Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Peace in the Process
    • Bringing Home More Than Groceries
  • Contact

Grown-up friends

July 30, 2013 by Kristin Leave a Comment

When I make a friend, I assume it’s for life. Of course, friendships change as life goes on. We grow up and move away. We walk down the aisle into a new life. We are hired for jobs. Babies are born. Babies become school-aged kids. Calendars get crowded.

But sometimes smart phones shrink distances and friendships get fresh air breathed into them. Perhaps it just takes a text of a picture of a picture of when we gathered all our kids together on a couch two years earlier to remind that it’s been too long. At least that’s what happened to me last week.

My husband had a Monday meeting near my childhood hometown that’s three hours from my new hometown. Of course, “new” is relative; I’ve been here for a decade. I may not have been born where I live now but it’s home.

So I texted Bekah and Shelley a picture of our kids sitting on a couch in December 2011. We were on a five-year streak of having brunch near Christmas, when Shelley and I were near where we all grew up. I loved it. Both of their husbands also childhood friends of mine. Greg is the only one of the six of us who didn’t graduated in 1996 or 1997 from Oldham County High School.

We have a history that has helped us stay bonded, but we let each other into our present lives.

Shelley and I weren’t in the Louisville area at the same time last Christmas and my family has holiday plans this year that will keep us from going there. In my text to them the other night when I was filling scrapbook pages with memories, I said I was bummed our tradition Christmas brunch wasn’t going to happen again. It prompted text conversations with both them. Bekah casually mentioned letting we know when we’d be there. So I did, right then.

“We’re actually coming Saturday night for a quick trip because Greg has to work up there Monday. We’re going to the zoo on Sunday. Want to go? 🙂 Do you work Monday morning?”

From there, we made a plan. The plan developed as Monday went along. My mom, my kids and I ended up meeting her for breakfast and then going to a playground that also has a spray park {who cares that it wasn’t even 80 degrees yet?!}. Katie and her boys joined us there. More out-of-the-blue love happening much sooner than I expected.

Then we all met Greg for lunch. Yep, that’s five adults and seven kids 7 and younger. We extended our plan to include a second park {the five boys really needed to run some more …} after we finished our lunch.

We laughed. We swapped stories from our current lives. We reminisced and talked about the past intersecting the present. We talked about small towns and big plans. We talked about raising babies and being grown ups. We watched the two oldest of our bunch {and the only two girls} befriend each other because when you’re 7 and 6 a couple years is enough time to erase the earlier memories of playing once or twice a year. We watched our boys be boys.

So, yes, that’s a picture of our kids, who became friends all over again while enjoying a beautiful summer day in Kentucky. But that’s not all. That’s a snapshot of a continuation of a history God began long ago when us mommas were just kids ourselves. I’m not sure there are many better grown-up moments than watching my kids play with my childhood friends’ kids. It’s a new chapter in an ongoing story that is certainly worth living.

________

crystalstine.me

I’m linking this story up with Crystal Stine’s Behind the Scenes and Jennifer Dukes Lee’s #TellHisStory. Both are places where true encouragement happens. Like me, they believe telling stories is therapeutic. 

Want more stories? Like 152 Insights on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’. Subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: friends, motherhood

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let’s Connect

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

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 eighth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear fifth-grade boy, and our joy-filled preschool girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

Subscribe for Updates

Recent Posts

  • 3 Ways to Boost Our Kids’ Confidence
  • Songs of Hope
  • Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.
  • Looking for fun, longing for Eden
  • How to make celebrations fun

#PorchStories button

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

Happy, happy 70th birthday to my wonderful mother- Happy, happy 70th birthday to my wonderful mother-in-law. We all are especially happy to celebrate her life this year after her recent quadruple bypass heart surgery and recovery. 🎉 #weekending #TeamTaylor #birthdaygirl
A new book by a favorite author is always a welcom A new book by a favorite author is always a welcomed thing, and @kristinhannahauthor didn’t disappoint. Plus it was my @bookofthemonth pick. 

