Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Blue Ridge & real life

September 8, 2022 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Greg and I celebrated 20 years and one month of marriage with a trip to Blue Ridge, GA. We like the mountains in north Georgia because it’s an easy drive, scenery is pretty, and there’s plenty to do. It’s a good weekend getaway. We went to Helen, GA, last year at the same time and wanted a different variation of a similar trip this year. 

Preparations & mom guilt

I left the house Friday morning, a couple of hours after we had planned, with loads of mom guilt. Our plan was originally to drop off all three kids at school on Friday morning and hit the road. My mom planned to pick up the kids Friday afternoon.  

Well, on Thursday, Rachel was diagnosed with strep throat and missed that day and Friday of school. She felt fine on Friday but hadn’t been fever-free for 24 hours yet, so on Thursday I made arrangements for my mother-in-law came to stay with her during the school day until my mom arrived. Meanwhile, Cate strained her knee at her first soccer practice earlier last week. She’s been resting, icing, and wearing a compression brace.

Then early Friday morning that was really still middle of the night, Cate came to our bedroom to tell us her throat felt swollen. I knew she’d need to go to the doctor when it opened Friday morning to get tested for strep. So I took Ben to school and then Cate to urgent care, where we were not surprised to learn she also had strep throat. 

I literally had to leave a list of medications — regular and newly temporary — for all three kids to take while we were gone. I texted Cate one morning: How’s your throat, ear, and knee? Honestly, being able to text with her quieted some of my mom guilt for going on vacation and leaving our mothers with sickly kids. 

Everyone perked up, the kids visited my sister and her family in Indiana, Greg and I had a great getaway, and we all came home ready for a new (short) week together. 

Getaway details

On the way down Friday, we stopped in Murfreesboro, TN, for lunch at Puckett’s Grocery. I had the Piggy Mac and it was delicious. We arrived at our mountaintop cabin on Friday evening and went out for pizza at Mystic Mountain Pizza, which was a weird combination of hippy-inspired decor, pizza-inspired decor, and country music playing over the speakers. The pizza was good and we were happy to be able to sit and talk about whatever came to mind. 

Our cabin was up a winding mountain road but not far from town. It was clean and comfortable and had a magnificent porch. It ended up being a sweet spot as we spent more time there than we were originally planning.

Much rain was forecasted for Saturday, but thankfully there were only morning showers. We rode the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway to McCaysville, GA / Copperhill, TN. Yep, we stood in two states at once and had lunch near a very large U.S. flag displayed on a bridge over the river that changes names depending on which state your feet stand. Specifically, we are at Burra Burra on the River, where I had possibly the thickest burger I’d ever had. It was yummy and eating by the water always feels right to me. We shopped a little before we boarded the train back for Blue Ridge. The whole adventure was really fun and exactly enough time in McCaysville.

We went on a short but slightly slippery hike to the Falls Branch Falls, which, honestly were smaller and less impressive than I was expecting. We still had fun and got in lots of steps. With tired legs, we drove around and ended up at Lake Blue Ridge — which was beautiful, especially on a sunshiny afternoon that offered pretty clouds. Something about mountains, clouds, and water all together makes me want to take all the photos. 

My cousin friend Mary lives near-ish Blue Ridge, so we met for dinner and dessert. Restaurants were crowded and we didn’t have a good cell signal, so we ended up at another pizza place — Cucinella’s. We found a table for us outside. I ended up getting pecan chicken salad on top of a Caesar salad and shared garlic knots with Greg. It was a very good choice and dinner was surprisingly much better than I expected when I thought I was going to have to settle for pizza again. (Greg said the pizza was good. And I noticed there were some slightly more unique topping choices such as meatballs, colored sweet peppers, and broccoli.) 

On Sunday morning, Greg went trout fishing. While I’m always up for creek scenery and time to read a book, I opted to stay at the cabin with a lovely porch. I didn’t sleep in as I had hoped, but I did listen to the rain, enjoy the view, work on my Precept Bible study, and take some time to process and write some things. I also thought about someone could probably build me a swing like that. 

