on hanging chads, spiders, and parking

1. I am grateful that I live in a country where I can vote. Even though voting is broken this morning. And even though I stood in line for more than half an hour and voting was still broken. And even though the line stretched down the hallway and out the door. And even though I had to opt to fill out a provisional ballot, which the voting volunteers said they were "pretty sure would still count." And even though voting is still broken all over Orem. I get to wear my "I Voted Today" sticker with pride and know that I have done my little part to make sure that good people are making the decisions for our city, county, and state. The only thing that could make me feel better about it, besides knowing that voting isn't broken, would be if my sticker said, "Give me $20. I voted."

2. I am grateful for a husband who is willing to kill spiders every time I see them. It seems like almost every other night we are in bed reading scriptures and I'll blurt out, "Spider! Spider! Spider!" And Somebody sighs and says, "Jennifer, there is no spider." And I keep saying, "But there is a spider there!" And then he has me point out where, and I direct his attention to the teeny, tiny spider in the corner on the far side of the room. I have no idea how I'm able to spot them (I say I have Spi-dar) and Somebody wishes that I wouldn't. Unfortunately, I do spot them, and once I know they are there I can't sleep until I know they are dead. It's an agreement that I worked out with the spiders long before I married Somebody: If the spiders stay hidden then they are welcome to live in my house, but the moment they show themselves I must kill them. Sometimes, to make Somebody feel better, I'll actually yell this warning to all spiders in my house. If they aren't smart enough to stay tucked away then they deserve their fate. Which brings me back to the beginning, which is that I'm so grateful that day after day Somebody is willing to get out of bed and commit murder.

3. I am grateful for the new gate pass I picked up from the campus police this morning that allows me to enter campus without a twice-daily visual pass inspection from the gate guards.

"There is no better opportunity to receive more than to be thankful for what you already have. Thanksgiving opens the windows of opportunity for ideas to flow your way."
--Jim Rohn