Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Happy birthday to the happy girl!

September 19, 2016 by Kristin 3 Comments

rachel-is-1-9-19-16

Dear Rachel,

“Is she always this happy?” strangers and friends ask me in the grocery store aisles, at the kids’ school, on the soccer field, and wherever else we tote you. Yes, almost always. You’re the happiest baby I’ve ever been around. And the fact you’re mine makes me one happy momma.

For a long time I thought I would be a mom to three kids. Well, as you’ll hear more about as you grow up, becoming a mom didn’t go as planned but then God gave Daddy and me Cate and then Ben 30 months later. Adoption really is beautiful.

Several years past and we still longed for a third baby, but adoption started to seem like those earlier years of infertility and Daddy and I wondered if maybe God only meant for us to parent two kids. So we stopped pursuing that third baby from whom we longed.

Then God surprised us with you – and you were worth every minute of that hard wait.

Just as God was teaching me to find joy in everyday life, God gave me you. I got to be momma to a baby who embodies everything God wanted me to know about joy and peace and adventure. And this age gap I never wished for among you, Ben and Cate is actually perfect for the five of us. (And remind me to tell you about that time we accidentally showed up in matching Team Taylor T-shirts for your birth day.)

Here you are turning 1, with so much life ahead of you, but you’ve already done a great big thing for our family. I’m a better wife, mom and friend because of you, Rachel-girl. Your Daddy gets to love well on another baby. Cate helps take care of you and loves doing so. Ben adores you and is a natural big brother. And, goodness, do you love them.

You laugh, clap, kiss, dance, and wave. You eat anything we give you and take many naps in your stroller and carseat. You still want a bottle of milk before bedtime and your sleep schedule is a little unpredictable – but I’ll take it in exchange for your smiles. You’re easy to love and radiate joy wherever you go.

I’ve said this about you and joy from the beginning and I pray I say it for the rest of your life. I pray you always love life and the people in it. I pray joy and adventure are always part of who you are, baby girl.

Your life is a special part of our family’s story, and we are all changed for the better because of you. People love to be around you, and I’m confident is going to do many more good things through you.

I love you, Rachel-girl.
Momma

*****

Look back on Rachel’s year :: One month. Two months. Three months. Four months. Five months. Six months. Seven months. Eight months. Nine months. Ten months. Eleven months.

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Filed Under: Rachel Tagged With: life, motherhood

Trackbacks

  1. Nine Things I Learned in September says:
    September 30, 2016 at 6:02 am

    […] I have a 1-year-old girl. Fastest year of my […]

    Reply
  2. 1, 2, 3 … Happy birthday, Rachel! says:
    September 19, 2018 at 4:04 am

    […] months. Six months. Seven months. Eight months. Nine months. Ten months. Eleven months. One year. Fifteen months. Eighteen months. Two years. Of course, I share more of her story, which is part of […]

    Reply
  3. One-full-hand years old says:
    January 26, 2021 at 10:21 am

    […] other letters to my girl as she’s growing up: One. Two. Three. […]

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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: 

📚 Amazon: bit.ly/createdforcommunion
📚 Barnes & Noble: mavely.app.link/e/RHD4MooDGCb
📚 Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/197602230-created-for-communion

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! 

🌸 Plus there are FREE resources, including a sample chapter, on my website: kristinhilltaylor.com/created-for-communion

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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.

🌸 FREE RESOURCES & SAMPLE CHAPTER: 
kristinhilltaylor.com/created-for-communion

🌸 GET THE BOOK:
bit.ly/createdforcommunion

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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!

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #weekending #latergram #suspensebooks #goodreads
Recently, in random snapshots. This is a full life Recently, in random snapshots. This is a full life, but it’s a good life. 💛

#momlife #siblinglove #bettertogether #reallife #latergram #documentlife #soccermom #boymom #girlmom
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. 

🏠 bit.ly/PorchEmails

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

✨ Find them all here: https://amzn.to/3sRUHd7

#linkinbio #CreatedForCommunion #MoreThanGroceries #PeaceInTheProcess #bettertogether #hospitalitymatters #friendship #GodsDesign #selfpublished #books #KHTreads #bookstagram #bookshelf #goodreads #authorlife #PorchStories
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

#linkinbio #ontheblog #birthdaygirl #momlife #thirdchild #bloggerlife #TeamTaylor #reallife #birthday #thisis8 #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #bestdad
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