Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Seven!

September 21, 2022 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Earlier this year, Rachel described numbers as even and awkward. My mom and I laughed and laughed about this — and were impressed with her vocabulary as a kindergartner to know “awkward” and “odd” are synonyms. 

Well, now, here we are at 7 years old! I’d say it’s awkward, but it’s not really. Yes, 7 sounds older because, well, I suppose it is. But I love where my girl is. She is doing well in first grade, enjoys playing soccer, plays with Gabby’s Dollhouse toys and her cousin’s hand-me-town Barbie dollhouse, swims, swings, and makes everyone around her smile. She loves big and loud. 

We – especially Cate and I – get frustrated with how long it takes Rachel to finish a chore, eat breakfast, or brush her hair. But this girl loves every moment of life. When she doesn’t get sad, it’s short-lived. I’ve said this her whole life, but it remains true:

Rachel radiates joy. 

As a mom, she’s taught me to appreciate all the little moments and slow down with my responsibilities so I can snuggle her or listen to her long, detailed stories. Greg and I waited and doubted and waited some more that God would grow our family with a third child, but when the time came to adopt Rachel Elizabeth, I was changed in all the best ways. My older kids probably think I’m easier on her, but the truth is I’m a better version of myself now. 

We thought we wanted a third child sooner, but the age gap ended up being perfect. Cate is eight years older and Ben is almost six years older. Their relationships with Rachel have changed throughout the years, depending on how much she’s into their stuff and space, but I love seeing them all shift with each season. 

(I tell lots more of this story of God growing our family through adoption in my book, “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family.” Shameless plug, I know. But when I reflect on what God has done, his faithfulness continues to amaze me.)

We celebrated this birthday girl with a surprise family party earlier this month. Schedules prompted it, but it ended up being just right for her. Then we had her first-grade girl classmates over for what turned into a swim party. We had a string of cool nights just as we replaced our pool liner and refilled the water, so it was quite cold the night of her party. Some girls brought swimsuits and others borrowed from Rachel’s collection. They had a great time swimming, playing, eating burgers and hot dogs and cake. Her actual birthday was two days later and I took cookies and Capri Suns to her class at school and then we made pancake art for dinner. 

I love the way birthdays give me a chance to reflect on life and celebrate those I love most. Rachel’s life is well documented, but here I am with a late birthday post. I’ve been writing this post in my head for days, but I finally got a chance this morning to sit down and type it out. 

Nonetheless, happy birthday, Rachel girl! You bring so much joy to so many people! I’m excited to see your story continue to unfold. 

*****

Look back on Rachel’s past birthdays:  One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

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Rachel is 6!

September 19, 2021 by Kristin Leave a Comment

We’ve spent the weekend celebrating our girl who loves a party! 

Rachel is joy personified. I say that often, but it’s always been true. I default to serious mode way too often, but she keeps me smiling and laughing. She’s funny, smart, and loves people. 

She likes to sneak into my bed in the middle of the night so we can snuggle. I’ll take all the love — after sunrise! She swims like a fish, dreams of being a rockstar, and remembers all the words to songs. She likes adventures, having anyone we know over to our house, and prefers not to be alone. 

She doesn’t like to slow down to eat a meal and would prefer to graze all day. She always wants to go back to where we’ve gone before because road trips & adventures are among her love languages. I won’t be sad when she can tell time and remembers the order of the days of the week. She’s going to learn so much in kindergarten, which she loves but does find tiring. She often falls asleep on the way home or on our porch swing before she makes it into the house. She’s always been the kid to resist naps but then lay down on the concrete, put her head down on the table, or contort herself in the booster seat in the minivan … and sleep anyway.

As girly as she can be, Rachel loves all things pink, princessy, and sparkly. She plays soccer — and then sometimes does a cartwheel after she scores. She hugs her opponents, adults, our cats, and often people we barely know. She sometimes says she doesn’t know her letters, but then she aces spelling tests in kindergarten and knows the first letter of so many people’s names.

Now, if I could just get her to stop sticking out her tongue or raising a peace sign (like Mario apparently does when you beat a level on Super Mario Bros.) every time I’m trying to take a picture. Speaking of pictures, just follow my #thirdchild posts on Instagram; she’s a popular subject in my shared squares.

Rachel, 

I hope you always love big and bring others in. You, my girl, are a light, so keep shining brightly. I’m truly thankful you were born and I get to be your mom. You keep me laughing, wondering where you went, and feeling loved well.

