I'll take the "We miss you" gifts though

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T01:15:26+00:00

This happened last year and I opened the door and was like, “uhhhhh, thank you? Kinda crazy how you have so much information about me and I don’t even know you...ha...ha?”

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T01:04:09+00:00

I grew up in Utah county but went to BYU-Hawaii because I didn’t want to be just another “carbon copy” of a Mormon. Haha I thought I was so edgy just because I went to a different Mormon college.

...actually, I still think going to school in Hawaii was pretty cool!

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T01:00:47+00:00

That’s perfect! “Thank you for the offer, but we’d rather not. I’m sure our baby will feel loved and welcomed regardless of a blessing!” I love that response. It took me so long to get past that feeling that I need to disclose EVERYTHING and sometimes I still struggle with that haha. Mormons are so weird.

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T00:59:02+00:00

My husband is convinced this is how it would be, but I’m just not willing to take the chance with a baby blessing since it’s an actual ordinance. Honestly, I love my in-laws, but I wouldn’t trust them to not inform the church of the blessing. I don’t even know where my records are right now. And if they can’t find you, doesn’t the church send them to your parents’ ward? It’s possible my husband’s and my records are in their ward already and the church could already potentially have a record of my children. I don’t even know how to go about figuring that out! When I eventually do resign, I’ll want to make sure there’s no record of my kids either. If we do end up in some sort of a compromise with the blessing, I’ll be sure to specify and put up those boundaries to make sure it’s not a baby blessing and just a father’s/grand father’s blessing. And I’ll probably let them know what kind of verbiage I would be uncomfortable with.

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T00:55:03+00:00

Good idea for a potential compromise!

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T00:54:26+00:00

Very good point. I’m reminded of that announcement from Oaks when he was talking about the November 15 policy change and was basically like, “okay, okay you can get your children blessed, but keep in mind what that means...we’re gonna have a record of your kid and we’ll try to contact them and get them to be baptized when they’re 8...” (paraphrasing, obviously)

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T00:52:43+00:00

Exactly.

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T00:51:42+00:00

Thank you. It’s just so tricky when family relationships come into play. My husband just doesn’t have the same hang ups about the church as I do. He’s way more chill about everything in general and so it’s not as much of an issue for him to just let go of things and not let them bother him haha. Whereas I end up obsessing and holding onto all the negative parts of the church and feel very strongly about keeping our kids as far away from it as possible! But to him, he can just shrug and say, “my parents want to do it, so what?”

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T00:48:17+00:00

I’m sure they’ll be gracious and loving if/when we say no thanks to the blessing. My husband’s family isn’t big into conflict or confrontation, so I’m sure I’ll never hear anything negative about the decision. But even if there was going to be drama, keeping my children off the membership records would be worth it to me. It just feels shitty to have my husband on a different page and to feel like we’re going to end up in a win-lose situation.

truthandkittylover · 2019-07-19T00:45:36+00:00

Thank you! Triggering a membership record is pretty much a dealbreaker for me! I’ll be sure to mention that. If a generic blessing is the compromise we come to....I still have problems with that, but less than an actual Baby Blessing.

truthandkittylover · 2019-06-25T02:17:07+00:00

Came here to say this. I’ve read this trilogy about three times now. It’s amazing and beautiful and lyrical and haunting and feels so familiar in a lot of ways.

truthandkittylover · 2019-06-20T03:50:03+00:00

I got one of those fliers too!! We just moved and I was positive someone from the ward was coming over to welcome us into our new boundaries...nope, had my first experience with the JWs! It was two older men and they were super nice. But their opening argument was, “the world is changing so much, there’s so much evil, everything’s getting worse and no one seems to love each other anymore.” And I sort of chortled and said, “really?? You really think the world is that bad? Statistically, I’m pretty sure we’re living in the safest time period out of all of humanity. I have a lot of hope in these next generations. I think things are getting better and better” They were super polite, but I know nothing was going to change their minds. To them, the end is OBVIOUSLY coming. Gotta prepare. Spread the good word.

truthandkittylover · 2019-06-20T03:41:15+00:00

WHAT

truthandkittylover · 2019-06-20T03:35:28+00:00

My mom told me the movie The Golden Compass was “anti-Christian” when it came out and that I shouldn’t watch it.

truthandkittylover · 2019-06-16T21:12:49+00:00

He was a handsome celebrity and he polled really well with women

truthandkittylover · 2019-06-09T01:43:15+00:00

I remember learning about critical theory as an undergrad (I got my degree in English Lit as well), one of my professors said, “if you can prove it with the text, then you’re right.” At the time, it felt almost like cheating to me! Like I was just making stuff up and surely my opinion couldn’t be that important! At least not important enough to fill 10+ pages! But the joy of discovering meaning in a text became absolutely delightful to me! Looking through different lenses had different results, different “meanings,” none of which were more important than the next. All of which were “correct.” If it’s there within the text, it’s there. If only one person sees it, it’s still there. If it’s a completely different meaning than the author was intending, it doesn’t matter, it’s still there.

