Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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All the places she’ll go

May 6, 2023 by Kristin Leave a Comment

My first baby girl is 16 today. (Sigh …) 

I know, I just really can’t even believe it. Not only does time seem to have flown by, but I remember my own life at 16. The full-circle moments are just odd, but I wouldn’t trade any season of motherhood. I would like to note: I like parenting teenagers, and I’d like to stay right here for a while before things change again!

So, here on the day Cate turns 16 and I celebrate her making me a mom, I want to tell you this story: 

At the end of February, Cate had her first sleepover that wasn’t because we had out-of-town friends or needed logistic help. Our standard rule had been: No sleepovers. I won’t get into all the reasons why, but it was a boundary I didn’t find hard to parent even though there were seasons my eldest daughter didn’t understand. 

Then during the basketball season, her friendships with three teammates strengthened. They had been her friends for years, thanks to the small, private school they all attended together. As a sophomore, Cate was playing her fourth season of basketball. The team had grown and improved during that time. Our beloved Lady Lions went 15-1 and my girl wanted to celebrate with her closest friends. She started talking to her dad and me about the possibility of a sleepover a few weeks before. I like these girls and was proud of their hard work, not just because they won but because they demonstrated their commitment to working hard with each other. Greg and I decided she could invite them to our house.

Two of the girls drove here in their own cars after their last game. That seemed monumental at the time. Seeing my girl’s friends’ vehicles in our driveway made me happy to have them gathering here. I don’t know how much sleeping happened at this sleepover, but I’m pretty sure the amounts of fruit snacks, Capri Suns, Gatorade, and Cheez-Its consumed were greater. They were easy and polite — and cleaned up after themselves. Greg and I have always wanted our house to be where our kids’ friends want to hang out. We’ll always have a fridge of drinks and plenty of Totino’s Pizza Rolls ready for them. 

We’ve come so far in 16 years. I can’t even document all this girl has taught me. She’s so much like me, but she’s also much more secure in her faith than most teenagers I know. I love sharing my birthday week with her and then celebrating Mother’s Day right after. She recently started her first job at the local movie theater. She loves photography, basketball, and her friends, whose cars I hope continue to come and go from our driveway. 

Rachel likes to ask how old Cate and Ben will be when she’s such and such age. The other day Rachel asked how old her sister would be when she was 16. I quickly added the eight years between them: 24. I just can’t imagine being there. Rachel called Cate my favorite, mostly based on the fact we chit-chat a lot in the car when she’s in the front seat with me and Rachel is disappointed she has to sit behind us. Cate chimed in, “I won’t even live at home when you’re 16. I’ll just be you, Mom, and Dad because Ben will be 22.” Whoa. It’s true. Rachel liked what she heard. 

And I want time to slow down just a bit and I’m not thinking about that third child driving yet. Let me soak in the first one turning 16. 

Happy birthday, Catherine Anna. You are my favorite. (So are your siblings.) I love all our talks, Jeopardy binges, watching you grow into the woman God created you to be, and getting to experience the teenage years with you. Here’s to learning to drive and all the places you’ll go. 

*****

Look back on her life: One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Baptism. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Of course, you can read more about her birth, adoption story, and early life in my book, “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” too.

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Cruising for Spring Break

April 25, 2023 by Kristin Leave a Comment

We spent Spring Break aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. We traveled with some friends this time – and that was really fun! We’ve been on two Disney cruises, so we were excited to see how Royal Caribbean compared.

Things we learned …

  1. Formal dining is one of our favorite parts even though we aren’t formal people. Showing up and being served delicious food I would never cook for myself is such a treat. 
  2. We needed a vacation from the heaviness of the world around us and a cruise really is a getaway from most all responsibilities. Momma needed an actual vacation. That’s what’s so great about cruises: They’re a true vacation once they’re planned, excursions are booked, and travel arrangements are made.
  3. Two excursions on a week-long cruise aren’t enough. We were sad the windy weather kept us from stopping at Costa Maya. We loved our time in Roatan and Cozumel. In Roatan, we went on an island tour and had some beach time and a private resort. In Cozumel, we spent the day with our friends, interacting with dolphins, petting manatees, watching sea lions, and snorkeling at Chankanaab Beach Adventure Park.
  4. We’ve outgrown the stateroom that barely accommodates five people. 
  5. Traveling with friends is fun; we’d never done that before. We did some things together with the Gachokas, including our day in Cozumel, and some things separately. Coming together for dinner each night was such a sweet spot of that whole week. 
  6. Our kids’ age gap — they’re currently 15, 13, and 7 — was magnified on this cruise, where many activities were for specific ages. Disney does whole-family entertainment better than probably anyone, although we certainly enjoyed entertainment and activities on the Royal Caribbean ship. The adults and teenagers did enjoy lots of trivia and Name That Tune games. Rachel was a fish and wanted in the pools at any moment possible. Ben improved his boogie-boarding skills. Cate played pickleball and went to dance fitness classes. 
  7. My kids have rarely been sunburned. Usually, they start getting tan when we are outside in the spring and then by summer just tan, but all this (very welcomed) sunshine at the beginning of April has even been a lot for their skin. At least they believe me about sunscreen now. 
  8. We also found the medical facility on our second night on the ship because Rachel was running a fever and had a sore throat. I thought she had strep. She didn’t. She also didn’t have covid, thankfully. The nice doctor from Tanzania supplied us with an antibiotic for tonsillitis. Thankfully, she was back to herself the following day.

