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From Horse Wreck to Hope: Kalyn Grokett Rides Again
83 Plays1 month ago
In this heartfelt episode of the Kick Your Boots Up Podcast, we sit down with Kalyn Grokett, A ranch wife, mom of two, proud Okie, and rising Western influencer. Hailing from Wyandotte, Oklahoma, Kalyn opens up about her journey from small-town roots to being named to the 2025 Class of 30 Under 30.
A graduate of Oklahoma State University and the voice behind “Love Letter to the Lord,” Kalyn shares what life is really like balancing ranch chores, motherhood, and faith, while overcoming one of her greatest challenges: a horse accident that left her with a prosthetic eye.
We talk about what keeps her grounded, what she’s loving lately, her favorite pastimes, and the advice that fuels her drive. You won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation full of grace, grit, and gospel.
Follow Kalyn on Instagram & TikTok: @kalyngrokett
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Transcript
Embracing Individuality and Gratitude
00:00:00
Speaker
I was just different. I was different than everyone around me. And honestly, that fueled me. And that's really important to me is is my platform and in my motto in life is really the idea that everyone deserves the right to be unlike anyone else.
00:00:16
Speaker
Hey, everybody. Thanks again for listening another week to the Kiki Brutes Up podcast. It truly means a lot to Season three has been epic so far. I've been able to show you a powerhouse of the ladies in my life that I look up to. And there is one sitting right next to me
Introducing Kaylin Grokett
00:00:30
Speaker
that i we were just talking. I followed for a while and I'm actually starstruck that she's in studio. So guys, Kaylin Grokett is here Thanks for being in the studio and on the podcast.
00:00:38
Speaker
Thank you so much. I am honored to be here, truthfully. So thanks for having me today. You're welcome. And honestly, it's so cool because there's a lot to talk about with
Life as a Ranch Wife and Mother
00:00:48
Speaker
you. Being a ranch wife is really hard.
00:00:50
Speaker
And then being a ranch wife of a husband that travels is really hard. And being a ranch mama is really hard. So tell everyone out there what you do um and basically how you got to where you are today. That's a very loaded question, but take your time. Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. So It's honestly been a journey to get to where I am today. And everyone has a journey. Everyone has their own respective journeys. And so honestly, I have always loved agriculture my entire life. So I grew up a ranch kid in Oklahoma on a commercial cow-calf operation.
00:01:18
Speaker
I was eaten up with raising cattle and ranching and working hard in that way. And then i have gone throughout my career. I went through school and then i found myself afterward um very much still committed to agriculture and pursuing that through Oklahoma State.
00:01:38
Speaker
And all was also eaten up with um ah FFA also, too, in high school. And so I was destined to be in agriculture. And so after school, I met my husband who was a ranch manager at the time in the Osage of Oklahoma. And so I had great plans after I graduated with my BS in animal science and ag econ and ag business from Oklahoma State. And then i met Connor and that took me to a middle of nowhere spot, which we actually really, really loved um in Scheidler,
Career Journey at Land O'Lakes
00:02:09
Speaker
Oklahoma. And so i went into
00:02:12
Speaker
the ag finance industry. That was the opportunity that was afforded me at the time. Had a long commute, but you had to do what you could do to have a job right out of college. And so honestly went from there to to then an ag business and did marketing for them and then went to an ag marketing agency. And then I've landed professionally ah with Land O'Lakes. And i am I am loving that. I've been there for a few years now. And i am just recently their community development lead for the enterprise. And so. Congrats. Thank you. I'm really honored by the opportunity. So previously I was working specifically in Animal Nutrition. So I was focusing as a brand marketing manager there. And so all about stewarding a really rich business.
00:03:00
Speaker
historic brand that has a lot of trust in our industry. And then now my, my focal areas are now expanded to include our dairy foods business, our crop inputs business, and then of course still our animal
Balancing Family and Community Roles
00:03:13
Speaker
nutrition businesses. And so really excited about that professionally, but even aside from the professional side of things, really most, most importantly, i am a mom and a wife and, um,
00:03:25
Speaker
That has has been really, really wonderful. It's pushed me a lot in my personal space. We have a lot of things that we're often doing and on top of being a professional too. And so um i have two little girls, Sonora and Quay. And so Sonora is four, Quay is almost two.