Happy 6th birthday, sweet girl! 

Love, Momma

*****

My favorite story of how God made the five of us a family is told in my first book, “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family,” which is available on Amazon or directly from me. 

Look back on Rachel’s past birthdays:  One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

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One-full-hand years old

September 19, 2020 by Kristin Leave a Comment

This girl is really into birthdays — hers and others. She loves a party and loves a crowd of people. So far she’s invited her entire soccer team, probably her preschool class, and the pool guy to her party. I hope she’s not disappointed tomorrow when it’s a mostly family party, thanks to the ever-changing response to the coronavirus. 

Rachel has told people she’s “this many” and holds up one hand with all five fingers up. She acts like she doesn’t know that’s five, but then she will see a 5 in a book or on a sign and say that’s how old she will be on her birthday. 
She has a million questions for anyone who will listen. Just the past few days: She’s asked the Kroger bagger how the virus started. I’ve explained extended family relationships several times. Her question about the purpose of a belly button led to a brief adoption conversation. 

Obviously, she’s the possibly the most extroverted person in our family, only maybe behind her dad. So join me as I continue celebrating my girl with my traditional birthday letter:

Rachel,

You’re the joy our family didn’t know we needed. We wanted you before we knew about you, cared for your birth mom in every way we could while she carried you, and know joy more because of you. You make life more fun, bedtime longer than it needs to be, and any ordinary day like a party.

You love all things pink, so much so you convinced your parents and sister to paint your room pink this past spring. Nobody knew it would take four coats of bright pink to cover the mint green. You remember so many words to songs, especially from the first Frozen movie but also from whatever is on the radio. You socialize while playing soccer, going to preschool at the big kids’ school, and wherever else we go. 

You love chocolate milk, jumping on the trampoline, princesses, mermaids, unicorns, and your brother and sister. For a couple of years now, you’ve proclaimed you’re going to marry our family friend Isaac, although he’s quite unsure of the future plan. Regardless of what happens with him, I have no doubt everyone you meet will be better off because you love well and fully. 

We love to celebrate you — especially when you are one-full-hand years old. 

Love, Momma

*****

Read other letters to my girl as she’s growing up: One. Two. Three. Four.

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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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I know, “everyone” is reading “Spare” by P I know, “everyone” is reading “Spare” by Prince Harry. But I also keep hearing different opinions about it. So here’s mine!

I am intrigued by the royal family and I liked watching “Suits,” just so you know my very loose interest. I had also watched the @netflix documentary Harry and Meghan released. 

Short answer: I really enjoyed listening to this book. 

An heir, then a spare. Deep grief as a child when his mom dies that he doesn’t really confront until he’s older. An institution that governs every decision in his life yet doesn’t protect him when he felt like he needed it. That’s some heartbreaking makings of a good story. And I appreciate Prince Harry telling it — even though I’m sure parts were incredibly difficult. I also appreciate why he and Meghan did what they did and are trying to establish new, different roots. 

Ultimately, this book is about death and life and all the moments in between. I’d recommend listening to it because his voice is a good one. 

One minor, silly complaint: There are 232 chapters, although they’re numbered starting with one in each of the three sections. That makes the audiobook not flow quite as well as it would otherwise because most of them are just a few minutes long. 

I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I’d love to hear what you think because, you know, everybody is reading it! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #readersofinstagram #audiobooks #audible #princeharry
We are all in for basketball season! Tonight was @ We are all in for basketball season! Tonight was @murraystateuniv Spirit Night at the @memgrizz game. We had some pre-game fun with friends, watched the Grizzlies come back from 19 down to win, and witnessed Ja Morant’s triple double.

#memphisgrizzlies #basketballseason #NBA #TeamTaylor #bettertogether #weekending #favoritethings #RacerNation #MurrayState #WeAreRacers
Cheering for our Racers — and, really, most ever Cheering for our Racers — and, really, most everything in life — is more fun with friends! What an awesome atmosphere at the CFSB Center today with a Murray State win, Ja Morant in the arena, and more memories.

#RacerNation #MurrayState #collegebasketball #basketballseason #bettertogether #WeAreRacers
I’ve worn a favorite sweatshirt that says “Let I’ve worn a favorite sweatshirt that says “Let heaven and nature sing” twice this week. I may not be singing Christmas carols anymore, but I still felt the depths of winter this week. The sweatshirt seemed right. 

The sun didn’t shine much this week, although seeing on Friday as we wrap up the work and school week was welcomed. It’s mostly been cold and gray. It’s felt like winter. 

