Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

Stories from the Porch in November

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I know we have another month in this year, but my mind has been reflecting on 2019 and looking into 2020. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about all this, but this has been a good month in a hard year.

My counselor told me at an appointment earlier this month I was doing a good job taking care of myself. Honestly, it’s taken a lot of effort because, for me in this season, taking care of me meant pulling back from commitments on my calendar even when they involved people I enjoy being around. I had to let go of a regular commitment and say no to some invitations. I had to realize that my time at home didn’t always have to be filled with productivity.

My friends are my favorites, but this season of grieving and healing has been a time of drawing inward first and then going outward. Becoming a better me has meant I haven’t initiated as many plans with friends, which has meant I haven’t seen some friends as much because I’m usually the initiator. That brought a little more grief yet also has led to more healing. Life can be tricky.

I’m barely an extrovert, enough that I like making new friends and want to hold onto them all forever. But everything in life has seasons, which is a hard but refreshing reality. I’m thankful for my friends — the ones who knew to check on me, the ones who I can pick up with when we do cross paths, the ones who have kids for my kids to befriend, and the ones I miss.

So here’s to a month of gratitude and grace.

Highlights

We hosted a churchwide bonfire with soups and s’mores. It was a cold night, so people were in and out of our house. My favorite moments were singing some worship songs around the fire.

The same weekend, we had our 11th annual Friendsgiving with three other families. Through the years, it’s looked different and involved different families, but it’s a tradition we all love. I know some friends are for certain seasons of life, but I’m thankful despite circumstantial and logistical changes, Friendsgiving has remained. Here’s to traditions in a world full of changes and faithful friendships.

And then we had a Snow Day! On Nov. 12! It’s the earliest I remember that happening here in Kentucky. We enjoyed the day, of course, especially because it was also the day Disney+ started streaming, so we had so many movie-watching options.

My boy turned 10 last weekend! We had a fun basketball birthday party and went out for Mexican food with my whole family. (Yes, of course, I wrote my traditional letter to him.) Then they stayed around for an early Thanksgiving meal my mom and I prepared. I loved having my brother, his wife, their two kids, my sister, her husband, their three kids, and my mom here. We tied up some things with my dad’s estate and booked a house for a summer vacation in Michigan.

We are heading to Branson to celebrate Thanksgiving with Greg’s family, so I’m sure that will make this month’s highlights too!

Favorite things

Misfits Market – This fruit and vegetable delivery service is so fun! (Here’s a peek at my first box!) For as much as I like order and predictability, I like the surprise of discovering what’s inside the box and the challenge of using what is there. I decided this was the time to try out this delivery service because I needed some inspiration for preparing and eating healthy meals. You can save 25% with my referral link.

College basketball – Hooray for my favorite season that doesn’t involve in the pool! We plan our winter social life around the Murray State Racers’ schedule and love being fans of our alma mater. We keep up with the University of Kentucky and end up watching plenty of other games too.

#Gratitude30 challenge – It wasn’t really a challenge for me, but I loved the intentionality to share people, places and things from my life for which I’m thankful. There are a few more posts coming, so be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

From the shelves

I didn’t read much this month, but I’m in the middle of three books, which is actually pretty unusual for me. Usually I’m a one-book-at-a-time girl.

“The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer – I’ve listened to several podcasts with John Mark Comer, but “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” is his first book I’ve read and it’s a good one!

“Anger: Calming Your Heart (31 Devotionals for Life)” by Robert D. Jones – I know this book is only thirty-one devotionals, but I’ve been digesting it slowly. It’s been really important, convicting truth for my soul.

“Evvie Drake Starts Over” by Linda Holmes – I was ready to have a fiction read going. I started this one when I was early to school pickup and I’m looking forward to another pocket of time to read more. It’s classified as a romantic comedy, and so far I’m really enjoying the characters.

On the screen

I enjoyed watching “Dancing with the Stars” and made fans out of my kids too. Greg and I also have been into “Blacklist” and “Madam Secretary” too. Of course, we’re all looking forward to watching “Frozen 2” this week.

How was your November? I hope it’s been full of gratitude and grace for you too.

*****

Kristin Hill Taylor - Porch Stories

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May days! Stories from the porch

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Oh, May, you’re my favorite, and I’m always so sad you happen quicker than I wish. This month was like one big celebration of life, so I’m hoping to carry to joy with me into June.

Highlights

The highlights in this month are easy: I turned 39 and my oldest turned 11. We let our birthdays linger into Mother’s Day and then into her party two weeks later, conveniently scheduled the day after my kids’ last day of school. We also got to double date to an escape room and Red Lobster with our best friends for my birthday.

We officially kicked off summer at Kentucky Lake with my siblings, their families, and my parents this past {long} weekend. Spending Memorial Day weekend there together has become a tradition I love. We ate well, played games, went out on the boat, and enjoyed being together for the first time in many months. There also was plenty of swimming, fishing, and kayaking, depending on who wanted to do what.

Hey, the more celebrations the better. That was pretty much our unspoken motto in May.

Plus I got to meet one of my favorite authors! Be sure to read about that experience, if you haven’t already!

Oh, and our pool water is already into the mid-80s and the air temperature has been higher than that most days, so we’ve been swimming often. We’ve started inviting people over to join on the porch and around the pool too. Y’all know that’s my favorite.

Favorite things

In addition to the pool and people being here, cookbooks are topping my favorites list. Oh, let’s be honest, it’s the food I’ve made from the recipes and the stories that go along with them that I really love. I got “Magnolia Table” by Joanna Gaines and “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It!: Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives” by Ree Drummond for my birthday and Mother’s Day. They’re both beautiful and include stories about the recipes and the people for whom they cook. And they both provided much-needed inspiration for me to get in the habit of cooking again.