#TheFourWinds is set during some sad years with the Dust Bowl, migration to California, and the Great Depression. Yet this is a story of hope and belonging. Hope kept a mom and her two kids going, despite circumstances that destroyed. Hope led to this mom finding her voice, recognizing her worth, and discovering love that lasts.

Follow #KHTreads for more book talk. #recommendedreads #fiction #amreading #bookstagram #historicalfiction #bookofthemonth
Seven weeks after quadruple bypass heart surgery, Seven weeks after quadruple bypass heart surgery, my mother-in-law moved home today. We were happy to care for her and we are thrilled she’s doing so well. 

I knew she was faithful and strong before, but watching her recovery from open heart surgery convinced me even more of her steadfastness and courage.

#TeamTaylor #livingfaithfully #reallife #choosingJOY
After three weeks, they’ve returned to school! H After three weeks, they’ve returned to school! Here’s to hope on a Monday morning for whatever comes our way. #momlife #reallife #choosingJOY #siblinglove
Often I don’t want the weekend to end or the sea Often I don’t want the weekend to end or the season to change, but I’m looking forward to Monday after three weeks of quarantine and sickness then snow. I’m looking forward to the snow melting away and eager for spring to bloom.

I’m grateful for health and family and home and a fresh start. A walk through the melting snow with the sun shining and temperatures in the 50s was a sweet spot today. So was gathering with friends we hadn’t seen in too long after church.

Just a few days ago I felt defeated and weary. Now I’m feeling ready and hopeful. Transitions can be rough, but ultimately I’m thankful for new mercies and new seasons.

#weekending #reallife #socialdistancing #countryliving #bettertogether #winterweather #springiscoming #choosingJOY #girlmeetschange #livingfaithfully
We’re sad tonight was the last #MurrayState home We’re sad tonight was the last #MurrayState home basketball game of the season, but we are thankful we had some live winter entertainment. Of course, games looked and sounded different than usual, but the season isn’t over and we’ll be rooting for our blue & gold. 💛 #WeAreRacers #RacerNation #collegebasketball #TeamTaylor #weekending #socialdistancing #thirdchild
We all benefitted from getting outside today. Hone We all benefitted from getting outside today. Honestly, I was so bundled up I got a little warm because somehow I now live where 30 degrees (that feels like 21) is a heat wave. These three help me remember to loosen up and enjoy the moment. ❄️ 

#momlife #snowday #countryliving #socialdistancing #choosingJOY #reallife #winterweather #kentuckyweather
I'm glad I was able to contribute to "Songs of Hop I'm glad I was able to contribute to "Songs of Hope (Vol. 2)", which was compiled by fellow writers @kerilynnsnyder & @sarah_e_frazer. This devotional spends 31 days in the Psalms. 

I share about Psalm 68 and how God built a sanctuary for me at our house in the country and how I want to share that with others. I end the devotional with these questions and a prayer:

"Songs of Hope" offers encouraging truth to bring hope to your weary soul. The devotional is a digital product so you receive the PDF immediately and can read it on any device.  There's a #linkinbio to buy this devotional and more info #ontheblog. #bloggerlife #authorlife #amreading #psalms #psalm68 #bettertogether #hope #KHTreads
I ended 2020 saying it had been a weird year, but, I ended 2020 saying it had been a weird year, but, truthfully, the first six weeks of 2021 have been weird too. Weird seems like a weak word, but I can’t think of another. These past six weeks haven’t been bad, have included plenty of great moments, and shifted so many things in our house. Through it all, my best friend Jaclyn and I haven’t gotten to hang out much.

I’m thankful Greg picked up her and her girls in his four-wheel drive truck yesterday after his short day at the office. We bundled up for some time outside, the kids had legit snow cones, we combined food to make dinner, and various people played various games. Jaclyn and her girls went back to their house this morning, but we are all thankful for old friends & new memories.

#bettertogether #winterweather #reallife #countryliving #snowday #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorite Places & Projects

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2021 Kristin Hill Taylor | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.