A lingering tension needs resolution and understanding, but honestly the gap between seems so vast. I crave slow time at home and meals around our table. I miss some friends and was reminded of the heartache that can come with community, but I also felt the deep appreciation of friendship and remembered the beauty of sharing this life with others. I was excited for an invitation and easily accepted it. I started a new habit (hopefully) walking with a friend. 

While driving through my days, I remember how uncertainty is what makes me look up. I remember my Creator when I am slapped in the face with the reality I’m not actually in control. I remember (again) to surrender. 

Goodness happens in the gray of winter. Life may look and feel different, but new life is always preparing to break through the cracks of the ground. The gloom that tempts us to look down doesn’t last long when we believe the sun will break through the icy trees and the fog will lift. 

This is hope. Even in winter. Thank God for it all. Let’s let heaven and nature sing. 

#countryliving #latergram #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #reallife #weekending
I heard mixed reactions about this book from two d I heard mixed reactions about this book from two different friends, but I enjoyed it! 

I liked the backward timeline, although I was uncertain about how it would work until the end. Some of the twists and connections were so good! 

I also liked the bigger ideas Gillian McAllister tackles: We miss things when we are living our life at our normal pace. What if we could go back? What would be notice that would change our reality? And, of course, perhaps, there would be unintended consequences. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It did get a little slow in the middle, but the end and beginning are quite good! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #kindlebooks #kindleoasis #readersofinstagram
This about sums up motherhood: My teenage girl in This about sums up motherhood: My teenage girl in the middle rebounding and playing hard and little sister photobombing the moment! 

Honestly, parenting has been hard lately. Nothing major. But so constant and always adjusting. 

Even so, I love watching them on the court and in life. There is so much excitement and goodness among the repetition and exhaustion. 

This is real life. And those are our 10-0 Lady Lions out there. 🦁💛

@ncca.lions #momlife #reallife #basketballseason #momconfessions #livingfaithfully #girlmom #firstborn #thirdchild
I finished studying Colossians today with my Prece I finished studying Colossians today with my Precept group. Paul wrote this letter to an established church that was still growing and learning and maturing in the faith — like us all.  I really loved this study because it spoke right into my life with encouragement for knowing Christ, walking in wisdom and truth, praying continually, letting peace rule, and giving grace. Plus Paul deeply loved his people. 

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” — Colossians 2:6-7

Too often I step out of God’s presence for two minutes while are loading up the van in the morning or I’m rushing kids to bed. Too often I don’t surrender my fleshy desires and feelings to the One who holds this whole wide world in His hands. Too often I think my plans are worth holding onto tightly. Too often I think I can bring peace to my household, minivan, or dinner table. 

But real peace passes all my understanding. It rests in God’s wisdom and knowledge alone. How amazing we have access to that, thanks to Jesus. How easily I forget where I’m rooted. 

I want to let peace rule — in my home, in my head, and in my heart. 

Today while I was driving, I noticed how lovely the road, land, and sky looked. But today was really windy, like feel-it-move-my-vehicle and knock-over-trash-cans windy. It almost felt deceptive with the beauty before me, but, really, that’s like life. 

Sometimes it seems I have it together. People know my gifts of organizing information and people. I show up on time and am responsible. But so many thoughts and feelings are swirling in my mind. I replay conversations and fight against the same insecurities from the previous day. 

I feel both lovely and like my swirling mind could knock me over at any moment. And that’s why I needed God, particularly through His words through Paul to the Colossians. 

#livingfaithfully #faithlife #churchlife #reallife #countryliving
This girl has been complaining of a sore throat th This girl has been complaining of a sore throat the last couple of days, but she hasn’t had a fever or any other symptoms so I kept telling her she was fine. Truth be told, she a bit of a hypochondriac and generally happy, so it’s hard to tell if she sick sometimes. 

The folks at Aligned Health took care of her this afternoon and are treating her for strep or whatever bacteria is making her throat look and feel rough. 

I’m thankful for access to medical care and an unexpected night at home.

#momlife #thirdchild #reallife #momconfessions #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #sickday
I really loved this book! “Life is the stuff th I really loved this book!

“Life is the stuff that happens in the cracks between your plans and expectations.” — from “One Night on the Island” by @josiesilverauthor 

The writing is excellent, the setting works well, and the story unfolds in some predictable but sweet ways. I also think it was the right book at the right time for me. 

#KHTreads #romcom #romcombooks #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #readersofinstagram
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