Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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

Three Word Wednesday :: Celebrating In Community

March 18, 2015 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I talk about plans and community around here quite a bit, so I thought today I’d let you share in one of our latest celebrations.

Our girls were babies when we became friends. We can’t remember exactly, but Cate wasn’t walking, so she wasn’t much more than a year, if that. Surely we aren’t the only parents who keep time by their kids’ milestones. 

Since then the Gachokas have been part of one of small groups from church that has since dissolved for reasons that had nothing to do with friendship, sat around the table with us for Thanksgiving dinner and many other meals, and more recently piled into our minivan for road trips to Racer games. Daniel and Greg have gone hunting together and coach our girls’ soccer team together.

When Daniel told us he was studying to take the U.S. citizenship test, I knew this would be an occasion worth celebrating. I mentioned a party and Daniel quipped, “Like the adoption party you had for your kids.”

Hence, the America Adopts Daniel Party!

I’m not sure I can express how much fun I had planning this one. Starting with the invitations …

… and continuing with the menu, playlist, and game.

Not everyone who had planned to come was actually able to, so we had lots of leftovers. We ate burgers, pasta salad, and homemade mac and cheese the next day. We had hot dogs for another meal.

But the leftovers were more than food. The leftover laughter and friendship also filled my camera roll and will be part of our stories.

The dishes piled high and the crumbs covered many floors and counters, but I didn’t mind because the night was fun. This party was a plan that I’m glad happened. This party celebrated one guy’s milestone, but it encompassed a shared history and friendships that are built over time. And that’s the beauty of community.

________________

152 Insights to My Soul

An InLinkz Link-up


I’m linking this up with Jessica Turner’s Fringe Friday because planning parties is one thing I love to do with my time. Celebrating in community helps care for my soul. 

Want more insights? “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, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or 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 a link 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)

How snow days free us

February 17, 2015 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I remember the faintly sounding phone ringing. It interrupted my sleep enough I knew what it meant – I could go back to sleep. Long before the days of texts and automated calls, the phone tree went to work spreading the good news our school district was closing for a snow day.

My dad was a principal of one elementary school and my mom was a teacher at another. There was one year my brother, my sister, and I were all at the same elementary school where my dad was principal. I was in fifth grade, Kevin in second grade, and Cassie in kindergarten.

We rejoiced on snow days.

In a family whose life revolved around the school calendar, these unexpected days off were treasures. I figured when I grew up, I’d care less about snow days, being a girl who loves summer and all.

Not true. I still really like them.

Sure, having snow day often means moving the last day of school back another day. But there’s something freeing about a day you didn’t expect to have totally at home. {Tweet that.}

I couldn’t do it forever, but I can hunker down with books and my scrapbook table. The kids make tents and build with LEGOs. Cate makes crafts and reads so many pages from so many books. Ben pesters his sister to play with him and asks about time like he understands what minutes and hours really are.

And when the school principal send the text mid-afternoon to inform everyone that tomorrow is another snow day? That’s the best. I don’t even have to set an alarm for the next morning. Yesterday was a scheduled day off for Presidents’ Day – ironically, it was a built-in snow-day make-up day, but we didn’t have any days to make up. Until yesterday.

The kids went sledding with our nearby friends. We ate two batches of snow cream and leftover soup. There is a pile of clothing by the front door and my husband’s hanging coveralls keep spooking me because I think there’s a person standing in our foyer.

The kids watched episodes of “My Little Pony” and “Wild Kratts” while Greg and I watched “Blacklist” and “Scandal” on the DVR. There were rounds of Phase 10 with Cate after Ben went to bed. And then there episodes of “Blue Bloods.”

Evidence of our day at home is all over – crumbs under the table, layers of clothing scattered in multiple places, dirty dishes that didn’t fit in the dishwasher, books and toys in every room. Real life isn’t always tidy, but it’s full of joy. {Tweet that.}

Today is Snow Day #2. There’s probably at least six inches covering our yard, maybe more. And there is another inch forecasted for tonight with lingering cold temperatures. This is Kentucky, so who knows when we’ll go back to school and our normal routine.

But maybe when we do go back, we’ll be a little more relaxed, less stressed, and ready to soak up the joy around us. Snow days are opportunities to breathe deeply and regroup. God gives us a chance to remember that he makes all things new and washes us clean because spring is coming. {Tweet that}

What’s the weather like where you are?

________________

I’m linking this with Mary Carver’s Works for Me Wednesday. Despite loving summer, snow days do work for me. They’re good for my soul. The interruption in routine is freeing for my Type A self and teaches me to let go and be present. 
________________

EDITED on Friday, Feb. 20  :: We’re on Snow Day #5 now. And there are more flakes falling. I recently shared about #FringeHours … and what a week to epitomize that. This week has been full of time at home with my favorites, opportunities to sit at my scrapbook table, and chances to cuddle up on the couch and read fiction. Next week may be a rude awakening when “real life” sets back in, but, for now, I’m enjoying the extra time to care for myself and my family in simple ways. 