The rest of Sunday was rainy. We did a little shopping at Mercier Orchard and ended up at a steakhouse that reminded us of a 1980s Ponderosa. It was mediocre, but we had apple doughnuts for dessert at our cabin, thanks to our earlier shopping trip. 

I’m thankful for the escape from our normal lives filled with responsibilities and commitments. I’m also thankful for 20 years (and a month) of marriage and the friendship we still have together. 

*****

I posted many other pictures on Facebook, so come on over there to see more snapshots.

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20 years of marriage!

August 3, 2022 by Kristin Leave a Comment

In the past year, I learned Greg doesn’t like packaged taco seasoning and bought my engagement ring on sale at a pawn shop. This after I’ve been wearing the ring for two decades and made taco meat more times than I could even begin to count. 

With that, happy 20th anniversary, husband. I’m glad we can still learn things about each other after knowing each other for more than 24 years and being married for two decades. 

After moving from Lexington on our first anniversary, we have lived in three houses in Murray during the past 19 years — and I hope we never move again. We’ve been parents for three-fourths of our marriage after a season of infertility that seemed so long at the time but led us to adoption. We changed jobs and completed so many projects. We’ve traveled and made a home that is nothing like I expected but I can’t imagine any other way at this point. We’ve grieved and laughed and celebrated and wondered and fought and cried and rejoiced and lived. 

Thankfully, we naturally land on the same page about many things: We choose sporting events over museums. We like to sleep with the AC turned down to 68 degrees. We love Mexican food. We enjoy hosting parties, having game nights, and making plans with our people. 

I’m truly thankful for the million small moments together than have made up our life. And I’m looking forward to whatever is to come. 

Being in our 40s celebrating 20 years of marriage together seems like such a grown-up accomplishment. But it also seems like exactly where we are supposed to be. Let’s keep adventuring and learning together. Let’s go celebrate, maybe with tacos! 

*****

Look back with us: Five years. Six years. Seven years. Nine years. Ten years. Eleven years. Twelve years. Thirteen years. Fourteen years. Fifteen years. Sixteen years. Seventeen years.

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Ways to connect with your partner

March 15, 2021 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Greg and I have known each other for 23 years and have been married for more than 18 of those years. We’ve recently talked about how so much around us is changing, but we are thankful for the steadfastness of our relationship. Truly, I don’t know how I’d navigate life without him. Plus I like him. 

Are you looking for ways to keep the spark, excitement, and romance alive in your relationship? If so, then here are some of the steps that you should definitely consider exploring to keep your marriage a priority.

Date Each Other

I’m going to be honest on this oft-given advice. Greg and I aren’t good at actual dates. We are good at stealing some together once kids are in bed or while driving in the minivan when the kids are occupied. Yes, we like to go on dates, and we’d like to go one soon. We’re overdue because the one he planned to Red Lobster near Valentine’s Day was canceled when we all were quarantined. 

We know kids complicate adult-only outings, even just for a few hours, but our experiences of trips every now and then or at least dinner with them are worth it. We can talk and regroup and plan and, yes, talk about the kids. 

Give Gifts

While quality time is my love language, gift giving is right up there. Of course, the types of gifts have changed through the years. Sometimes it will be a nice day out, and another time it would be a gift from somewhere similar to bhoma jewelry. One of my favorite recurring gifts is near our anniversary, Greg takes my minivan to get detailed. He deals with getting it there and back home again. The fresh smell and lack of crumbs speak volumes to me about his desire to help make my life a tad easier and much neater. 

When I think way back to when he proposed, I love remembering being surprised by his question, his presence at that exact moment, and the ring he presented. We aren’t really jewelry people at this point, but London Gold can help you choose the right sparkle if you are. Now I get gifts like a countertop ice maker and a vac mop. Again, a cleaner, easier life is valuable in this season. 

