Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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11 Things I Learned in July

July 29, 2016 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Oh, July, you’ve been too quick. But you’ve been fun. I’ve driven more new-to-me roads than even before and been on some more familiar ones, but I’ve also learned more deeply to appreciate the journey. This month the journey has included road trips, boat rides on the lake, and afternoons at the pool.

People ask if we’re settled in our new house and I usually say, “Pretty much.” And that’s the short-answer truth. But the long answer: We’re as settled as much as we can be while there are still guys working on the enormous garage we’re renovating. That garage will house the piles of outdoor toys on our side porch that also serves as our everyday entrance. That garage will also house all my husband’s tools and camo attire and hunting accessories that are stored in various other places.

I’ve hung some pictures but there are stacks of others elsewhere, sitting out of our walking paths through the house but in plain sight. And we have this beautiful 10-foot long, floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelf that is still missing cabinets on the bottom cabinets where the board games still in boxes in another corner.

So, you know, we’re pretty much settled. Sort of.

I figure there will be more time for all of that when the kids start Aug. 10.

There you have it, July. You’re making me mourn the end of summer but look forward with great anticipation to a schedule. But, before you go, how about some things you’ve taught me …

1. The last several episodes of season 11 of “Grey’s Anatomy” we’re really good.

I burnt out on this show years ago but occasionally binge watch episodes I haven’t seen. Yes, Derek dies, which I knew before I even watched, but that storyline leads to some great TV.

And the last quote of the season? Perfection, nearly.

“You can build a house out of anything, make it as strong as you want, but a home, a home is more fragile than that. A home is made of the people you fill it with. And people can be broken, sure, but any surgeon knows what’s broken can be mended, what’s hurt can be healed, that no matter how dark it gets, the sun’s gonna rise again.”

– Meredith Gray in season 11 finale

Yes, then I kept watching into the 12th season. I know. So. Many. Seasons.

2. Elin Hilderbrand is a great new-to-me author. 

I saw her name when her endorsement was on the front of another book I was reading. I randomly chose “Summerland” from the library and then moved on to “The Rumor.”

{I’ve been on a bit of a fiction binge lately, as you can tell from my list of books I’ve read so far this year. And it seems Hilderbrand has many books, so that’ll keep me going!}

3. The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is prettier than the U.S. side. Of course, it’s also busy when it’s a double holiday weekend with U.S. folks celebrating Independence Day and Canadians having their own Canada Day. But, hey, it’s pretty!

We went to Buffalo, NY for a long weekend at the beginning of the month for the baptisms of my twin niece and nephew. It was a fun trip and we’re looking forward to being with my siblings and their families again next week … at the beach!

4. Hand, foot and mouth disease is no joke. That’s what Rachel brought home from Buffalo. Thankfully, turns out the case she had wasn’t even that bad, but there were still a few rough days.

5. Sometimes driving 180 miles one way with one friend for lunch with another friend is worth it. 

Of course, her van may break down and kids end up playing in the sprinkles at the park in their clothes. Road trips and friendships are always adventures worth having. {Here’s a little more on that.}

6. My kids and husband don’t have the same love of Krispy Kreme doughnuts that I do – even when the doughnuts are hot and fresh. Yeah, I can’t explain it either. But they do like watching them be made.

7. New Needtobreathe music is my happy place. Okay, this isn’t something I learned, but I love the new album so I needed to include it. My favorite songs are “Happiness, “Hard Love,” and “Testify.”

8. Detours keep us focused on the journey, giving us opportunities to see new places and appreciate the details around us. 

The most direct route to our new house in the country has been closed for three weeks – the majority of the time we’ve lived here. I’ve discovered various routes home, and I have my favorite that includes a beautiful field of sunflowers.

9. Even when a friendship spans decades, new traditions can be made. 

We went to St. Louis for the third year in late July {hello, hotness …} so we could go to Six Flags with our best friends. We spent three nights there and also went to a Cardinals game, Soulard Market, the {free!} science center, and the {free!} zoo.

And, really, I know the attractions aren’t actually totally free because local property owners pay for the science center and zoo, but it’s such a nice treat to tourists like us!

10. And when in STL in July, don’t buy right field bleacher seats for an evening game at Busch Stadium. With a 6:15 p.m. start time, we were in the sun until the sixth inning – and the last section to feel shade. Trust me, it makes a difference.

11. An old-fashioned DiscMan provides my son hours of entertainment. Hours, really. {And he’s cute!}

Tell me about your July.

_____________________

I’m linking with Emily Freeman like I do at the end of every month. 