I’m linking up with Jessica Turner, author of “The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You,” who hosts a weekly link up focusing on how women like to spend pockets of time dedicated to self-care. 
________________

Want more insights? “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, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.” Amazon affiliate links included.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link 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)

{The Fringe Hours} Work doesn’t always have to come before play

February 13, 2015 by Kristin 13 Comments

I can’t remember the last time I was bored. Life’s responsibilities keep me busy enough, but there are also people I want to spend time with and plenty of hobbies to occupy my time.

I almost didn’t sign up for “The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You” launch team because I knew I didn’t struggle to find things I like to do. Turns out Jessica Turner’s new book isn’t just about how women should have hobbies.

“The Fringe Hours” is about making the most of the time you do have for the well-being of your soul. {Tweet that.} Jessica Turner calls the pockets of time – while we wait for an appointment, after the kids are in bed, the moments in the school pick up line – “fringe hours.” They look different for each person, but we all have them.

Give me a book to read, photos to scrapbook, or an idea to blog and I’m happy camper. I have monthly massages scheduled. I have lunch with friends, although there are a couple I’d prefer see more. I walk regularly – either on the treadmill with the “Gilmore Girls” or laps at the arena or park with my best friend. I like board games and am teaching my kids to do the same.

But as I read “The Fringe Hours,” I realized I defend my schedule to myself and sometimes others. I apologize to my husband for how I spent my time. (He has never made me feel guilty for reading a book instead of washing dishes.) I cling tightly to my work-before-play mentality.

Y’all, there is always a chore to complete, a closet to organize, or some errands to run. (Although I run less errands these days, thanks to ePantry and Amazon Prime Pantry. The decision to order household products and some groceries online has created more fringe hours for myself at home.)

But it’s okay to not do all the work today. It’s okay to play without having to defend – even to myself – why it’s good for me.

Realizing this comes as God is teaching me about joy. I’m choosing joy in the small moments that make up life.

“The Fringe Hours” reminded me how caring for my soul matters. This life isn’t perfect and never will be. But I can find joy in everyday moments when I slow down and notice what God is doing around me – even when I play. {Tweet that.}

How do you like to spend your fringe hours?

________________

This book officially releases Feb. 17, but you can preorder it from Amazon or DaySpring. At DaySpring, you can get free shipping if you order two copies ($10.99 each right now) using BLOOMBOOK at the check out.And the first 500 people get autographed copies. There are other cute #FringeHours inspired products too.  Jessica Turner and her friend and fellow author Angie Smith are going to study “The Fringe Hours” for their last book study at (in)courage.

You can also learn more about the book at its official website, where you can read the first chapter.
________________

I received a free, advance copy of “The Fringe Hours” for being part of the book’s launch team, but these opinions are my own and I’ve already ordered two additional copies to gift to friends. This post includes affiliate links.

I’m linking up this post with Jessica Turner’s first Fringe Friday, where women are sharing how they spend their fringe hours, and the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood Gathering, where I’ve been learning about the power of resting and slowing down. 

Want more insights? “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, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or 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 a link 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)
« Previous Page
Next Page »

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 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.

Subscribe for Updates

Recent Posts

  • How to enjoy motherhood
  • How & why to travel with kids
  • From snow to sand
  • Books of 2022
  • How to enjoy winter days at home

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

I’ve had a couple of conversations this week wit I’ve had a couple of conversations this week with dear friends who are walking through hard things. I’ve been proud of them and sad about circumstances and weary of the brokenness and yet generally peaceful. 

Honestly, I feel like it’s a hard cycle to escape. Maybe I’m not supposed to. I never know how much of other’s burdens to carry. And how do I carry their burdens when my own feel heavy? 

I sat across the table at Panera with a dear friend who has tear-filled eyes, who has fasted and prayed and sought counsel. I hear another friend express her loneliness in subtle but deep ways. So many of my mom friends are in the trenches of anxiety, both within their kids and within themselves. I hear of tragedies and brokenness all around me. I feel all the pain, forget about mine for a moment, and want to fix it all.

Sometimes solutions are waiting and trusting. Sometimes action is exactly what’s needed. Knowing the difference is hard for me to discern. 

So I keep going. I do the things in front of that need to be done. I sit with my friend and send another text. I pray about them and about me. I hope I teach my kids enough about the right things. I try to rush less because then I miss what matters. 

Through it all, I am absolutely certain we are meant to walk through this life together. God created us to commune with him and one another. 

One afternoon this week we literally stopped on the country road. No cars were around and she wanted to take a picture. While she captures the landscape, I thanked God for a peaceful pause in a chaotic life and asked Him to continue to show His goodness. 

#livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #countryliving #momlife #faithlife #motherhood #createdforcommunion #PorchStories
The world feels heavy & broken because it is. Pare The world feels heavy & broken because it is. Parenting has me at my max emotional capacity because it takes much soul and mental work. Spring soccer season started in the cold tonight. 

Even so, God is good and wants us to live abundantly here on earth while we wait for heaven. This week that looks like church league basketball games, dinner with friends, apologies, sideline encouragement, prayers, middle school humor, theological conversations with friends, tears, and laughter. 

Now it’s time to rest and do it again tomorrow. These are the rhythms of grace and goodness, heaven and earth, sorrow and joy. 

#livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #soccermom #thirdchild #momlife #reallife #faithlife #PorchStories
I sat on my porch beneath a blanket and finished t I sat on my porch beneath a blanket and finished this book today. Yes, I’m fully invested in this Cuba saga involving the Perez family. “The Last Train to Key West” by @chanelcleeton is the third in the series. I have the fourth on hold at the library for pickup on Monday. 

I wasn’t sure I was going to love this one as much as I did Cleeton’s first two, but it was a slow-building story that turned stormy. I loved how the three women were in Key West for their own reasons, developed meaningful relationships as they navigated their lives, and managed to survive the storms of their lives and an actual hurricane. 

The historical fiction story offers hope:

“It’s strange how your life can change so quickly, how one moment you can barely eke by, desperation filling your days, and suddenly, out of the unimaginably horrific, a glimmer of something beautiful can appear like a bud pushing through the hard-formed earth. There’s so much broken around us; maybe all we can do is try to fix each other, do what we can to preserve these precious moments in a world where there is so much sadness and loss. … Maybe some would say my dreams are too small. Perhaps they would dream of railroads that go over the sea, great, wonderful things. Maybe others want riches and jewels, a chance to travel the globe. For me, this is enough: A corner of paradise in this wretched world that I am able to call my own.” — Helen in “The Last Train to Key West” by Chanel Cleeton

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #historicalfiction #weekending #favoritethings #choosingJOY #bookquotes #bookreview
This morning there are three “holes” in Wright This morning there are three “holes” in Wright Road after the creek flooded it overnight. The Calloway County road department responded quickly and is working to pack in various kinds of gravel so it will passable again soon. I’m thankful for their work, but these Band-Aids aren’t an actual solution. 

Wright Road needs a permanent solution for when Wildcat Creek rises. A bridge seems to be the best idea, so the creek can rise and flow beneath the road rather than flowing across it and washing out the gravel on top of the culverts. 

I know it’s an expensive fix and would take local government working with state government, but I wonder how many times the road has to break before it can be truly repaired.

#callowaycounty #kyweather #kentuckyweather #countyroads #countryliving #reallife #murrayky
In a week filled with all the parenting emotions, In a week filled with all the parenting emotions, God has provided conversation with friends who understand, new mercies, a few walks and talks with a friend, and cinnamon rolls on a rainy Friday afternoon. I’ve been reminded when we are vulnerable and share our real lives, friends bring truth and goodness — often in ways we don’t expect but bless us anyway. 

#bettertogether #createdforcommunion #reallife #momlife #weekending #parenthood #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully
People ask when I have time to write. The truth is People ask when I have time to write. The truth is I like to make time to write, but sometimes it happens in the cracks of my days — at Panera, in the Notes app on my phone, at the library before I pickup my kids, or while I’m waiting on kids at activities. This week I edited my manuscript while Rachel practiced soccer. 

#momlife #writerlife #selfpublished #bloggerlife #authorlife #soccermom #thirdchild #createdforcommunion #bettertogether #favoritethings
I needed this weekend. The UK Wildcats didn’t I needed this weekend. 

The UK Wildcats didn’t win this afternoon like I had hoped. But following our house full of people on Friday night, I’ve spent a lot of time on my couch, under a soft blanket, with a book, while I watch #MarchMadness. 

Yesterday I pulled “When We Left Cuba” by @chanelcleeton from my to-be-read stack and then realized it was the second in a series about the Perez family. Thanks to @libby.app, I was able to get “Next Year in Havana” immediately. 

I finished it today during commercials and timeouts. And now I’m going to start “When We Left Cuba” as another basketball game also gets going. 

#KHTreads #basketballseason #weekending #bookstagram #reallife #booklover #librarybooks #KindleOasis #Kindlebooks #favoritethings
What a fun night! Basketball is best with friends What a fun night! Basketball is best with friends and food. So thankful for all these provisions and others in my life. Oh and a Cats win is icing on the cake. 

#MarchMadness #weekending #basketballseason #bettertogether #choosingJOY #BigBlueNation
You know it’s #MarchMadness when Greg Taylor pos You know it’s #MarchMadness when Greg Taylor posts on Facebook — and a picture at that! — and puts his radio/TV degree to work figuring out how to improve the viewing setup. 

#reallife #basketballseason #wifelife #choosingJOY
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorites

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2023 Kristin Hill Taylor | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM