Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Together in the rain

July 14, 2012 by Kristin Leave a Comment

These kids were so excited to see their preschool teacher after two months away from her. And, thing is, they aren’t preschoolers anymore. They’re {almost} kindergartners. That’s something to celebrate … even in the rain.

We’ve had such dry, hot weather … until this week when some relief came. There have been storms that have teased farmers with small amounts of rain. Temperatures have cooled slightly, but there’s still the familiar sticky, humid Kentucky summer air. But then today the clouds hovered with a constant, soft, soaking rain. I’m sure the farmers rejoiced.

And so did these kids.

They were happy to be together. They were excited to revisit their before-lunch prayer-song. Their younger siblings were happy to see their teacher too. There were hugs and stories and missing teeth.

The {almost} kindergartners and a few younger siblings didn’t care their party at the park was on the rainy day farmers have been praying for. They just played. In the rain.

Ben dumped the bubbles into the puddle, and then popped them.

 

“I dig dirt.” Appropriate shirt, huh?

They had mud between their toes and evidence of pizza and cooking icing around their mouths. There was much laughing and chasing and hugging and taking and eating and playing. And we all left with full hearts and damp hair.

________

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Month of Thanks

December 1, 2011 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Each day throughout November, I posted something I’m thankful for on Twitter and Facebook. So in 140 words or less each day, here was my daily thanksgiving …

I am thankful for my husband who takes care of our family and lives intentionally.

I’m thankful for how God created our family through adoption. His faithfulness was evident in all the details.

I’m thankful for the challenges, encouragement and blessings that come from raising a girl who is a whole lot like me.

I’m thankful for long-time friends who have endured seasons, new friends who are where I am and friends who have been there.

I’m thankful I have more good days than bad days as a diabetic.

I’m thankful my kids enjoy playing with my long-time friends’ kids who they don’t see often enough.

I’m thankful for my {almost} 2-year-old son who keeps me on my toes. He’s all-boy — fearless, messy, loud and sweet.

I’m thankful for the freedom we have to vote and all the families who sacrificed to protect this and other freedoms.

I’m thankful my life is nothing like I planned.

I’m thankful for the Taylor family roots in this community, evident by the crowd at Tommye’s 85th birthday lunch.

I’m thankful for ordinary days with my kids.

I’m thankful my kids get to celebrate Ben’s {early} birthday with all seven of their first cousins and a few dear friends.

I’m thankful for an impromptu afternoon spent with friends.

I’m thankful for Cate’s preschool experience. She has been blessed with teachers who set the bar high for coming years.

I’m thankful for the chance to stay home with my kids. For the record: It’s the hardest, most rewarding job I’ve ever had.

I’m thankful for community and the Thanksgiving dinner I’m going to share with some of my dearest friends tonight.

I’m thankful for a friendship that began in 1998 and has adapted through the seasons to include 5 kids in 5 years between us.

I’m thankful for a working dryer, an afternoon at home, Diet Dr Pepper, crock pots, and a potluck dinner at church.

I’m thankful change can be refreshing.

I’m thankful for my church family.

I’m thankful for modern medicine: my insulin pump, my kids’ pediatricians, and heart surgery for a friend’s newborn baby.

I’m thankful for my kids’ birthmoms.

I’m thankful the birthday boy feels better and doesn’t have a fever. Happy 2nd birthday, sweet Ben!

I’m thankful I have no trouble listing people, places and moments for which I’m thankful. Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m thankful for extended family vacations.

I’m thankful for my kids’ determination. It even shows through in mini golf.

I’m thankful that my husband is good for me.

I’m thankful for eight hours of sleep in a warm house.

I’m thankful for my husband’s law practice and how God has honored his character and hard work through it.

I’m thankful for this season: Jesus’ birth, celebrations with family and friends, and making memories with my kids.

I hope November has been a time of thanksgiving for you. Here’s to a joyful December!

________


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Happy July 4th!

July 4, 2009 by Kristin Leave a Comment

{Cassie, this post is dedicated to you and Zac. Mom almost asked me what I thought you all were doing for Fourth of July, but she caught herself mid-sentence and remembered this is indeed an American holiday, just as the Queen’s Birthday is a Kiwi celebration!}

So, with that, we’re thankful for our freedom here in the United States and the veterans who helped preserve it through the years.

Oh, and, Cate really liked that pig at the festival last night. In fact, she told another girl it was her pig.

_____

July is also a good fishing month, apparently …

Yes, even on the back porch. No, we haven’t moved to the lake. Greg was sorting through some fishing stuff, deciding what to take with us to Kentucky Lake today and then to Texas (where we’re staying some of the time on another lake) in a week. Cate was loving the rods. I bet she’d even touch the worms if it were the real thing.

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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 ninth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear sixth-grade boy, and our joy-filled kindergarten 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 miss … … a few particular friends from whom I miss …

… a few particular friends from whom I’m separated by circumstances, logistics, and distances. 

When I make a friend, I intend to stay friends forever. Of course, life doesn’t always work out that way. 

I don’t miss my kids being young, but I miss the ease of socializing with my friends during that season. It was easy then to meet at the park or go somewhere for lunch. Now there are so many schedules to work around. 

Scheduling time to lunch or get together is still my love language, it just takes a little more work, patience, and persistence now. And sometimes that’s exhausting. But it’s always worth it. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #bettertogether #livingfaithfully #reallife
School’s out FOR THE SUMMER! #88daysofsummer #mo School’s out FOR THE SUMMER! #88daysofsummer #momlife #siblinglove #summerisbest #maydays
I’m proud of myself for … … surviving and t I’m proud of myself for …

… surviving and thriving this school year. I resist change almost all of the time, and the past nine months have been full of so many transitions for our whole family. I know, that’s life, but these changes seem like the kind that will mark us forever. 

My kids navigated new beginnings in kindergarten, middle school, and high school. As a mom, sometimes I’m too close to see the growth, but this year it happened in each of them right before my eyes. They navigated friendship hurdles, embraced new friends, and settled a little more into who God created them to be. Middle school isn’t for the faint of heart, but I feel like I’ve come out of this year closer to my son, so I will take it. 

I’m proud of myself for leaning into where God has me. I’ve grown deeper friendships, invested in my kids’ school as a board member and business manager, and seen God work in our ordinary days. 

Y’all know I’m a summer girl, so I’m proud of myself through getting through the winter and coming into summer stronger and braver. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #summerisbest #bettertogether
I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book sooner. I loved so much about it, but I did want some of her stories to be  less repetitive and offer more practical advice for living out “radical, ordinary hospitality.” Rosaria Butterfield defines hospitality like this as sharing what you have in real time, preparing to continually life this lifestyle, and bringing strangers in so they become neighbors who become family. 

I took notes throughout, but especially during the introduction. I came away with an appreciation that hospitality can involve lists, schedules, and habits. I felt encouraged, even if I thought the book could have been organized better to include practical tips and other people’s stories. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #audiobooks #livingfaithfully #bookreview #booklover
Something I don’t usually share (online) … I Something I don’t usually share (online) …

I am an opinionated person, but I don’t usually share political opinions on social media. People who know me in real life know I value being pro-life, having less government involvement in our everyday lives, defining marriage as God intended it, and being fiscally conservative. As a former newspaper reporter, I still get excited about elections. I admittedly pay a little less attention in the almost 15 years I haven’t been in a newsroom. But I still care and have plenty of opinions. 

I voted today in Kentucky’s Primary Election. I’m thankful for the freedom to share my opinion by darkening some blocks on a paper ballot. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #reallife #livingfaithfully
Old friends and live music are two of my favorite Old friends and live music are two of my favorite things, so having them together is the best. My friend Aaron and I went to multiple Dave Matthews Band shows together during our college years, so now two decades later it’s fun to do it again as grown ups with our spouses for a band that speaks truth into our lives. 

@needtobreathe put on the loudest acoustic tour I’ve ever seen, but it sure was good! And its encore of completely unplugged songs was especially sweet. 

#NTBlive #needtobreathe #bettertogether #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully #weekending
Happiness is … … a slow morning that gave me Happiness is …

… a slow morning that gave me a chance to finish reading a good book right after I fixed my favorite cinnamon toast. 

… some shade to invite me to pick some more weeds around the house. But why doesn’t my Apple Watch count this as exercise? It felt like exercise to me! 

… an appointment with my oldest girl for us both to get our nails done this morning. 

… my youngest girl’s last soccer game of the season, even though the heat made her a little grumpy. 

… pool time, another good book to read, my mom visiting for the second weekend in a row, a little more weeding, and a night at home with no specific plans. 

Happiness is everyday, normal life with my people, especially when it comes with a slower pace after a hectic week. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #soccermom #KHTreads #momlife #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #poolpeople #PorchStories
I regretted having to go to sleep last night befor I regretted having to go to sleep last night before I finished this book, so I picked it up at breakfast and didn’t do anything else until I finished it. 

I loved the Alaskan cruise setting, the quick love and understanding between Greta and Ben, and the realistic ways grief changes people. Well done, @jenniferesmith! 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #kindlebooks #booklover #kindlepaperwhite #reallife #weekending #recommendedreads #poolpeople #amreading
Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of s Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of school next week and then it’s #88daysofsummer! Obviously, we’re ready. ☀️ 

Here’s to a refreshing weekend with much anticipation of what’s to come! #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #thirdchild #momlife #summerisbest #poolpeople #PorchStories #maydays
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