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Lessons Among Boxes {aka 7 Things I Learned from Moving}

June 29, 2016 by Kristin 1 Comment

Well, we’re in our new house. I love so many things about it and I’m excited to truly settle in and make it our home. Greg and I moved some boxes in the days leading up to our big move – when friends showed up and loaded the big truck and some smaller trucks and a trailer in record time – and then I filled my mini van with more boxes and randomness in the days following.

Of course, during the packing and hauling and unpacking, I learned some things.

1. Verizon will pay off AT&T phones/contracts for new customers and wifi assisted calling is amazing for both phone calls and texts, even when there’s no service inside.

2. Greg resigned from the Murray City Council earlier this month because we are moving to the county. 

I know he’s my husband, but I’m proud the way he has served our neighbors and our community with conviction and integrity these past 5 1/2 years. Now, bring on the new adventures.

3. Packing up an entire house is emotional even when I’m excited to move to the new one.

This house was our home for half our marriage. We brought two kids home here. We have celebrated and grieved here. So many kids have been here to play. Honestly, collectively, these were the best years of my life.

I know we will make many new memories and always have these memories, but, goodness, I wasn’t prepared for these emotions.

4. The pool and fiction books are good escapes when I’m overwhelmed.

Okay, so I didn’t just learn this, but I certainly was reminded of it! Lately I’ve read four Kristin Hannah books – “Firefly Lane” and “Magic Hour” were my favorites – and “The Good Girl” by Mary Kubiac.

5. Tetris helped prepare me for packing boxes into the back of my mini van. And, let’s be honest, playing Tetris is more fun than moving. (Our friends must have played Tetris too.)

6. ClosetMaid shelving makes closets so much more practical.

7. “Let me know what I can do to help” is a good sentiment, but showing up after the actual move with willingness to work or plates of food and offering specific ways to help are the best.

My best friend Jaclyn came two days in a row just to help me. We replaced cabinet knobs and put away things. Her middle girl helped Cate paint a dresser. She brought food. Courtney brought dinner one night – and her family hung out among the boxes to eat with us. And she brought a second meal for another day. My mother-in-law responded to my “Oh, I’m overwhelmed …” text with coming out to help, bringing lunch, and running some errands.

Have you learned any lessons from moving? What did your June teach you? 

_____________________

152 Insights to My Soul

An InLinkz Link-up


This is a different take on my monthly posts that document what I learned. Read previous installments here. Subscribe to get new posts and/or a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog in your inbox. When you subscribe, I’ll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

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8 Things I Learned in May

May 31, 2016 by Kristin Leave a Comment

May is my favorite. Honestly, even for as much as I love summer, I’m a little sad my favorite month has gone by so quickly. There were birthday parties and soccer games and days at the lake. The temperatures changed from cool to humid. And hooray for my big kids finishing up kindergarten and third grade!

Here comes days at the pool – when we aren’t packing up our belongings! But, first, I’m going to share 8 Things I Learned in May …

1. Bacon tastes really good when it’s cooked on the griddle.

We got a big griddle to cook pancakes for Cate’s Pancakes & Pippi Party. After making four batches of pancakes, Greg threw bacon on the griddle. And it was delicious.

Admittedly, clean up isn’t as easy as baking the bacon on a foil-lined cookie sheet.

2. I may have been looking forward to Summer Break as much as the kids.

Summer is still busy but in a different way. There’s lake house management. And we are still trying to sell our house. Plus I’ve been purging and packing and organizing.

Admittedly, I tried to stay on top of things as much as possible the first week we were out of school because the pool wasn’t open yet.

And, yes, “we” are out of school. It’s a family affair!

3. Trying to sell a house is no joke.

We posted some pictures and info on Facebook at the beginning of April. Then a few days later we put a sign in our yard. We showed it many times and got several phone calls about it.

And then we didn’t for a week or two so we ran an ad in the local newspaper. We got a few more calls and showed it some more.

I will say this: My kids are champs at getting their rooms cleaned and beds made in preparation for a showing.

We listed it with a realtor last week. And the house was shown some more. Hopefully we will get an offer and the perfect buyer soon.

4. I love the color of my new kitchen. It’s called refresh.

Refresh may be the theme of our new house, actually. Pictures coming soon-ish.

5. Mango salsa is back at Qdoba for the summer. Y’all. It’s the best.

(I love it so much I wrote a post about it a couple years ago!)

6. Netflix and I are email friends. 

Just the other day I got an email to inform me the second season of “Bloodlines” is now on Netflix. I also recently got one that say the third season of “Graceland” was on Netflix. Sorry, but I already watched it on Amazon Prime. I couldn’t wait.

