. Concord grapes and pomegranates are my all-time favorite. I almost made myself sick yesterday eating too many...And my latest treasure for today- secondhand clothes. My sister has vowed to only buy secondhand clothing for an entire year. Brave girl. While I don't share in her dedication- I do enjoy the concept of finding small treasures hidden among all the racks. And a great way to save money too! So Em and I browsed a second-hand store today on a whim (we only had a few minutes so we had to make is fast..) and viola!! Within minutes, we both pulled adorable black vintage cocktail dresses....in our size!!! And I use the term "vintage" loosely. I think they were probably designed in the late 80's or early 90's, but they are fantastic. They fit us both like a glove, then we switched and tried on each others' dresses and they fit perfectly! Yay for sister's sharing clothes! And can you believe that one of them was nine dollars?! I kid you not!(Obviously not a picture of our vintage dresses, but I liked it none the less. And I could just sit and drool over the wood paneling in the room...love it)

So there you have it.

Hope you enjoy some small treasures today. The kids are down for a nap, so I'm going to go enjoy some cold concord grapes :-)