Along with collecting furnishings, we have brought in the wonders of wireless internet - or rather, any internet at all! Yes, folks, there is a new WiFi network on the block! (Er, in the complex.)
In other news, Patrick and I already have callings in our new ward! I am one of two teachers for the Valiant 8 class, and Patrick is an assistant Ward Clerk! Primary has been amazing for me, and I am seeing so many blessings and promises being fulfilled for me and for both of us combined. The children are joys, and for the last three weeks I have greatly looked forward to teaching them each Sunday, singing the Primary songs with them, and simply seeing their smiling faces. I teach the lesson every other Sunday - taking turns with another newlywed sister in the ward. She is a great woman, and along with enjoying the children, I love getting to know her. It has been a major blessing for me, being in Primary. For weeks and weeks (months, really) I barely made it through Sacrament meeting before I wanted/needed to go home. First, when I was expecting and low on energy, and then after the miscarriage when I had a lot of anxiety about going to Relief Society. Even after we moved into a new ward, I struggled with having the stamina to stay for all three hours. But since being called to be a Primary teacher, I have made it through all three hours of Church. For four Sundays in a row, I have not only been able to endure the third hour, but (expecting the first week of my calling) I have walked home from Church and arrived with enough strength and energy to enjoy the evening. That is a miracle, to me; yet another confirmation that the Lord loves me and is watching out for me. He knows my needs and desires, and He is granting me with them. Even as I have questioned my ability to take on the calling of helping to mold the lives of these young, impressionable children, He has strengthened me, given me guidance, and calmed my fearful and nervous heart. Yes, He loves us, and He is there for us.
There is one young boy in particular who has captured my heart. He is the second child of seven, and struggles with what some people call "disabilities". I personally refuse to say that he is "autistic", because I do not want to limit him in my mind. Of course, he is different than other children, and reading and writing are not exactly strengths for him, but all of us have some sort of weakness or another, right? This young boy honestly amazes me. He knows and understands the lessons, and has knack for quickly applying them to his life in modern times. Zion's Camp marched thousands of miles to defend their fellow Saints, yet ended up being refined by the Lord in ways that they probably never imagined were possible. And so this dear boy understands that in latter days he can work hard to "sand out his rough edges" and focus on what he can do to be the best little boy that he can be for God - thank you to my team teacher for sharing that beloved metaphor with him. Then when I taught him about the original latter-day Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and their ministries to England and other places in the world, he asked me questions about how they would eat, how their families would live, and why they would leave when they were sick. He grasped the miracle of the $87.00 and the missionaries' financial situations. Oh, and how my heart melted when he expressed concern over whether or not the babies would have enough milk. And in Singing Time, he shares his heart with everyone around him as he belts out with confidence and faith, "Lead me, guide me, walk beside me. Help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do to live with Him someday", "Families can be together forever, through Heavenly Father's Plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can", This young child of God has taught me even more about being as a child, in preparing to enter into the Kingdom of God. That, even more than the miracle of sufficient health and well-being to enable to me attend Primary, is the greatest blessing of all thus far. As I have struggled with the loss of our first child, I have been compensated in part with this calling to be an example to these sweet, young spirits, and to learn from them even more. I like to think that the Lord has given me an opportunity to be a "Mother" figure once again, in this calling as a Primary teacher, as I prepare for my own children to join our little family. I cannot even describe the joy that such a blessing brings me.
Along with all of these other things, Patrick and I continue to "expand our horizons" in the ways of making meals for each other. In our quaint little space of Kitchen, homemade pizzas have been put together with love and the passion of hungry stomachs, blueberry muffins have been devoured by faces filled with contentment, and...Mrs. Dunwoody's Bride's Biscuits have been thrown together recklessly - the last of which resulted in a concoction of flaky little cake things, and gelatinous sausage gravy (sorry, no picture - I tend to only snap shots of food when it's pretty and edible-looking)
Yes, we're still learning. Yes, sometimes dinner is a fail. Yes, we're having the time of our lives!!
Alright. Time to rave about my husband now (in the good way)!
