Today I am thankful for technology. It is because of technology that I can sit here and do exactly what I am doing today. I have never been a really good journal-keeper...but ever since I have started writing blogs, I feel like I have done a better job at recording different events in my life...I probably should go back and find a way to print up all of the posts that I have made and put them into a binder or something...then I could have a hard copy. I will have to ask Paul about that (he is my go-to tech guy...another thing that I am thankful for, by the way). Technology has blessed my life in other ways as well. When Paul was in Iraq, he was able to get a phone that you can hook up to an internet line, as opposed to a phone line.

Today, I am grateful for the country that I live in. I think that I sort of take advantage of the freedoms that I enjoy, simply because I have never known anything else. That's another thing that I am grateful for. I have never had my freedoms revoked. I am free to think the way that I want to think, say what I want to say, and worship the way that I see fit. I know that there are plenty of people in this world that do not get to enjoy this concept. I am also grateful for the many people that sacraficed their lives and time to ensure that our freedoms remain intact.

Today I am grateful for the wonderful man that I am married to. I came home from work to find out that he had done our taxes today! I know this is something that is highly stressful, and I am so glad that he got it done. Now this means that we will get our refund even earlier...yea! As I was contemplating this, I was reminded of all the many things that he does to make my life comfortable, enjoyable, and wonderful. It is hard to believe that we have been married for over 7 years! Yet, I find that I am loving him more each and every day :)

Today I am thankful for my apartment. As I listen to the rain falling, I am grateful that I have a warm, dry place to live. I am also grateful to have a roof over my head. As I hear news reports about the disaster in Haiti, that gratefulness is multiplied exponentially. I am grateful to have all the comforts that come with having my own place...furniture, books, electronics, appliances, etc. I am also grateful that I have an awesome husband to share it all with!

Today I am thankful for my job. I realize that in this economy, I am really lucky to have a job. I am also blessed to have a job that I enjoy...that says a lot! I really love it when I am teaching a concept and I can actually see it when the kids understand something. It is almost as if there is a cartoon-like lightbulb over their head that suddenly lights up. Their faces brighten up with understanding, and I feel so awesome knowing that I am helping them learn something that will make their lives easier. Plus, I love being able to interact with children of all ages. They are all so different, but it is easy to see (even when they are being...difficult) that they are special...I love it!

I have decided that every day this week I am going to write about one thing that I am thankful for. Many of my friends did this around Thanksgiving, but I never seemed to get around to it, so here goes: Today I am thankful for my eternal marriage. For those of you that read this blog and may not know what I am talking about, in my faith (I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the "Mormons") we believe that if we get married in the temple and stay faithful to the promises that we make, that we will be with our spouse (and any children we have) forever...not just until death do us part. I am so grateful for this!

I am in a rut! I don't even know what to write about now...I feel like there is nothing stupendous going on in my life right now...it's not going bad, but it just feels...ordinary. I get up, go to work, come home, go to the gym, come home, make and eat dinner, hang around the house, and then go to bed...don't get me wrong. I am grateful for life and for all the comforts I enjoy...I am grateful for the ability to work and to enrich the lives of children. I just feel like I am stuck in a rut. Does anyone else feel this way? What can I do to get out of it?!

I got this recipe out of my ward's cookbook...and it was really yummy!

3/4 C shortening

2 C flour

1 C sugar

2 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t ginger

1/2 t cloves

1/2 t salt

1 egg

2 T sugar

Preheat oven to 375*. In a large pot, melt the shortening. Let cool for five minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except for the 2 T sugar). Mix well. Press into the bottom of a greased pan (I use a jelly roll sheet - similar to a cookie sheet, but it has small edges all around it). Sprinkle with the 2 T sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes (don't overbake). Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into bars and allow to cool. So good!

So this morning, I went to get into the shower, but as I stepped onto the bath mat, I felt what I thought was a wrinkle. Since wrinkles bug me for some reason, I decided to step back and smooth out the rug. Well, the wrinkle didn't go away, so I patted at it, trying to determine what it was. It felt skinny and was slightly twisted. My first thought was that it was one of Paul's blousers (elastic bands with hooks on the end that he can use with his uniform pants so that it keeps the pants straight without having to be tucked into his boots, because he hates having them tucked into his boots) and I couldn't figure out how in the world one of his blousers got into the bathroom...so I tossed part of the rug back to get it...and I saw a scorpion!

Okay...here goes: Hi, I'm Sarah, and I am a blogging slacker...I really should start a group for myself and people like me...I could call it Blogging Slackers Anonymous. Perfect! We could even shorten it to BSA...wait, that won't work. The Boy Scouts of America will want to sue us for copyright infringement, and it might not necessarily be a good idea to found a group that has "BS" in its title. Besides, what's up with the way that people introduce themselves in an anonymous group? If the whole point is to be anonymous, why introduce yourself and tell everybody who you are?