Speaking of TV, we are finishing season 10 (!) of “Bones” on Netflix and catching up with “The Blacklist” on our DVD. We recently also caught up on “Madam Secretary” and “Blue Bloods.”

(And, speaking of email friends, I like email friends. Want to be mine?)

7. People like the freedom to say no. I’ve had such good response to The Summer Not-To-Do List printable. Hope you enjoy it!

(Download it here, if you haven’t already!)

8. In the summer, I’m better at letting go – especially of what time dinner should be on the table, bedtimes, and the frequency of my kids’ showers. My most recent Mom Confessions {The Memorial Day Weekend Edition} reminded me of that.

How’s your May been?

_____________________

I’m linking up with Emily Freeman like I do at the end of each month. 

Subscribe to get new posts and/or a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog in your inbox. When you subscribe, I’ll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

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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 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
I had no idea just how deeply I would be affected I had no idea just how deeply I would be affected while studying Genesis 1-2. Going back to the beginning and seeing how God created, ordered, and filled the earth has been exactly what I didn’t know I needed, especially as a mom. 

For quite a while now, I feel like I’ve been living a day at a time. I used to be able to see my life in larger chunks of time and anticipate and prepare accordingly. Now, I slap things on the calendar and then deal with them as they come. Navigating life with two teenagers and a first-grader is the best and hardest thing I’ve ever done.

Honestly, this moment-to-moment living has been good for me and helped me rely on the God who created the stars and rivers that still exist in our world. Focusing on where I am helps me take slower steps, trust God to provide, and remember I’m not in control. I’ve felt an internal shift with my relationships — with my husband, kids, and friends. I’ve felt behind on laundry and dishes and piles of papers. But I’ve also felt a refreshed nearness to God. 

I’m going to rest here while believing God created life and light when there was only darkness and continues to order my days. 

#livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #faithlife #preceptstudy #genesisstudy #genesis #beginnings #reallife #PorchStories
My friend @ashleelyoung told me about this memoir, My friend @ashleelyoung told me about this memoir, but I knew nothing about Sutton Foster or her story beforehand. She’s a TV actress and Broadway singer and dancer who processes her life — complicated family life, love, loss, spotlight, infertility, adoption, motherhood — by creating. She creates in the kitchen, on stages, with yarn, with paint, with her hands, and with her mind. But her story really is all the experiences and emotions that inspire her creative work. I enjoyed this one. 

#KHTreads #memoirs #bookstagram #booklover #audiobooks #audible #bookreview
Also from the weekend: Shout out to @lifehousemurr Also from the weekend: Shout out to @lifehousemurray for putting on the fabulous @beautiful.you.conference with @meggpam from @shelivespurposefully. My girl and her friends had a great time together and my momma heart is thankful this is how they chose to spend a Saturday morning. 

#momlife #girlmom #teenagers #weekending #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #latergram
Yesterday was one of my favorite kids of days with Yesterday was one of my favorite kids of days with some of my favorite friends. Kids played inside and out, the TV was never on, and new memories were made with old friends. Plus we ended the night with our ninth year of Little Hands Trivia Night. It was our worst finish ever, but we still had such a fun time! 

#bettertogether #weekending #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY
I’ve told you about Cate’s basketball season, I’ve told you about Cate’s basketball season, but we celebrated it (and the other middle and high school players) last night. What a joy, truly! She was surprise with the Lions Award for her overall approach to the game and her teammates. 

This context is basketball, but the bigger community and broader learning that happens are ultimately even more important. And, hey, middle school boys, you were also so much fun to watch! I’m so thankful Ben was part of that team. 

Shout out to the Schroeders for Tim being the coach of four teams and all the family time sacrificed as well as the other coaches and families who made it all possible. 

Give me a little break, and then I will be ready for more Lions and Lady Lions basketball to come! Scheduling for the fall and winter will start soon. 

I’m so proud to be part of New Covenant Christian Academy! 💛 @ncca.lions #momlife #girlmom #boymom #basketballseason #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY
Once again, I stayed up too late finishing a book. Once again, I stayed up too late finishing a book. 

“Half Way to You” by @jennifergoldauthor was my #FirstReads choice from Amazon this month and I dived right in. I loved it! This is a multi-generational story full of love, heartbreak, friendships that span decades, and travel. The story is told as a reclusive author shares her real story with a young podcaster who has personal and professional interest. The way the lives is woven together is brutal and beautiful. 

#KHTreads #AmazonFirstReads #bookstagram #booklover #KindleOasis #kindlebooks #readersofinstagram
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