00:03:43
Speaker
And my husband trains reined cow horses in Oklahoma. So we also then ranch, we rent some cows on the side. We're trying to grow as much as we possibly can. super active in our church and in our communities. And so we are very, very busy.
00:03:58
Speaker
Did that answer your question? Yes, it did. You did so good. And I have a million more questions okay to ask you because I'm like living on every word. Okay. So i I think you're, I think whenever I last looked at your location, you're in, you're and currently in Wyandotte, Oklahoma. Yes. Yes, ma'am. Which like a lot of people wouldn't even know how to say that, but in Okie, I'm like, okay, where is Wyandotte
Returning to Wyandotte, Oklahoma
00:04:17
Speaker
at though? Yes. So it's Northeast of Tulsa. And so it's really on this state line of Oklahoma. So We are in a tiny town that I actually grew up in, which I never would have thought I landed there. Wow. Never say never, folks. Never say never. But we moved back to to there from northwestern Nebraska, actually, when we found out we were having our little one, our first little one.
00:04:39
Speaker
And then so we landed, i think, five miles from where i grew up. So. It's been quite the, quite the journey there. So it's close to Miami, Oklahoma. So NEO A&M college, like very close to there. So yes, landed where I grew up, which is crazy.
00:04:53
Speaker
Oh my goodness. And so I've got to go back to, um, whenever you said you in Shidler and you're in Sage Hills. Yeah. That's actually kind of where I'm from. I'm from Cleveland. Okay. Yeah. Northeast Oklahoma, but yes. Osage. Actually, our crew is familiar with Osage. We just did a shoot there not long ago, so we got to kind of show them a little bit. That's awesome. Whenever your husband was there and and you guys were there, yeah talk about rural living there because it's like so remote.
Rural Living Joys and Challenges
00:05:14
Speaker
And even you might feel remote now too, but just talk about it.
00:05:17
Speaker
Oh, we love our days in the Osage. Oh my goodness. I had to be careful because my husband would take us back there in in a minute. Was that at, oh my goodness, I'm blanking on the name. Oh, the ah drummond Drummond Ranch. So, yep. Connor would work with the Drummond's. Absolutely. but He worked for a lot of different ranches in that area. And so he worked at the Bowtie at the time when we got married. And then he worked quite a bit with Four Acres, the Deseret Ranches there too.
00:05:41
Speaker
um Sooner Cattle Company, um, would be another one. And so there's so many ranches in that area. Really. That's like the heritage is so rich. Like it is cool to be cowboy in the Osage. And so we loved, we loved being there. Cause then you felt like such a big part of the community because everybody was a cowboy and not like, you know, a cowboy, like they were legit handy cowboys. And so yeah, the real deal. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:06:07
Speaker
Yeah, it was very much like a culture and a lifestyle there. And so ah living there, honestly, it was one of one of our favorite places that we lived. We lived a lot of places. So we went from Scheidler, we went into the Flint Hills, which is where my husband's from.
00:06:20
Speaker
Managed a ranch there, um ran managed about 4,600 cows and um a yearland outfit there too. And then we moved from there to no man's land, the panhandle of Oklahoma,
00:06:31
Speaker
So we've lived in a lot of rural areas. I'm kind of painting this picture here. And so we lived in Turpin, Oklahoma, just south of Liberal, Kansas, in the Panhandle. And then from there, we went to northwest Nebraska. And he managed a a grow yard there. So it was a very big journey of just rural living. We were bit of gypsies, I would say. And so now we've been where we've been for almost five years, which feels weird because I'm like, OK, we've been here a long time. Like, where are we going next?
00:06:59
Speaker
ah Yeah, we we do that. But honestly, you just get used to it. Living in the middle of nowhere, you get used to having an hour drive to anything, to get groceries, to go to dinner. And then when you get to town, you all you have is fast food. Like you get used to that. And it really was a very fond time in our life because you don't have anybody, but you and your spouse or your family are kind of like the people on the ranch. So you didn't really have many, many things. So you had to to make sure the things were right in your, in your reach. So, and it sounds like you guys have truly just really bloomed, blossomed wherever you planted. And I think that's the beauty.
00:07:40
Speaker
life and I'm actually up on so much wisdom you're dropping because um you being a few seasons ahead of me I am like hanging on to every word you're saying like okay so you're right we don't have to have it all figured out we don't have to have it and I know a lot of our listeners out there are that same way so along the same lines yeah we love a good meet cute story a good Love story.
