After the Manner of Happiness: StoneGate Affairs

Welp, we've been here for eight months now! Eight months?? Where has the time gone? Before we know it, our lease will be up. [ yippee! ]

February was mostly amazing. Friends, I am learning every day more about living "after the manner of happiness". Of course, I have plenty of down days, but I am doing far better than I thought that I would be!

I want to share with you something that I said on a post from the instagram profile "bofm365" last month. The people behind this profile are doing a Book of Mormon in a year challenge, and I took it. It has been very neat reading what thoughts other people have as they read each section of scripture. When they posted the image for 2 Nephi 5:26-6:7, their focus was on, incidentally, the scripture that this blog is named after, verse 27 of chapter 5.

It did my heart good to see those words come from my fingers. Sometimes I can say something to try and help someone else and not exactly believe it myself, but as I wrote this, I knew that what I was testifying to others was and is true. Finding something to be happy about every day - even if it's the tiniest, most minute, seemingly-insignificant thing - can do wonders. We are meant to find joy despite trials. Our lives are so much brighter when we recognize how blessed we are, even in the midst of darkness.

To help me find and remember those moments every day, I am doing another challenge.

I've got one day down and ninety-nine to go. I'm excited to see what I find!

If you want to follow those next 99 days, go ahead and follow me on instagram (@mannerofjoy); and if you're really daring, come take the challenge too!

I'm also doing yet another challenge: Chantelle's photo-a-day for March. I did this for February and had too much of a blast to stop! Want to join me in that one toooooo?

Now for the rest of February.

We began the month with a trip to the Temple. We had the opportunity to take my own family names, nine generations back, to be sealed for. The Temple is a very sacred place, and each experience I have there is very personal, but I will tell you that being in the Sealing Room with my husband, feeling the spirits of our kindred dead, was one of the most beautiful and peaceful experiences that I have had in the Temple. I know that the Temples are God's House here on Earth, and He has inspired men in our day to build them for our benefit, and also for the benefit of those who never had the opportunity to partake of the Gospel. Yet another way that of Father in Heaven shows His love for His children, for us.

Okay, time for the food part of our month:

White Chili. Patrick made this one, and boy, was it good!

(I admit it was a bit spicy due to the cayenne pepper, but other than that, I loved it.)

New favorite, Leftover Mashed Potato Puffs, with honey-baked ham drizzled with brown sugar glaze, and seasons string beans. Mmmmmmmmmm.

Butter Chicken. Oh my word, this was delicious! It reminded me of the chicken my Mom made when I was little, except I wish we had added rosemary, like she did.

Night on the town, haha. We went to the mall to make a Build-a-Bear for Valentine's Day (meet Fred, below) and then went to peruse T. J. Maxx and Ross. Fun times!

Valentine's day!

We like to be silly.

I gave Patrick that sleek blue tie (above), which he went on to wear, with that exact button-up, to work, like a total dear, even though it looked terribly tacky.

I miiiight have melted.

He surprised me with a single red rose, a box of chocolates, and an adorable card.

[ swoon ]

And that's Fred, by the way.

Scrabble with James and Valerie!

[ ahem ]
(don't worry, they didn't let me play that word)

We really love getting together with them almost every week, and the fact that they let us do our laundry at their place is a plus. They are pretty great!

More mall fun.

What the ugly??

We practically drooled over the clocks (and mirrors, and glassware, and baskets, and nearly everything else) at Tai Pan Trading. Wonderful store. I'm excited to go back when we're actually doing some decorating.

At the Hallmark store, these were two of our favorite items.

In a world that demeans fathers, and families, we were so happy to see things that encouraged dads.

Valerie's baby shower!

Their nursery theme is ninjas, so we got them this clock (she found it on CafePress and we insisted that we be the ones to give it to them for the shower!).

"My name is Joel and I'm a NINJA."

We are so excited to meet our little nephew!!