Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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

Five Things I Learned in February

February 29, 2016 by Kristin Leave a Comment

It’s Leap Day – like a whole bonus day in our year. And it’s Monday, which does leave me wishing we got an extra weekend day. But, you know, I’m always wishing for more time, so I’ll take what I can get!

Speaking of weekends, as a stay-at-home mom who does some freelance work on the side, I’m always surprised with how glad I am for Friday to get here. I thrive on routine, but I’ve really been loving the other days – the ones that break from the usual. So even though I spend quite a bit of time at home during the week, I really love the weekends when all my people are here and our lives don’t revolve around school and work calendars.

1. Spontaneity is good for my Type A soul.

Our best friends had four free extra passes to Winter Jam in Nashville (two hours from our house) and offered them to us the day before the concert. We decided to go, meaning we drove two hours after school for a five-hour concert, and then two hours home. We got home at 1:30 am, and thankfully all three kids slept nearly the whole way home, but they were all up past their bedtimes. Ben did take a nap in an awkward position in his chair while musicians and speakers blared throughout the arena.

I’m so glad we went. The road trip was good for my soul and connection with my husband. (We have some of our best talks in the car!) And we got to hear Lauren Daigle, Sidewalk Prophets, Matthew West, Crowder, and For King & Country (and some bands I cared much less about).

2. Sometimes two books have a message so intertwined you know you were meant to read them at the same time.

That’s how it was with “The Gift of Friendship: Stories That Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments” and “Better Together: Because You’re Not Meant to Mom Alone.” They’re different books with a similar message of we aren’t meant to do life alone because we really are better – stronger, kinder, wiser, funnier – together.

In “The Gift of Friendship,” Dawn Camp has compiled stories from different writers that celebrate and encourage real-life friends. Jill Savage and her daughter Anne McClane offer practical advice and inspiration for moms in “Better Together.” Friendship requires vulnerability and books like these are good companions for the journey.

{Here’s a real-life story on friendship from my own life. And here’s some mom confessions inspired by a theme from “Better Together” with information on how to get free resources if you order the book before it releases tomorrow.}

3. Colleen Coble is an author I like.

I bought one of her books – “Tidewater Inn”  – when the Kindle version was really cheap several months ago. I needed something recently to keep me company on the treadmill so I started it and was hooked. I immediately continued to the second book in the series and then the third. Turns out, Coble has written tons of books, so that’s good for me.

{Here’s the Hope Beach series I’ve devoured :: Tidewater Inn // Rosemary Cottage // Seagrass Pier}

They’ve been an entertaining combination of romance and suspense set on an island that makes me want to go to the Outer Banks. Plus the characters are likeable and it’s fun to see their stories intertwine. Once I finish “Seagrass Pier,” I’m likely to read the other few series she’s written.

4. RSV is vicious.

I’ve never had a baby get RSV … until last week. Third baby is a charm, apparently. Of course, the other two coughed and had low-grade fevers, but RSV didn’t keep them down like it did Rachel. I knew she was sick when she went a couple days without really smiling. {See an Instagram post about that.} It was sad to have her coughing and lethargic, but I did enjoy the extra snuggles with my baby girl who seems so big some days.

5. I’m having fun planning and designing a new monthly newsletter.

And by new, I mean, one that never existed from me to you!

I’ve been messing around with MailChimp, and I’m excited to launch my monthly newsletter on March 1 {TOMORROW!}. And if you subscribe to my newsletter and posts, you’ll get a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

I have other plans for my email friends – who are likely to receive other free gifts and be among the first to hear news, like when I finally get around to updating my ebook (hello, third child).

I’m grateful for those of you who already let me into your inbox! {The rest of you can subscribe here.}

Happy Leap Day! How was your February?

_____________________

I’m linking up with Emily Freeman, like I do at the end of every month. 

{2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. 
{2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. 
July. August. September. October. November. December. 
{2015} January. February. March. April. May. June. 
July. August. September. October. November. December.
{2016} January. 


Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I’ll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

 “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’.

  • 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: books, friends, motherhood, Rachel, Things I Learned, writing

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 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.

Subscribe for Updates

Recent Posts

  • Fifteen
  • Help kids have healthy eating habits
  • How to organize your home
  • Let’s come before the throne
  • 3 Ways to Enhance Kids’ Cognitive Skills

#PorchStories button

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

School’s out FOR THE SUMMER! #88daysofsummer #mo School’s out FOR THE SUMMER! #88daysofsummer #momlife #siblinglove #summerisbest #maydays
I’m proud of myself for … … surviving and t I’m proud of myself for …

… surviving and thriving this school year. I resist change almost all of the time, and the past nine months have been full of so many transitions for our whole family. I know, that’s life, but these changes seem like the kind that will mark us forever. 