Romance and Early Marriage Struggles
00:08:00
Speaker
so please share with us. Yes. Your, it sounds like short lived. Yes. Meet cute dating scene um as to how you landed or actually not how you landed your husband, how he landed you. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. I remind him that all the time. Good. You should. Yeah. What did they say? Like know your worth and add tax. Absolutely.
00:08:18
Speaker
Yes. Yeah, so my husband, Connor Grokett, we've been married for almost nine years, which is crazy to think about. We were just reminiscing about that on our trip up here. So yeah, crazy think about. Been together for nine, almost 10 years, I guess this is how long we've been together. But yeah, my husband and I were met and married in 10 months.
00:08:36
Speaker
That's crazy. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my goodness. if If our daughters come up to us and say, mom and dad, we're getting married. Like, oh, man, nope. Their dad is going to shut that down really fast. yeah It's one of those things that we have. ah We learned a lot at the beginning and we're still learning every day now. I remember it's it's funny now to think about because my sister came in for our wedding.
00:08:59
Speaker
And she hadn't met Connor at that point, of course, because we were just 10 months in. A lot of my family hadn't met Connor at that point. so we were, you know, getting ready for the wedding the night before. And she asked me, she's like, Caitlin, does does Connor have a sense of humor? And I couldn't answer the question.
00:09:15
Speaker
answer the question. Come to find out he's hilarious. And I, he's, he's so much fun and so funny to be around. So honestly, I'm thankful that happened because I had to kind of like fake it till I make i was like, yeah, I know him so well. And then we got married and then here we are. It was honestly like we have, we've been on a journey and really our marriage, I think is a big testament of God's grace because we honestly should not be together. There were many times where we were like, okay, this is not gonna work out. We're gonna, are Yes, it was really, I mean, there were those moments where it was like, I am not a proponent of divorce, especially if, if there's anything that can be done to save it. But there were times where, man, we were, we had our hands in the air and God really restored. God stepped in and really saved our marriage. And now I look back and, you know, nine years in and i am so grateful because my life has been so blessed by my relationship with my husband and he's restored that. So, um,
00:10:14
Speaker
It's been really, really special. So to your original question of like how we met. yes So Connor Grokett competed with the the Working Ranch Cowboys Association and they have a finals every year in Amarillo. And so in 2015, he was at the finals and he rode a heck of a bucking horse called Betty White and he got bucked off and it was a heck of a it was this huge wreck um in in the arena and I remember looking at me like man that's a handy cowboy like man he's like he's got this stuff she was a tough horse but he I just like I remembered him from that moment and so um fast forward a couple of months and I get this Facebook message which I honestly hate if I'm being honest I hate saying like I'm on
00:10:57
Speaker
that's my spouse through a social media network, you know? but yes yeah But like, i didn't respond. So like I this, this cowboy reached out to me. Uh huh, I um He was like, Hey, beautiful. And I was like, i don't know this guy. Like, I don't know.
00:11:12
Speaker
on this guest, so I'm not going to respond. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's funny to think about now. holds it against me. So it's definitely, it's definitely fun. But um then I responded and then that was kind of the beginning of it. And so at that time, he wanted to to meet up and we we're going to go on a date. So at that time, I was on Christmas break. Thank for school. And so he was, of course, ran ranching, like he was two and a half hours away from my parents' house.
00:11:38
Speaker
And so he was going to come visit me and we were going to go on a date and I was going to make it ah a big thing. And he didn't show like an hour before he was supposed to show up. He let me know. He's like, hey, I'm not going to be able to make it.
00:11:52
Speaker
And I was like, ah no, but this is not going to work out then. And he was like, are you available tomorrow? And he gave me this excuse. And he was like, yeah, man, we're like we're working yearlings like we're turning out. I cannot get away in time to make it over there. And I'm like, yeah, yeah, those cowboys. No, I was at this point in my life and in my relationships. I was like.
00:12:13
Speaker
Nope. if Like this is not going to work out. And so he asked me if I was available the next day, came and he visited and um I made up some excuse, but I was like, I can be flexible though. I guess like I played hard to get. Meanwhile, you're like free, wide open free. Right. Exactly. I'm like, okay, you're a minute late, this is off Yes, he showed up early. So thank goodness. So so we we got together to hit it off really, really well, thankfully. And then I went, I left and I moved to Wyoming. No, I moved to Montana.