This man. Wow. He is more than anything I ever dreamed of or imagined whenever I thought about my future husband. So much more. Sometimes I look at him and can't believe that he is mine. Ever since moving into our own place, my love for him has completely exploded (also in a good way). Sometimes I feel mightily that I don't deserve him, but that I have been given him by the grace of God and should do everything in my power to take the best care of him, and then he turns around and treats me like I am the only other person in the world, and smothers me with kisses and hugs and tear-jerking words. I can't exactly say that he is the best husband in the world, because I think that competition is ridiculous, and no wife can judge that in all fairness; but I will be so bold as to take a favorite term from my little brothers and say that Patrick is MY best husband. ;) He is also MY best friend, MY best cuddle buddy, MY best cook, MY best texting buddy, MY best home-sharer, MY best man of God, and MY best eternal companion. He is my Everything. He's patient with me when I'm silly, confused, annoying, upset, ornery (my favorite word ever); he is understanding, helpful, focused; he never gets angry when he comes home from a long, tedious day at work and all I have done is caught up on sleep, read a book, and washed a few dishes. He loves and appreciates it when I clean up our home, organize a room, make a meal, take care of an item of business, or do anything else productive, but he never expects any of that from me alone; if it doesn't get done, he helps me with it later, and never complains. He does the dishes, laundry, vacuuming, cleaning of the bathroom, or making of the bed without me saying a word. He always offers to lighten my load as much as he can - and always with such grace and tact, so as to never make me feel weak, or entirely dependent. (Meh, that didn't come out the way I wanted it to. Does that make sense? He knows my abilities, and completely respects them, but when he can, he makes sure that we share any responsibility that we can - there!) He buys me flowers on a whim, indulges me with gifts such as this, goes shopping with me when I need new shoes, and massages my neck when I have a persistent headache. He has his priorities straight. He is faithful. He is strong in the Gospel. He is handsome. He is funny (and punny too - you should hear the slew of puns and jokes that he throws at me each day). He is kind. He is perfect for me. He is Mine.
And I love him.
// EDIT //
Speaking of books, and reading, I've read some pretty great pieces of literature lately - thanks to a month of not having internet access - and others that I don't exactly think of as "great". The most recent was Peace Like a River, and my darling husband actually wrote a review for that two weeks ago - he read it before I did, then I liked his review and praise for it so much that I read it. Before that, I read The Undaunted (800 pages of faith, thrill, romance, tragedy, and courage), and The Lonesome Gods (re-read that one, actually - it was...okay....). And then I am currently re-reading the Anne series, beginning with Anne of Green Gables.
Last of all, I love the Lord. I am so grateful for His Gospel, and for the fact that it is not just teachings and principles to learn, but it is an entire way of life. It is what we say and do. It is what we think. It is how we act toward the people around us. It is the way we love. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the joy that fills our hearts, by the grace of the Almighty, as He watches His children make their way back to Him. Christ is the greatest reason that I am so happy. He is the ultimate source of the blissful laughter that bubbles up inside of me. Through Him, I have my husband, my family. And together, we have everything.
As a little side note, before I end completely, I would just like to issue an invitation to anyone who would like to accept it...to ever contact me personally if you read a post on my blog and enjoy it. My friends and family are the reason that I write this little blog - though of course I enjoy it, and would do it even if no one read - and it would thrill me to my toes if any of you were to send me an email, text, or message expressing to me what you thought/felt/or even did not like about something that I wrote. Don't anyone feel pressured, because I don't expect it at all; it would just be a pleasant surprise to me if any of you did communicate to me personally in regards to Manner of Happiness. I like connecting with people, and though writing my blog is one way to do that, talking to those who read my blog, one-on-one, is an even better way. Besides, after sharing myself with you, I want to partake of the goodness and light that you offer. I write this blog to share my happiness with others so that they can potentially share that same happiness - not in the same ways of course, as we all feel and experience joy differently. Anyway, I'm rambling. I just want to hear from you, if you ever have the time to chat. Oh, and my email is shaylee.motheratheart@gmail.com.
Thank you, lovelies! Enjoy this monster of an update!
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