Shout out to my friend Misty Grogan for helping me plan our cruise. She recently announced she’s starting her own travel agency with her daughter. I recommend Kingdom Seekers Travel to help you plan your next trip – especially if you want to go to Disney or Universal, on a cruise, or to an all-inclusive resort.

*****

I have a bunch of photos uploaded on Facebook and posts saved as an Instagram highlight, so be sure to check out those to see more of the fun.

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How & why to travel with kids

February 2, 2023 by Kristin Leave a Comment

We’ve always traveled with our kids. 

Cate, who is 15 now, was born in a hospital four hours away from our home, so her first nights out of the hospital were spent in a hotel while we waited for interstate adoption clearance. We flew across the world to New Zealand when she was 2! 

Both Cate and Ben, who is 13, transitioned from cribs to beds so they could be prepared for an upcoming trip. When Rachel came along, she was along for the ride to all the things, thanks to the six- and eight-year gaps with her siblings. 

They all had passports before they could read and now our two teenagers have their own Known Traveler Numbers. Getting through security quicker and without unpacking as much is definitely one way to make traveling smoother! Our international vacations have mostly been via cruise ships or to Canada. Of course, we don’t always need the TSA Pre-Check line because we certainly don’t always fly. We take lots of smaller trips for a few days to visit family, celebrate holidays, watch basketball, and see places closer to home.

For years, they’ve each packed their own travel bags with electronics, books, and whatever else they want to do along the way. Usually, I give them the number and kinds of outfits they need and they bring their clothes to me so we can consolidate suitcases and bags. Nobody wants to play Tetris or maneuver through the airport with more suitcases and bags than actual people. If we go on road trips where we’ll be in and out of different hotels and accommodations, I like to bag smaller bags to use for dirty clothes or however make sense to pack so we aren’t hauling in and out all the things at every stop.

With a family, we typically try to stay in vacation rentals because the price is usually comparable to a hotel and the space makes everyone happier. If we do need a hotel, I usually try to find a suite so at least we can spread out a little.

I want them to appreciate travel. I want them to see places that are unlike their home. I want them to experience adventures. I want them to have friends in other places. We’ve even taken our oldest two on mission trips to Guatemala. Traveling and serving can certainly go together.

I know traveling is a privilege, but I will always tell you: Take the trip. 

I say this after interruptions and cancellations have messed with us recently. We had to cancel a Disney Cruise to Alaska in July 2022 the day before we left to fly to Vancouver because one kid tested positive for COVID-19 before the cruise lines lifted testing restrictions. Our two-hour flights from Nashville to Miami and back were canceled right after Christmas 2022 when Southwest had its infamous meltdown. But we got refunded, reimbursed, and rewarded, and, yes, I booked Southwest again for an upcoming Spring Break trip. 

Sometimes traveling means early mornings or late nights or canceled flights. It means snack crumbs in the minivan and public bathrooms. Sometimes it means wrong turns, heavy traffic, and more miles than you were expecting to put on a vehicle. 

But, more importantly, traveling makes me appreciate home and let go of the stress that comes with ordinary routines and responsibilities. Traveling opens my eyes to new places and experiences, gives me a fresh perspective, and lets me have different food I didn’t have to cook. I also love documenting our travels with photos – many of which have ended up on the walls of our home. 

Another way we make traveling rewarding is by using our Capital One Venture credit card. There are travel discounts and rewards. We get a higher percentage back in rewards when we make travel-related reservations, can cash rewards in to cover travel purchases, got reimbursed for our TSA Pre-Check application when we used this card as payment, and can book hotels and rental cars with discounted rates directly through the credit card website. Win-win, I tell you. (Learn more here!)

Thankfully, Greg and I are in sync with traveling philosophies and styles. Also, props to my husband for almost always driving all the miles between wherever we’re going and home. 

With our two teenagers and first-grader, we are reaping the benefits of having traveled with our babies. Now we have big kids who appreciate a weekend getaway or major vacation. They have developed their own preferences and it’s fun to see them settle into their own as travelers. Ben and Cate would tell you our Spring Break trip in 2022 to Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, and Sedona, Arizona is their favorite. Rachel asks to go back to Disney, but I’m not so sure that’s going to happen! 

So, I tell you, take the trip. It may not be easy or convenient, but it’s always worth it. And always take lots of snacks along for the ride! 