00:12:44
Speaker
Yes. Yes. I moved to Montana for the summer. Okay. And tell me why you did. Yes. told me off camera, but. Yes, yes, yes, yes. So I just completely misspoke. I moved to Montana in the winter.
00:12:56
Speaker
um So the end of January, I moved up to Sand Springs, Montana, to Cowboy and Cowbuck Heifers there with the L.O. Bar Ranch. So they are a wonderful family up there. They were excited to have...
00:13:10
Speaker
a teeny tiny little girl from Oklahoma come and like see if she was tough enough to brave. be brave boy Yeah. Yeah. Brave a Northern winter on, on Cavanaugh heifers. So went there. So Connor and I just started dating and then I was gone for a few months and then, um yeah, it earn yeah, it was hard. Yeah, for sure. And had no service.
00:13:33
Speaker
Absolutely none. Okay. And so those 10 months that we, we knew each other before we got married, they really were very long distance. And so we had some really interesting conversations, you know, like between time zone changes and, and spotty service. But yeah, it was, it was really interesting. Came back, um, a couple months later, he proposed on mother's day. I remember, and then we were married in, in October. yeah,
00:14:02
Speaker
Yeah. Did you ever have like a moment of like, Oh no. Um, did you just know my, my personality is like an all or nothing. So it was like, Nope.
00:14:14
Speaker
I'm like, we're doing it or we're not dude. And so I was at a point in my life where I was, I was ready. Um, I was ready. And so I, yeah, we jumped in and I think all of our family and friends had those moments where it was like the this is too soon, but we're like, see ya.
00:14:30
Speaker
Be there or not, we're getting married. Well, I love that you were so real to talk about the hard part too because my girlfriends and I chat about all the time. We're in a fun season where where you, as you know, everyone's in a different, like like you already are married and almost for a decade and you have kids and stuff and then some girls are just starting to get married, just starting. Yes.
00:14:48
Speaker
um I'm right in the middle. We've been married for almost three years and I cannot lie to you. The first year was really hard. We decided not to live together just as you guys. i mean, you didn't have a chance to really.
00:14:59
Speaker
And he grew up with a brother and I grew up with a son. We thought we were selfless because we loved each other. But like there were times when I would cry in the closet and he's going to kill me for saying this, but there were times that he crying in the shower and we both have to like meet each other at our worst yes vulnerable places. yeah But you're so right. The Lord restores and we laugh about it now. We're like, yeah, we're so thankful for the hardest first season because we are so good now because yes yeah and um so i really appreciate you being real and yeah and sharing your story that's like so big thank you thank you to understand how important that is yes okay but something i held on to i really think that it's so cute that connor is so proud of you and he like made sure to throw it in yeah um as we're talking about your timeline and cute story and all that you're also senior in college and you mentioned graduating and all of that yes um
00:15:45
Speaker
But you were not only a like ah very involved college student, but you were like involved in everything. And I think I have a memory. I wanted to say it was homecoming, but I'm guessing I saw you through all the other organizations. So talk about your involvement in college, because right now there's a lot of girls that are um right around that season of like in college, about to go to their next step, wondering if they should be involved, do more or less.
00:16:05
Speaker
um But quick brag, shout out to your husband, Connor, for saying this. You graduated valedictorian, not only with a double my a double major and a minor, but as a valedictorian 4.0 at Oklahoma State. That is amazing.
00:16:18
Speaker
Congratulations on that. 10 years later. Nine years later, I won't aid you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Honestly, like that, God is so kind to me because he gave me opportunities and honestly gave me the energy to explore them and to step into them. And so there were a lot of people along the way that honestly mentored me along the way.
00:16:40
Speaker
um i have a big motor in general. Sometimes that's my biggest strength. Sometimes that's my biggest weakness. yeah And so I was honestly just open to opportunities. and So if you're in college, I think a big ah big piece of advice I would have for folks is just be open to opportunities, regardless of what you're interested in, whether it be agriculture or something completely different, get involved.
00:17:05
Speaker
We are the weakest when we're by ourselves. And so we've got to find people who not only are like-minded, but also who may be different in some cases to challenge us, make us stronger, make us better people.