I shared four things I’m loving in a post earlier this month, so those things (a summer planner, a clamp that holds my Kindle, new kids’ music, and a devotional book) could certainly be added here.

From the bookshelf

“Dead Drift” by Dani Pettrey – This is the fourth (and final) book in the Chesapeake Valor Series that I’ve loved. I love the group of friends whose stories are developed throughout their suspenseful adventures together. It officially releases July 3, but you can preorder it now. And if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series, I recommend those too.

“Tell Me Three Things” by Julie Buxbaum – This may be a young adult novel, but I seriously loved it. It reminded me a teenage version of “You’ve Got Mail” (which I adore) and did a good job navigating grief.

“Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace” by Becky Monson – This one was just okay. It was good enough that I wanted to find out what happened and enjoyed some funny parts. But the main character’s indecisiveness got on my nerves.

“Witness in Hiding” by Lisa Phillips – I read this book in one day, which tells you how into the story I was! I really liked the suspense of why Zoe was hiding being woven throughout the plot of the story. Zoe and Jude are likable and I definitely found myself rooting for them, professionally and personally.

“The Way Life Should Be” by Christina Baker Kline – This was no “Orphan Train,” but I still enjoyed it. I have been to the area of Maine in which the story is set, so that was a fun factor.

“I Am Watching You” by Teresa Driscoll – I don’t remember where I heard about this one, but I really enjoyed it. I liked how the perspectives of the plot switched among different people, including the father, the friend, and the witness.

I keep a running list of book recommendations (including some of these!) on Amazon.

On the screen

Well, most of my shows are on summer break, but I’m looking forward to “The Resident,” “Blue Bloods,” and “Madam Secretary” returning. They each had good finale episodes. I’m hanging onto “Black List” too, but I’m ready for the story to really wrap up at this point.

Three of the four finalists on “The Voice” were my favorites. I would have traded Kaleb for Kyla, but it was an enjoyable first experience with that show. Brynn for the win!

What kind of celebrating did you do in May?
It’s time for #PorchStories!

{Tweet that.}

*****

Kristin Hill Taylor - Porch Stories
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Seven Things I Learned in December

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This year has been good and bad and hard and quick. It’s certainly been full of adventures! In a year that had me learning (more) about being more flexible, it’s only appropriate I had to adjust (or, rather, mostly sit out) some holiday plans while I had the flu, which was, thankfully, fairly short lived.

As I think about the new year and what that may look like here, I’m thinking I may change these end-of-the-month posts. I like them, but I need to breathe some new life into them. I don’t know what that looks like yet, but, if you have any ideas of what you’d like to read, let me know!

Until then, here are Seven Things I Learned in December …

1. Having the flu the week of Christmas stinks.

I was feeling like I was getting another ear infection and was coughing so much my back hurt. So I went to an immediate care center while we were in Louisville for a few days of Christmas there. Turns out I had the flu.

So I missed all my extended relatives and most of my family gatherings. I did get to see one high school friend with her kids as well as my sister and her family. But the time I knew I had the flu, I’d already exposed them.

Even though the nurse practitioner wanted to send me on my way with an antibiotic for an ear infection, I persuaded him to explore further because I knew I didn’t usually feel that bad with my previous ear infections. Thankfully, Tamiflu seemed to help.

We came home earlier than expected, which prompted my first use of Kroger’s Click List and Panera’s online ordering app. Both were quite helpful and will likely be used again soon!

I’d still like a Christmas do-over with my family!

Thankfully, I was able to get off the couch and enjoy Christmas Day with my family of five and then spend the afternoon with family and a friend we brought along to Greg’s Nana’s house. I was pretty worn out, but I was happy not to miss out on that gathering.

2. I don’t like to watch most movies more than once …

… although there are a few worth repeating for Christmas.

I like to watch “The Holiday” and “Love Actually” each year, although I also end up watching “Elf,” “A Christmas Story” and “Christmas Vacation” because I’m not the only one who lives in this house.

On the holiday movie note, I accidentally made my oldest into a Hallmark movie fan. That’s what happens when momma is sick and wants to do nothing more than lay on the couch and watch the Hallmark movies she’s recorded. At least they’re all rated G.

3. I only like dark chocolate in a York Peppermint Patty.

I know that’s weird. And I don’t know what to tell you, except you can keep all the other dark chocolate.

4. Needtobreathe’s acoustic show helped me process the year.

Plus it was my first experience at The Ryman, which was wonderful. Of course, I already wrote a post inspired by this, so I won’t repeat myself.

5. Talking out loud about counseling helps others.

I’m pretty much an open book, but I got a little nervous when I told some people I’d started going to counseling. But nobody has reacted negatively. It’s been a good conversation starter more than one and allowed others to share with me pieces of their story they might not have otherwise been so willing.

I wrote a fairly raw post about counseling as I reflected on the year recently.

6. “Wonder” is a wonderful book and movie.

I read the book during our Thanksgiving trip and then took the oldest two kids to watch the movie earlier this month. Cate (who is a fifth-grader) also read and loved the book. I’d say the book is best, but the movie is well worth your time too.

Speaking of books, here’s the list of everything I read this year as well as my favorites, if you’re needing recommendations.

7. Somehow I have a child with braces on her teeth.

I was just telling a friend who it’s weird to be in a season of parenting a child old enough to be experiencing things I remember so clearly experiencing myself. I remember later elementary school so clearly – the teachers, the classrooms, the friends, some moments – and now I have a girl walking through some similar journeys.

Of course, I had to have my last baby tooth pulled in high school so I could get braces and here Cate is with one baby tooth remaining and braces on most of her top teeth. She has an appointment in a few weeks to get braces on her bottom teeth.

*****

Kristin Hill Taylor - Porch Stories
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