Kristin Hill Taylor

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Seven Years of Cate

May 7, 2014 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Dear Catherine Anna,

I love sharing my birthday weekend with you. Really, I love sharing my life with you. When God made me a momma seven years ago, I knew I’d never be the same. Even at barely 8 pounds, your little life changed mine.

Being your mom has been the best adventure yet. And we like adventures, don’t we? Of course, we both ask many questions along the way and anticipate what’s coming next. But together we get to find out.

You’ve taught me that nuture matters more than nature, although I’m thankful you got your beautiful brown eyes and a determined spirit from your lovely birth mom. You embody my favorite testimony of God’s faithfulness to hear the desires of my heart.

God’s has been teaching me about myself and my perfectionist, first-born ways through your life. I see you struggle with some of the same approval-seeking, fear-of-failure tendencies and I want to show you that God is bigger than all of that. {Read more about that in a post I shared today on Jennifer Dukes Lee’s blog.}

Age 6 is the first one I’ve wanted to freeze. I’ve enjoyed the other seasons – the learning how to walk and talk, discovering the world as you toddle, starting preschool and then real school. But each time I’ve been ready for the next one without tears.

I haven’t shed tears yet today, but this one feels different. I’ve loved this past year in a different way. Maybe it’s the way God’s been wrecking my approval-seeking heart and turned it toward real life right now. Some days are messy and loud and busy. {Hence the fact I’ve been writing this post in my head all day and just now posting it while you’re sleeping on your top bunk.} Sometimes I don’t know the answers to your questions. But I’ve loved watching you read and write and draw and question and explore. You can tell time, tie your shoes and count money.

You interrupt others sometimes. It’s something we’re always working on, but I’ve been noticing lately it’s because you have so much you want to share with the world. Yes, you need to wait your turn, but I admire your bravery to voice love and compassion to others. I love the way you invite others in to our lives and around our table. Adventure does await, my girl.

I love you. And I love my life’s adventures with you.

Happy 7th birthday, sweet girl.

Love,
Momma

________

Look back on other birthday posts: One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

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Filed Under: Cate, motherhood

Comments

  1. Beth says

    May 7, 2014 at 12:06 pm

    It was such a delight to spend time with you and your family on Sunday. Happy Birthday to Cate. So loved reading this after meeting all of you in person. Truly a beautiful family!! Love you.

    Reply
  2. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 7, 2014 at 8:51 pm

    You're so sweet, Beth! And just as sweet in person! So glad for that time we had together and happy to see your face here today. Much love back to you. 🙂

    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 high school girl who never forgets, our middle school boy who has no fear, and our joy-filled first-grade 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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Y'all have been so awesome celebrating my new book Y'all have been so awesome celebrating my new book! If you've had a chance to read it, I'd really appreciate you leaving a review. For authors, Amazon is the best place, but you can copy and paste the same review on Goodreads and Barnes & Noble too: 

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Of course, if you haven't gotten your copy yet, you can buy "Created for Communion" at Amazon or Barnes & Noble (from those links above!) and from the trunk of my minivan! 

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To live in communion with one another, means to sh To live in communion with one another, means to share meals, space, advice, and prayers. It also means sharing hope, disappointment, dreams, and forgiveness. 

We explore what this looks like in “Created for Communion,” along with other biblical foundations for friendships and community.

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So many of my Facebook friends shared lovely pictu So many of my Facebook friends shared lovely pictures of their daughters yesterday for the completely made-up National Daughters Day. Regardless, today I'm all in my feelings about my daughters. 

They're 16 and 8 right now. Both of their classes have been studying ancient Egypt and had a joint feast today. Sweet, huh? 

BUT THEN TIMEHOP GOT ME! Apparently, NINE years ago today, when Cate was a second-grader, her class had an Egyptian feast. I think about a particular picture of Cate and her friend Kilee from that day AND THEN IT CAME UP IN MY TIMEHOP TODAY. Facebook also told me that same day nine years ago, Monica and I became Facebook friends. We probably were at the Egyptian feast and decided we'd be friends because our girls were friends. Y'all, God has been so good to me through my friendship with Monica. Our families click in a special way with our three sets of same-aged kids, most of whom have been adopted. 

Anyway, my daughters. They're lovely, funny, and smart. I love that Cate helped Rachel with her Egyptian eye makeup this morning and made her a Nutella and banana sandwich. I love that they got to have a party today at school together. I love that even though they're eight years apart, they're sisters. 

I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I do. 💛

#momlife #timehop #documentlife #bettertogether #sisters #siblinglove #nationaldaughtersday #daughters #reallife #schoollife #adoption #adoptionislove #PeaceInTheProcess #CreatedForCommunion #choosingJOY @ncca.lions
I’m pretty much always thinking about my next tr I’m pretty much always thinking about my next trip! Be it a weekend getaway or a family vacation, I’ve always got ideas of where I want to go next. The rest of my family always has suggestions too. Yes, take the (next) trip!

In the blog post HOW TO TAKE THE TRIP, I share lots of links and suggestions on where to go, who can help you, and what to take with you. 

✨ https://kristinhilltaylor.com/2023/09/how-to-take-the-trip.html

Where do you want to go? What do you always take with you?

#linkinbio #ontheblog #roadtrip #vacation #documentlife #takethetrip #bloggerlife #adventurers #choosingJOY #traveltips
I was thankful for some rest time on the couch on I was thankful for some rest time on the couch on Saturday afternoon — and a chance to finish this suspense book. 

“Between Two Strangers” by @katewhite_author had such an intriguing plot that pulled me right in. I was close to figuring out how it was all intertwined, but I didn’t quite get there through all the twists. Good, quick read!

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Recently, in random snapshots. This is a full life Recently, in random snapshots. This is a full life, but it’s a good life. 💛

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When you subscribe to emails from my porch, you ge When you subscribe to emails from my porch, you get some free goodies! Plus, it's a fun way to chat about life, books, and faith. 

I just updated the free gifts to include a lovely PDF that has links to 27 (!!!) how-to posts about life, home, and parenthood. I'm going to give away more goodies when I meet some subscriber goals, so, if you haven't already, please join me on my virtual porch. 

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Well, don't they look lovely together! ✨ Find Well, don't they look lovely together! 

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You’re a light wherever you go! And you like to You’re a light wherever you go! And you like to go! You’re always making friends, asking about our next adventure, wanting to know what’s next, and talking if you’re not singing. You’re the joy our family needed in 2015 and you continue to be the one who makes us laugh and love better than we did before we knew you. 

... You ask a million questions, know the words to thousands of songs, have so many ideas, and still try to sneak into my bed at night. You say I’m the best snuggler in this family. I’ll take it – and your hugs and love, although the middle of the night will never be my favorite time. 

Happy birthday to the girl who loves loudly! 

✨ kristinhilltaylor.com/2023/09/rachel-is-8.html

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