00:17:18
Speaker
And so you can't do that alone. and so you can't go to college. Sometimes people are going from small towns to bigger universities or even junior colleges, like of any, when you're making a big transition from going from maybe living and you're in a town that you're very comfortable or familiar with, with all the friends that you have or your family, to something completely different and new,
00:17:41
Speaker
You have to find people to help hold you accountable, to help keep you safe, and also make sure that you're fostering community along the way. So there's so many opportunities.
00:17:52
Speaker
It's easy to get caught up chasing everything, chasing everything and it's easy to get caught up and maybe doing nothing. So honestly, one step at a time, find what you like, find people who you can trust, and then just get involved.
00:18:07
Speaker
That is such wisdom. Thank you. Because like, I'm even looking at that in real world, not even college. And I'm like, that's so true. Like, I couldn't do life alone, let alone like without my girlfriends or without my family.
00:18:20
Speaker
Yeah, that's so true. Thank you. And I would imagine that you had a all huge amount of people surround you at such an early age with horse
Overcoming a Severe Horse Accident
00:18:30
Speaker
accidents. So um tell us a little bit about what happened. I obviously know the story because I followed and followed you on social media. But it's so, i think it's a huge part of your testimony that like you continue to like,
00:18:44
Speaker
have things come at you and you'd, you overcome them. And so ah share your story with us and with our audience, because I know that they're going to chills just listen. Thank you so much. So when I was 11 years old I went out to to check a couple set a cows and at the time I was working with a little filly that didn't know much.
00:19:04
Speaker
I honestly am not a horse person. I mean, I'm a horse person, yes but I'm not a horseman and by any means. So ah love it. But um I was 11, so i was pretty green. You were fresh. Even greener than i am now, yes.
00:19:17
Speaker
And so I had kind of a makeshift to bozzle on my horse's head. So I didn't have a bit in her mouth. And I went to to get off this horse to shed a gate I had just come through. And when I went to get back on her, she spooked. She was just a three-year-old filly.
00:19:32
Speaker
And took off and I had no control. And so when she took off, I got hung up. My so my foot was caught in my syrup and she took off and drug me for about 150 yards. And then my face hit a stump that was sticking out of the ground.
00:19:47
Speaker
She, of course, went way, she went home. Yeah. um and And I just laid there. And and so I had ah pretty horrific horse accident as a result of that.
00:19:59
Speaker
i was I was in pretty bad shape. Yeah. my yeah My family was told throughout this process, i was med flighted to a regional hospital to to undergo some pretty significant surgeries and procedures.
00:20:12
Speaker
Through the process, though, my family was was prepared for the worst. The doctors and physicians, they they didn't give me much hope to walk or talk again. I was as put into a medically induced coma.
00:20:27
Speaker
And it was kind of a wait and see game. And so after ah few weeks later, after i was awake and able to kind of process what was happening to me, I then learned that Through all the reconstructive surgery, they did really great work.
00:20:45
Speaker
um Half my ear was ripped off. My eye socket was crushed. my The right side of my face was completely um completely smashed, essentially. So through that process, I get discharged from the hospital. And then a few weeks later, I find out that my right eye is is not in good enough shape to keep.
00:21:06
Speaker
And so I had to have it removed immediately. Through that process, it was it was challenging because so much could have so many more things could have gone wrong.
00:21:18
Speaker
I honestly could have lost my life. That's what my family was prepared for. And that's what the doctors honestly were expecting. I would either lose my life or I would never walk or talk again.
00:21:30
Speaker
And so It was a few months to process that. And I remember my mom actually brought this up to me the other day. She asked me pretty quickly after my accident if I blamed God because of the accident.
00:21:44
Speaker
And in my response um at the time was, I can't ah can't blame God because he saved my life. And so honestly, like throughout, throughout this process, it's, it's one of those things that we all have moments of impact in our life.
00:22:00
Speaker
I'm truly thankful that mine happened at 11 because that set me, that set me up to have a really purpose-driven perspective through my life. And so regardless of if it was a high school opportunity, a college opportunity, my career, my personal life today, you really have to come face to face with the reality that if you have a breath today, if you're given today as a gift, you're there for a purpose and you have to spend your life really seeking out the role that God has for you still.
00:22:32
Speaker
Cause if you're here, you have one. So that's really the perspective I'm thankful for to have gotten at a young age. So every step and opportunity I've had has been with that in mind of like, okay, Lord, you've got an opportunity for me.
