Segullah

Mormon women blogging about the peculiar and the treasured

Juxtapose

A slide show through my December would consist of a mad-fast jumble of contrasts. Twenty crazed minutes mid-Saturday inside a crowded Walmart in Portland, Oregon, accompanied by overloud, carnival-toned Christmas songs. A quiet, tearful hour or two curled up next to my frail and ailing–to be honest, dying–95-year-old grandmother. Faces against windows, pressed closer to [...]

This was not in the brochure

The other day I was wandering the aisles of Costco somewhat aimlessly when all of a sudden I was stopped in my tracks. I looked before me and saw something I’d seen a dozen times, but never quite in the same way. Instead of just seeing the moment simply for what it was, I saw [...]

Random thoughts

All month long a variety of pressing blog-post topics have been turning over in my mind. Last month I had an entire post written in my head the very day after I wrote about hair. “Ah, but I don’t post for another month,” I said. Then the end of September suddenly became the end of [...]

Running with scissors

1987. I was living in a rather spacious apartment next to the railroad tracks in Herstal, Belgium. It was early in my mission and my companion and I had already been through a lot together. One of the stand-out physical characteristics about my companion was her hair. Bold, thick, long straight hair that reached well [...]

Enough for her

The other day in between attending the temple and picking up a few things at the grocery store, I dropped by the nicest assisted living home in town to see my grandmother. Grandma Jacobs was, of course, happy to see me. We both enjoy our visits together. If I’m alone we sit opposite of each [...]

Paradigm shift

Recently I found myself perplexed over the complicated challenges of parenting a strong-willed teenager while not seeing eye-to-eye with the other half of my team on how to do so. The details are not important, but my frustration, worry, hurt and near-despair was both deep and palpable. I am very much a choose-your-battle kind of [...]

The ‘R’ is silent

a much younger me As a firstborn, Daddy’s girl and still a bit of a tomboy, I now applaud my parents’ ability to create a girl’s name out of my father’s: Dale. But it wasn’t always so. My face still flushes when I recall how in jr. high school I would boldly scrawl “Niki King” [...]

All because she asked

The other day while I was at work I received a text message from a friend of mine asking me what my day was like. I asked her what was up and this was her reply: “The kids and I are sick and have been all weekend. I want some comfort food. I can’t bear [...]

Everyone hail to the pumpkin song

I’ll admit it. I’m a sucker for a good holiday, and Halloween is one of my favorites. I can’t decide which part I like best–the dressing up, the decorating, the parties or the license to eat candy. The games can be pretty fun, too. Here’s a little Halloween meme I created just for you.

How Facebook saved my turtle

Just a few months ago and right after we wiped the tears from our eyes after sending off missionary number two, we packed up our Sienna and headed out to Moon Lake for a family reunion and camp out. It had been a crazy and bittersweet week and we were all beat. As we arrived [...]

The answer, I believe, is a resounding “NO!”

The Elders Rowley, Preston, England Early last Sunday morning I found myself sitting before our stake’s high council. Noticeably the only one dressed in a skirt, I was there to witness the reporting of two recently returned missionaries. One was my own son, just back from the England Manchester Mission; the other was a stranger [...]

What happens when my ADD of housecleaning spreads to writing

What you almost got from me today: How we come to terms with our own not-enoughness. What it feels like to be a Republican deep in the heart of Utah County fearlessly campaigning for a Democrat in the upcoming election. Funny things I observe or overhear while serving in my new calling in the Primary. [...]

Who’s really got control over that remote?

a tale of two brothers Just about four years ago I posted this photo on my (former) personal blog as food for thought in the whole “nature vs. nurture” debate. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a huge advocate of nurturing. I believe in its inherent powers so strongly I chose to forgo a career and [...]

Painting 101

Admittedly, I am a registered Republican. But, an active campaign volunteer, I’ve campaigned for more Democrats than Republicans. I vote for whomever I want. And I don’t like particularly like Kool-Aid. Not at all. I loved growing up in the Pacific Northwest. But I live in Utah now and have come to love its quirks [...]

Math is hard

Last July I did a brave thing. I overcame my fear of being judged and dragged my sorry and broken body (hip, shoulder, knees and toes) to the gym. A certain gym chain that has a bit of a rep for being a bit of a meat market and sporting a lot of silicone (or [...]

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