My kids navigated new beginnings in kindergarten, middle school, and high school. As a mom, sometimes I’m too close to see the growth, but this year it happened in each of them right before my eyes. They navigated friendship hurdles, embraced new friends, and settled a little more into who God created them to be. Middle school isn’t for the faint of heart, but I feel like I’ve come out of this year closer to my son, so I will take it. 

I’m proud of myself for leaning into where God has me. I’ve grown deeper friendships, invested in my kids’ school as a board member and business manager, and seen God work in our ordinary days. 

Y’all know I’m a summer girl, so I’m proud of myself through getting through the winter and coming into summer stronger and braver. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #summerisbest #bettertogether
I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book sooner. I loved so much about it, but I did want some of her stories to be  less repetitive and offer more practical advice for living out “radical, ordinary hospitality.” Rosaria Butterfield defines hospitality like this as sharing what you have in real time, preparing to continually life this lifestyle, and bringing strangers in so they become neighbors who become family. 

I took notes throughout, but especially during the introduction. I came away with an appreciation that hospitality can involve lists, schedules, and habits. I felt encouraged, even if I thought the book could have been organized better to include practical tips and other people’s stories. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #audiobooks #livingfaithfully #bookreview #booklover
Something I don’t usually share (online) … I Something I don’t usually share (online) …

I am an opinionated person, but I don’t usually share political opinions on social media. People who know me in real life know I value being pro-life, having less government involvement in our everyday lives, defining marriage as God intended it, and being fiscally conservative. As a former newspaper reporter, I still get excited about elections. I admittedly pay a little less attention in the almost 15 years I haven’t been in a newsroom. But I still care and have plenty of opinions. 

I voted today in Kentucky’s Primary Election. I’m thankful for the freedom to share my opinion by darkening some blocks on a paper ballot. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #reallife #livingfaithfully
Old friends and live music are two of my favorite Old friends and live music are two of my favorite things, so having them together is the best. My friend Aaron and I went to multiple Dave Matthews Band shows together during our college years, so now two decades later it’s fun to do it again as grown ups with our spouses for a band that speaks truth into our lives. 

@needtobreathe put on the loudest acoustic tour I’ve ever seen, but it sure was good! And its encore of completely unplugged songs was especially sweet. 

#NTBlive #needtobreathe #bettertogether #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully #weekending
Happiness is … … a slow morning that gave me Happiness is …

… a slow morning that gave me a chance to finish reading a good book right after I fixed my favorite cinnamon toast. 

… some shade to invite me to pick some more weeds around the house. But why doesn’t my Apple Watch count this as exercise? It felt like exercise to me! 

… an appointment with my oldest girl for us both to get our nails done this morning. 

… my youngest girl’s last soccer game of the season, even though the heat made her a little grumpy. 

… pool time, another good book to read, my mom visiting for the second weekend in a row, a little more weeding, and a night at home with no specific plans. 

Happiness is everyday, normal life with my people, especially when it comes with a slower pace after a hectic week. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #soccermom #KHTreads #momlife #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #poolpeople #PorchStories
I regretted having to go to sleep last night befor I regretted having to go to sleep last night before I finished this book, so I picked it up at breakfast and didn’t do anything else until I finished it. 

I loved the Alaskan cruise setting, the quick love and understanding between Greta and Ben, and the realistic ways grief changes people. Well done, @jenniferesmith! 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #kindlebooks #booklover #kindlepaperwhite #reallife #weekending #recommendedreads #poolpeople #amreading
Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of s Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of school next week and then it’s #88daysofsummer! Obviously, we’re ready. ☀️ 

Here’s to a refreshing weekend with much anticipation of what’s to come! #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #thirdchild #momlife #summerisbest #poolpeople #PorchStories #maydays
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’ve already bou ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve already bought three copies of “Glad You’re Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences” by @walkerhayes and @craigallencooper to gift to specific friends. I’ve referenced this story in conversations this week and will likely recommended it for years to come. 

This story is about two seemingly different guys befriending each other because their kids were on the same baseball team and their wives became friends. They kept showing for each other, encouraged each other, and changed each other for the better. In fact, their friendship was the catalyst for Walker deciding to follow Christ. 

Give me Applebee’s on a date night, a real-life story of how we are eternally better together, and an audiobook that makes me want to drive and I’m a happy girl. I’m fancy like that. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #bettertogether #livingfaithfully #hospitalitymatters #audiobooks #booklover #favoritethings
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorites

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2022 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.