00:22:45
Speaker
Let's go. Give me what I need in order to pursue it. And let me be vessel. That's just, and I am all because even i hadn't heard that many else. Yes, ma'am.
00:22:58
Speaker
First of all, thank you. That's incredible. And I can't help but wonder, because like at 11, it's a pretty prominent time in your life. You're about to go through the weird middle school phase.
00:23:09
Speaker
Were you ever, were you ever shocked? Yeah. Yeah. No, that's a great, that brings up a really great point. Thanks for asking it. So when I, I was homeschooled until I was
Living with Purpose and Transitioning to Public School
00:23:20
Speaker
in high school. And so freshman year, i wanted to get into FFA in order to get into FFA, I needed to go to the public school.
00:23:26
Speaker
So I went to the public school and I, of course, like another prominent time was like really like from 11 to, you know, like ah probably 17. Like those are my most awkward years. I like to think I've come out of them a little bit, but there was definitely a lot of things I learned and developed through that time. But absolutely. So I going to a small school grew up. I mean, the town I grew up in the school I went to very, very small, very close knit community, but I wasn't really a part of it, honestly, until I went to high school. And then I had an excuse to develop relationships with the people that were my age and kind of the families in those areas. sit at go sit at Sonic. to the football games.
00:24:06
Speaker
yeah Right, right, right, right. Cause I was just a ranch kid. I mean, like I loved it. So, I mean, I stayed home, ranched with my dad, rode horses, like all of those things and and love that part of my life. But when I got to high school, I was very different from a lot of the kids that I went to school with. A lot of my peers, aye was very clear because of my accident at 11. I knew who I was. Like I knew I was a child of God and I had a really strong purpose in front of me. And so Every time I had an opportunity, I took it.
00:24:34
Speaker
And in small schools, there's nothing but opportunity because they just need warm bodies. You know, they just need people with an appetite to do And so that was really, that was really kind of like one thing I was already different because I was very strong in my faith.
00:24:50
Speaker
Thankfully, I knew exactly who I was. and knew I had a purpose. And so i got into those ah got into school and thankfully, because there were so many opportunities, I was successful.
00:25:01
Speaker
So there was a lot of opportunities. Again, took what God gave me and and ran with it. And um there were a lot of people that did not care for me. And that was it was, so whether it was an I thing or it was it was another thing. Horse girl thing. Right. think Really anything.
00:25:18
Speaker
I was just different. I was different than everyone around me. And honestly, that fueled me. And that's really important to me is is my platform and in my motto in life is really the idea that everyone deserves the right to be unlike anyone else.
00:25:33
Speaker
And so hey ah hate a trendy culture, honestly. Like I do everything. That's why I've been off Instagram for five years is because I'm like, okay, like I just need to step back. trends. Right, exactly, right. yeah And so that's really, honestly, it fueled that in me. It fueled that individualism in me of just wanting, honestly,
00:25:52
Speaker
at that moment when people would say mean things, when folks would would seemingly attack me, it was it was almost fueled to just to be better, to be stronger, and to seek kind of perspective and support from people that I knew would would push me back to the Lord and would push me back to what would actually get me further in my life. And that was not responding to those kind of accusations and and attacks, I think. So um Yeah, it it's definitely, it made me stronger, which is hard because bullying can look different for everyone, right?
00:26:26
Speaker
But it it definitely, I was thankful for honestly, kind of the ridicule so that it would set me up for success in my future. And you did, you did exactly what was best.
00:26:39
Speaker
Take it and let it be. Yep. That's like so inspiring. And I see a lot of my younger self in as well because there's a lot of like, Small town has its own thing. I love it. I wouldn't trade foreign world. I would love to back to a small town, but um for sure, there's it's like a lot of smaller challenges that you Yes.
00:26:56
Speaker
And I hate that we're like talking about things that are so heavy. So I'm going to kind of shift it a little bit. But part of this, like I'm genuinely curious about since you've had such a like a strong overcomer story.
00:27:08
Speaker
Was there anyone that you ever to kind of be through your faith? Because obviously at 11, you couldn't know everything about the Bible. Yes. You couldn't know everything about whatever. So who did you look up to?
00:27:18
Speaker
Talk to. Thank you for this question. So my mom, Phyllis McKibben, but is the most incredible person. I'm going to cry. my gosh, I'm going to cry. Don't cry.