*****

Here are some of our recent trips!

  • South Florida
  • St. Pete Beach, Florida
  • Hoover Dam / Grand Canyon / Sedona
  • Wisconsin Dells
  • Colorado
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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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🎶 All throughout my history / Your faithfulness 🎶 All throughout my history / Your faithfulness has walked beside me / The winter storms made way for spring / In every season, from where I'm standing / I see the evidence of Your goodness / All over my life … 🎶 @joshbaldwin in “Evidence”

I love summer. But my summer has started off busy: appointments, book edits deadline, establish new habits with the kids at home. All that’s necessary and good, it just cuts into my down time beside the pool. 

Today we have two open gyms for our basketball players, my book study with a few friends, a new weekly high school girls’ book study at our house, and a monthly dad-son character study. 

I long for a little more white space on the calendar, but I also wouldn’t change a thing because the kids are only 16, 13, and 7 once. This summer will only be this summer once. And I’ve already learned time flies with big kids. 

So here we are finding out footing, singing praises with church friends on our porch, grilling delicious chicken, and squeezing in the wide-open spaces when we can. This is evidence of the good stuff. 

#84daysofsummer #poolpeople #momlife #momconfessions #faithlife #livingfaithfully #favoritethings #choosingJOY #countryliving #reallife #PorchStories
The Hill family reunion at @shelterpointretreat ha The Hill family reunion at @shelterpointretreat has become a favorite tradition to kick off summer! The weather was perfect and everyone enjoyed one another. 

#familyreunion #lakelife #kentuckylake #kylake #getoutside #familytime #memorialday #memorialdayweekend #favoritethings #84daysofsummer #summerisbest #choosingJOY
Hello, #84daysofsummer! ☀️ #TeamTaylor #girl Hello, #84daysofsummer! ☀️ 

#TeamTaylor #girlmom #boymom #momlife #reallife #summerisbest #siblinglove #countryliving #poolpeople #getoutside
First of all, who else has read this book? The plo First of all, who else has read this book? The plot was promising as a thriller and the setting really worked. There were some good twists, and then there were ridiculous twists. I skimmed the end only because I wanted it to make sense. And it didn’t. It was too weird for me. 

But this made me wonder: how do we know if a book is going to be weird, contain elements we don’t like, or go places that don’t make sense? I don’t like to read much about a book before I read the book. Usually, I do a better job of picking books for myself. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #donotrecommend #bookofthemonth @bookofthemonth
I needed this low-key weekend that was pleasant we I needed this low-key weekend that was pleasant weather, a mixture of productivity and rest, and had plenty of wide-open space to enjoy our property and each other. 

#weekending #TeamTaylor #poolpeople #countryliving #favoritethings #choosingJOY #maydays
And that’s a wrap on soccer season! I love watch And that’s a wrap on soccer season! I love watching them both play. 

#soccermom #weekending #springtime #momlife #girlmom #boymom
On Mothers Day, I wanted to sit by the pool with a On Mothers Day, I wanted to sit by the pool with a book, but I didn’t know what I wanted to read. Whenever I have indecision about books, picking up a thriller usually helps because of the story’s pace. 

“The Only Survivors” worked well because there was a lot happening! Lots of creepy, mysterious moments. Only so many people could be guilty of infiltrating a small group who had lots of secrets! 

I loved the timeline of this one. The back story about an accident was told in seven one-hour segments. The present mystery was told in seven days. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #latergram #bookofthemonth @bookofthemonth #poolpeople #mothersday
Y’all we are very ready for summer. ☀️ And Y’all we are very ready for summer. ☀️ 

And when I say summer, I mean we are ready to shake up the routine, mentally regroup, turn off the alarms, establish some new habits, soak in the sun, and catch up with friends we’ve been crossing paths with too quickly. 

I want to savor the #84daysofsummer and I want to embrace this new season. And it’s almost time. Three more days of school. (Deep breaths.) 

Meanwhile, I’m going to keep collecting the moments — the hard, hurried, happy, and heartfelt. The seasons do change, but this is the life we are living. 

“The moments you collect may not be loud or flashy. They might be quiet or covered or a far-off view you were lucky to catch. But this I know to be true: A moment savored says to your soul, ‘You have lived something beautiful.’ And it keeps you buoyed. It sustains you when you’re running empty. It lifts you up and carries you forward.” — Joanna Gaines in @magnolia summer 2023 journal issue no. 27 

#momlife #reallife #momconfessions #livingfaithfully #summerisbest #teenagedriver #choosingJOY
I’ve read quite a few World War II novels, but t I’ve read quite a few World War II novels, but this one by Soraya M. Lane focused on three nurses, their friendships, and how the war changed their lives. It’s a hard story, but it’s full of love and hope despite the destruction around them. 

And it’s the second historical fiction audiobook I’ve listened to in a row! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #audiobooks #Audible #KindleUnlimited #historicalfiction
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