Share Passions

We all have passions and hobbies that we are interested in. it’s important to take the time to make sure that you are appreciating your partner’s passions and showing them that this is the case. We love watching college basketball (especially live!) together, so you’re likely to find us in the stands rooting for our favorite teams. Of course, now that our favorite teams are done playing this season, we’ll still settle in on the couch and watch other March Madness games. 

We also like watching shows together in the quiet house once our three kids have gone to bed. When the weather cooperates, we like exploring creeks and woods on our property. This past spring, I even went turkey hunting with him for the first time. I don’t care about the hunting part, but I loved having a good fiction book to enjoy nature with my husband. 

We love to travel with our family and explore new places and revisit familiar ones. (Our last adult-only trip was to Colorado, and I definitely want to go back!) Thankfully, we agree that museums aren’t our thing! 

Embrace Spontaneity

Of course, you need to make sure that you are injecting a healthy level of spontaneity into your relationship. The surprise gifts, trips, and dinners are valuable for connection plus they’re fun! Remember, gifts and surprises don’t have to be extravagant, but it’s truly the thought that counts. Everyone wants to be remembered, so grab a favorite candy bar, jot a note, or send a lovey text. 

I could tell you about a million things we’ve gotten wrong in building our relationship and marriage, but these are a few of the things we’ve gotten right. Thankfully, there’s been more right than wrong, and here we are together ready for whatever adventure comes our way next. 

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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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DAY 8: ONE BIG DREAM FOR 2024 for Anchored Women's DAY 8: ONE BIG DREAM FOR 2024 for Anchored Women's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

My dream for 2024 is relief from the things that were challenges this year. I hope my family and I have learned in ways that lead us to seek after God more intimately and consistently. I don’t know what that looks like, but I trust God will continue this work He began.

#faith #faithblogger #faithful #faithlife #momlife #reallife #documentlife #newyear
DAY 7: ONE THING YOU’RE SAYING NO TO IN 2024 for DAY 7: ONE THING YOU’RE SAYING NO TO IN 2024 for @anchoredwomen's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

I told someone in the comments of yesterday’s post: The nos are easier when the yeses are clear. 

Several years ago, my counselor encouraged me to list every little and big thing I spend time doing and then let go of some things. I’m not at that same place in life right now, but what I learned from that experience has stuck with me. When my priorities are clear – and they are with family, church, and closest friends, in that order – then I’m able to let go when something isn’t a good fit right now. 

I don’t know what specific things will fall in the “no” category in the new year, but I’m confident God will lead me as He has done faithfully this year, which was full of plenty of interruptions, readjustments, and shifts. 

#realllife #newyear #reflectandrefresh #livingfaithfully #countryliving #faith #faithblogger #faithful #faithlife
I finished this @rebeccayarros book last night whi I finished this @rebeccayarros book last night while my family was watching "Home Alone 2" and I immediately downloaded the rest of the five-book Flight & Glory series, thanks to Kindle Unlimited. Yes, I liked it that much. I loved the characters, the real ways grief was portrayed, and the hockey and military storylines. 

P.S. I could have done with fewer sex scenes, but beggars can't be choosers. 

FULL MEASURES: amzn.to/47K1R2x

KINDLE UNLIMITED: amzn.to/3TxkFy3

#KHTreads #bookstagram #bookshelf #bookstack #books #bookreview #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookblogger #KindleUnlimited #KindleOasis #kindlebooks
DAY 6: ONE THING YOU’RE SAYING YES TO IN 2024 fo DAY 6: ONE THING YOU’RE SAYING YES TO IN 2024 for @anchoredwomen's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

As I think about transitioning into the new year, I am committing to saying yes to God, my family, my church, and my closest friends. Everything else is up for debate. Saying yes to the nearest and dearest is most important to me. When I say yes to my kids’ schedules and needs, that means saying no to other things, but I’ve learned these priorities are what keep me present in this season, right now, with a husband of more than two decades, a 16-year-old who drives herself places, a 14-year-old boy, and an 8-year-old girl. The seasons change quickly, so I want to say yes to this one, right here where God has me. 

