Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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January 17, 2011 by Kristin Leave a Comment

My son isn’t quiet.

He’s reserved at first. Like when I take Cate into preschool. Those people probably think it’s the quietest kid around. Just give him five minutes. And then he’ll be waving, grinning and nicely yelling. Unless, of course, he’s tired or hungry. Those conditions prompt a confidence repeating of “nigh night” and much clapping, which is his version of the sign for “more,” respectively.

And for having a limited vocabulary, my [almost] 14-month-old son does pretty well expressing himself. I especially noticed this yesterday.

Example 1:
I took just Ben to Kroger and put him in the normal grocery cart when we got inside. I didn’t even think about the car cart that was parked several feet away.

He looked around instantly and then pointed and grunted toward the car cart. And then he started clapping, you know, “more,” which can also be interpretted, “I want that.” He’s certainly learned his grocery fun from his sister, who loves driving the car cart when she’s not pushing a small cart of her own.

So I put him in the two-seater car cart and he scooted to the middle like he owned the cart.

Example 2:
Cate was working “in her area,” which is a nook in the play room where she keeps her crayons, markers, paper, glue, scissors and stickers. Yes, she takes after me. But the point is, she was doing that while Ben was playing with some of her My Little Ponies. Yes, we have balls and cars and trucks, but he really likes the ponies. No worries. His daddy will teach him to catch and throw and tackle and shoot and cast and jump.

The ponies only lasted so long, though. Then he wanted to be with his sister. In her area. With her stuff. Her craft stuff is dangerous for a boy who likes to put most everything in his mouth. So I’d walk into her area, spank his hand and bring him back to the center of the room, where there were ponies and balls and cars and a town’s worth of Little People. That would last seconds, and then he’d be crawling at his quick, quick speed back to Cate’s area.

“Mom, he’s in my area,” she’d say. Like I didn’t notice.

So I’d get him. And again spank his hand. Then remove him from the area. And again the other, more boring toys wouldn’t satisfy.

This sequence repeated probably close to 10 times.

I was frustrated. Cate was frustrated. And Ben was frustrated to the point of tears.

He crawled out of the room and started backward down the stairs. I came down behind him and watched him crawl into his room. He started reaching through the bars of his crib for his soft, blue blanket that he cuddles with each night. And then he sat in front of the crib and pointed, saying “nigh night.”

Apparently he was done with the day. At 6:39 p.m.

I changed him, rocked him, sang to him and put him in his bed. He smiled. And that was the last I heard from him until this morning.

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Filed Under: Ben, motherhood

Comments

  1. Life as I know it says

    January 18, 2011 at 3:40 am

    I love that he wanted to go to bed. Precious!

    Reply

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About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our ninth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear sixth-grade boy, and our joy-filled kindergarten girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

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Before I settle into a school time routine, I want Before I settle into a school time routine, I want to recap summer — my favorite season of the year that, honestly, just didn’t look like I expected & hoped in many ways. Even so, goodness was all around us. 

This was the summer of …
 
Crunch-dipped ice cream Drumsticks 🌼 4/5 of us having strep throat at different times, and Ben having it 3 times 🌼 Six Flags and Kentucky Kingdom 🌼 Venture River season passes 🌼 Plans changing and changing again 🌼 Plan B vacation because Covid is still interrupting plans 🌼 Friends sharing big news — someone’s son was injured, friends moving toward divorce after two decades of marriage, a friend being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, and a friend’s house flooding in a negligent way. 🌼 Holding onto the good news 🌼 Counting gratefulness 🌼 Celebrating 20 years of marriage 🌼 Reading mostly romance novels because that’s what sounded good 🌼 Traditional summer weekends with some out-of-town friends 🌼 Quiddler, although I can’t seem to win this word game. 🌼 Conversations in our bedroom with our oldest who likes to stay up later than us 🌼 Binge-watching “Yellowstone” 🌼 The easiest, clearest water we’ve had in six summers with a pool despite the leaking liner 🌼 Feelings that reminded me of Social Distancing 2020 🌼 Noticeable growth in my kids, the weeds around my house, and within my own heart.

Most years, I mourn the end of Summer Break, but this year routine & rhythms are returning at the right time. I spent some time this summer grieving some changes in friendships and disappointments with details that were far out of my control. But I also enjoyed life, sunshine, and right where God has me. That reality is helping me be ready for whatever comes next. 