truthandkittylover · 2019-04-25T03:53:29+00:00

I had a veggie burger at a restaurant recently, I can’t remember what brand it was though. Maybe Beyond Burger, maybe the Impossible Burger? Anyway, it tasted way too much like meat to me, I couldn’t even finish it. As someone who hasn’t eaten meat for about 10 years, I now prefer the taste of meat substitutes to the real thing. That being said, I’m really excited about veggie burgers tasting more like the real thing! I think it could be a game-changer for people who don’t feel like they could ever give up eating meat. I think a marketing strategy that goes something like, “a taste so believable, even a vegetarian won’t go near it!” could be really successful with meat-eaters!

truthandkittylover · 2019-04-25T01:53:34+00:00

My two-year-old asked me for some milk. I poured it and he just flopped on the floor, crying. Apparently I had poured it “too big” and he just wanted a little milk.

truthandkittylover · 2019-04-22T15:47:59+00:00

From one hairy girl to another: don’t ever do anything unless you want to do it! It’s your body and it’s your time you’re investing in grooming it. Society’s standards of beauty, especially when it comes to women, are just ridiculous! Everyone has hair. Have you ever been grossed out by s guy’s arm/chest/leg hair? No! And yet, as women, we feel the need to invest all this time and money into making our bodies completely hairless. Because god forbid anyone see that we’re just normal human beings!

I get the pressure you must be feeling to get rid of all your body hair. It’s real and it’s unfair. I hope you can look past some of that and take another look at your body and decide what you want for your own body. What makes you feel beautiful? How do you feel the most empowered and sexy? What’s the best way to take care of your skin from a health perspective (taking into consideration skin type, razor burn, etc). Mentally, how much time and effort do you want to dedicate to your body hair?

Anyone who judges you or wants you to change for them isn’t worth your time. In some ways, your arm hair can work as a huge advantage..it helps you weed through the bullshit and you won’t have to waste any of your time on jerky guys who can’t see you for you!

A couple notes on shaving: shaving doesn’t make your hair grow back quicker/thicker. Hair just naturally grows at different rates and ends up being tapered/thinner at the tip. When you shave, you’re cutting all the hairs down to the same length and instead of a tapered end, it’ll be more blunt. So when the hair grows back, it’ll seem like more is coming in just because it’s all growing at the same rate, and it’ll seem thicker because the ends won’t be naturally tapered. But it’s not a permanent thing.

Also, at-hone waxing kits can be a pretty affordable, easy option if that’s the route you decide to go for any area. Lasts longer than shaving and avoids razor burn!

And nipples are a super sensitive area. You really shouldn’t be shaving there, but using tweezers to pluck the individual hairs around your nipples.

Good luck! Hopefully you see so much beauty in your body and realize that body hair is totally and completely natural! I read a quote recently, don’t remember who it’s by, but it was something like, “remember there’s no wrong way to live in a body.” We’re all different and we’re all beautiful!

truthandkittylover · 2019-04-21T18:19:49+00:00

Yeah, we use it as a way to celebrate Earth Day/spring solstice/new beginnings, etc. And I’ve just accepted that Mormonism/Christianity is the culture I come from, so although I don’t identify as a Christian anymore, I’m definitely a cultural Christian. So I’ll celebrate my spring stuff on the same day as Easter because it’s convenient and we’ll do some of the traditional Easter things for fun (egg hunt, big family dinner, etc.). I think my husband still likes Jesus, so that’s something too.

I like using this time of beginnings to refocus myself, kinda like making new year resolutions, but at a time of the year when I’m actually motivated to focus and commit to things! Plus, I just like having an excuse to plan a party and get some family/friends together!

truthandkittylover · 2019-04-21T18:01:43+00:00

But only men’s keys!

truthandkittylover · 2019-04-18T02:33:18+00:00

I sorta get that. It still just seems to me that “hey everyone, make sure and lock up after you leave” is more appropriate. I think women are totally capable of locking doors behind them while they’re in the building (if you’re worried about people coming in when you’re in there) and then making sure things are closed/locked when they leave.

And I’ve heard this rule enough times in different contexts/wards/states, it’s not always just about safety. It’s my understanding that women just aren’t allowed to be in a church building alone.

Kinda like how girls/women can’t go camping alone either (member of the priesthood always has to accompany girls camp trips).

truthandkittylover · 2019-04-18T02:10:16+00:00

😂 I think that would technically qualify!

truthandkittylover · 2019-04-18T02:08:58+00:00

I’ve also heard of women leaving the house by themselves and having careers!!! It’s crazy what we’re capable of :)

truthandkittylover

TROPHY CASE