#newyear #livingfaithfully #wifelife #momlife #reallife #seasons #motherhood
DAY 5: SOMETHING THAT WAS A CHALLENGE for @anchore DAY 5: SOMETHING THAT WAS A CHALLENGE for @anchoredwomen's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

(Yes, I know, I went quiet there for a few days. I'm back!) 

I love having older kids, but our family encountered a challenge this year for one child as adoption trauma, genetics, hormones, school stress, and medicine side effects collided for a perfect storm of mental health challenges. We’re still sorting through it all, waiting for an appointment that we hope brings direction for the next steps, and taking it one day at a time. 

We are forever grateful for our everyday friends who have walked alongside us so well. This challenge has interrupted many things, but we’ve also learned a lot about ourselves. One of the greatest joys is knowing my three kids with different personalities and preferences as individuals, and this challenge has magnified that and reminded me how blessed we are, even on the hard days. 

#bettertogether #friends #friendship #momlife #reallife #adoptionislove #adoption #teenagers #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #faithlife
We had the best time cheering for our varsity girl We had the best time cheering for our varsity girls at the KCAA Holiday Classic in Independence, KY, on Friday and Saturday. And our girls brought home the first place trophy after an exciting, intense 53-51 overtime win against Oak Ridge Christian Academy last night. 

Cate was named to the all-tournament team and had her most-ever 19 points (and two chipped teeth!) in the championship game. I’m so proud of her and her friends. And to think she hadn’t played organized basketball until four years ago. In fact, @ncca.lions girls played in its first game four years ago yesterday. Look how far they’ve come!

Here’s to such a fun 4-0 start to the Lions fifth season of girls basketball. Go Cate! And go Lions! 💛

#basketballseason #highschool #momlife #weekending #documentlife #thisis16
DAY 4: SOMETHING THAT WENT REALLY WELL for @anchor DAY 4: SOMETHING THAT WENT REALLY WELL for @anchoredwomen's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

Spring Break 2023 was the first time we vacationed with friends. We all boarded Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas for a week of sunshine and fun. It was such a great time – so much so we hope to do another cruise with the same friends sooner rather than later.

#reflectandrefresh2023 #newyear #reflections #bettertogether #favoritethings
DAY 3: ONE BOOK THAT IMPACTED YOUR YEAR for @ancho DAY 3: ONE BOOK THAT IMPACTED YOUR YEAR for @anchoredwomen's Reflect and Refresh Challenge

“The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Restless Age” by @mrdanielgrothe . I posted about this book before, but I read it on a whim after hearing someone reference its theme on a podcast. And I loved it so much. It echoed so much of what God has been teaching me in my small-town life. The tenth chapter — Stability in Friendship — is basically a summary of my book, “Created for Communion.”

I don’t read a ton of non-fiction, but when I do the messages tend to matter in my life, and this book is no exception. “The Power of Place” is one that will encourage me for many days to come. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #bookshelf #bookstack #books #bookreview #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookblogger #socialmediachallenge #CreatedForCommunion #holyfriendships #bettertogether
DAY 2: BEST NEW DISCOVERY as part of @anchoredwome DAY 2: BEST NEW DISCOVERY as part of @anchoredwomen's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

I love to haul around a sort of big bag (aka purse) so I can have all the things with me in the car, but I don’t want to haul that bag into stores or short errands. I had a Lululemon crossbody bag that was about the size of a fanny bag that I really loved, but it was pale pink and always looked dirty. This year I discovered an off-brand crossbody bag on Amazon that is even better than the Lululemon AND IT’S $20. And it’s so easy to just throw in my big bad when I don’t have it slung over my shoulder.

https://amzn.to/3sSWwHa

You’re welcome!

🎁 If you're looking for other gift ideas, I put together a list of some of my favorite things, including this handy bag! bit.ly/KHTgiftideas

#reflectandrefresh #socialmediachallenge #favoritethings #reflectandrefresh2023 #giftideas #bestbag #linkinbio
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