📷: Cate, 15

#livingfaithfully #88daysofsummer #backtoschool #choosingJOY #PorchStories #reallife #momlife #faithlife #summerisbest
At Back to School Night yesterday, I had been work At Back to School Night yesterday, I had been working as the school finance person when I decided to get Rachel from the gym to go meet her teacher. Turns out she had already gone with me to meet her teacher, the only teacher in the whole school I don’t know! I went to her classroom and there she was chatting with Mrs. Mason and playing with some friends. That girl radiates confidence. 

So, with or without me, they’re ready! Bring on first grade, seventh grade, and sophomore year! @ncca.lions 

#backtoschool #momlife #reallife #siblinglove #thirdchild #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully
Strep throat bookended his summer. Literally. He t Strep throat bookended his summer. Literally. He tested positive for strep the first Saturday of Summer Break and the last day of Summer Break. He also had it in June and COVID-19 in July. 

Here’s to being grateful he’s quick to recover, antibiotics work, our pediatrician is our friend, and he won’t miss the first day of school. 

#88daysofsummer #boymom #reallife #summerbreak #backtoschool #choosingJOY
What a perfect day for a back-to-school party for What a perfect day for a back-to-school party for some @ncca.lions 7th grade boys and their siblings! A new student wanted to meet some classmates, so we hosted some friends & made new friends. 

#backtoschool #momlife #middleschoolers #boymom #poolpeople #morethangroceries #bettertogether #siblinglove #88daysofsummer #countryliving
Introducing Backroads and Blooms Photography by Ca Introducing Backroads and Blooms Photography by Cate Taylor 🎉 

Cate has five different prints available as 5x7s or 8x10s and then matted and framed. She has in stock two of each print in each size, but she will order more. 

🖼 5x7s matted in 8x10 frame = $12
🖼 8x10s matted in 11x14 frame = $20

🌵 Cactus
🌸 Pink flower
💦 Daisy with water drops
🌼 Yellow & orange flower
✨ Starburst flower 

Let Cate know in the comments what you’d like to order or message me. Local pickup/dropoff only right now. 

You can send PayPal friends & family to kristinhilltaylor@gmail.com, send Venmo to @KristinHillTaylor, or pay cash at pickup.

#buddingphotographer #momlife #firstborn #entrepreneur #photography #outdoorphotography #naturephotography
I took a break from my work & chores to read yeste I took a break from my work & chores to read yesterday and I’m so glad I did. I had to stay up late to finish it last night. 

First of all, don’t judge this book by its cover, which I don’t like. (I’ve seen another cover for this same book, so I really don’t understand!) 

Anyway, I loved the story of first love and loss and reconnection told in the dual now-and-then timeline. I thought the end was a little abrupt, but maybe that’s just because I wanted a little more about Macy and Elliot. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #88daysofsummer
Today I’m thankful for a productive stretch of t Today I’m thankful for a productive stretch of time making my way through a to-do list, this view from my kitchen window, a little more Summer Break with my kids, a book that has me distracted from other things I “should” be doing, and lots of wide-open space in our day. 

#mondaymotivation #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #countryliving #momlife #reallife #88daysofsummer
We’ve taken our older kids on short-term mission We’ve taken our older kids on short-term mission trips and hope to go on more. They’ve served locally. We support missionaries. We want our kids to be open to wherever God calls them and incorporating missions into our small-town life is one way we, as parents, have hoped to teach that. 

I’m incredibly thankful @hardinbaptistchurch comes alongside us with the same message. The middle and high school @hardinstudents spent the summer looking at different aspects of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. Youth minister @cbright2 spent the last Sunday of the series looking at nine practical ways that students – yes, even middle and high schoolers – could participate in and pray about going for God. 

Chase shared these 9 Ways to Go with students' parents, and I asked him for permission to share them with you because even as an adult I want to remember to live on mission – even right where I am. 

9 WAYS TO GO FOR GOD: https://bit.ly/9WaysToGo

#linkinbio #ontheblog #bloggerlife #momlife #churchlife #faithlife #livingfaithfully #missions #missionminded #youth #teenagers #parenting #parenthood
“Writing is what makes me happy. Writing, even, “Writing is what makes me happy. Writing, even, is how I feel I contribute to the world. Reminding people of what’s important. Letting them escape the harsh parts of life, even if it’s just for a few hours. Helping them feel happiness through watching happily-ever-afters unfold. Remembering truths. Recalling their self-worth. Loving others. Living well. Learning. I want to do that.” 

And, let’s be honest, love stories about writers make me happy too. “Meet Me in the Margins” was cute, predictable, and a good way to escape for a little while. 

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