00:27:29
Speaker
I'm apologetically, I'm going to cry here. Good. So Phyllis McKibben is is my mama and she is a powerhouse in her faith. Oh my goodness. She has the power of ah the Holy Spirit just like flowing through her veins. And so having that as a child,
00:27:47
Speaker
And watching that even to into adulthood and seeing her with my kids, it's it's been such a gift because I realized that few people get that. And my mom is, anyone who meets my mom, they get the exact same feeling. So she just radiates the Holy Spirit. And so thank you for the question because i she is that for me. I mean,
00:28:10
Speaker
she's She's just wonderful. And she'll be the first to remind me exactly how the Lord has has come through in my life. Anytime I ask a question or anytime I'm i'm doubting something, she will bring up 10,000 examples of how the Lord was there for us, how he made a way, how he moved obstacles for us. And so honestly, my mama, man.
00:28:29
Speaker
Thank the Lord for. I did not mean to make you cry. I'm so sorry. No, you're just fine. I would definitely do the same thing about my mom. It's really beautiful. I commend you too because seeing you be a mama that you are and seeing your kids, it's just a beautiful thing. But I have, I can't help but be genuine about your I situation.
00:28:50
Speaker
um what has been, talk talk us through some of the challenges because people probably don't look at you and notice that you have a prosthetic eye. people People can look at someone with um like an ah a limb and notice, okay, there's, you know, so you've probably had challenges through
Life with a Prosthetic Eye
00:29:03
Speaker
that. And then I remember on Instagram, you had done like a ah series on how to change out your prosthetic, not really how to change out, but like yes getting fitted and all of that stuff. So tell us that stuff, because that is so intriguing.
00:29:15
Speaker
Yes. So it's been a journey, but it's now been so, so long a part of my life. Like it's, you know, it's just part of me. So sometimes I honestly forget too. So when I had my eye removed, my original eye removed, you get a prosthetic. So you get a prosthetic eye and you it's, it's formed to your eye socket. It looks like just a really thick contact, but it's completely custom to your natural eye color.
00:29:38
Speaker
And so that is a whole thing. takes several days to complete. It has to be replaced every three to five years. So it's something that I'll continue to do throughout my life. So with with the whole process of going from two eyes to one,
00:29:52
Speaker
There are certain things that I am not good at because of it. So it is one of those things that you realize you have no depth perception when you only have one eye. And so if you can imagine 11 year old me and honestly, like 29 year old me here, you realize like, oh gosh, like that's further away or that's, that's closer. And honestly, I, I often just will like blame the fact if I like miss a calf or I miss a steer I'm like oh im sorry I thought it was closer than this like you know like it's a really good excuse and like my husband's like just rope the dang thing I'm like no that's fine I'm just having fun I'm just playing right exactly exactly so yeah it's something that I that that is the difference like you have to to kind of go into that and so because I also work
00:30:37
Speaker
in front of a screen or i work from a home office, I'm in front of a screen ah for many, many hours in a day. And so you realize like when you're not using your eyes just naturally and you're sitting in front of a stationary object, you realize like you don't blink very much.
00:30:50
Speaker
And so there are certain things as I've gotten older that you just have like chronic dry eye or you just realize some things might be a little bit harder without two eyes than with.
00:31:01
Speaker
Also, My poor husband, when he's trying to like teach me how to run a gun, it's like, oh, I'm right-handed. My right eye is the bad eye. And so it's it's kind of it's an interesting process to watch a right-handed person try to shoot gun. when they have to use their left hand. So that's, those are the harder things.
00:31:23
Speaker
Yeah. Honestly, the things that I would never think about because I am so clumsy and also i joke that I'm blind, but I i am, yeah I can't see close up or far away. So really realistically, I should be wearing glasses today and just forgot them.
00:31:34
Speaker
But, um, you, you quite literally have probably found yourself like hitting your head on things yeah or, okay. Yeah. That is a struggle too, that a lot of people don't have to. that's great and then um briefly i know because we could be here for a whole nother hour probably talking through the process is it hard or uncomfortable getting your eye refit or getting eye in yeah i remember the thing i remember specifically was there was like this little suction cup thing yes yes that seems cool too and weird yeah the process is fascinating and and i feel like i know way more about it now of course because gone through it several times yes
00:32:07
Speaker
It is uncomfortable. It's very uncomfortable. And a lot of people will ask me, like, do you take your eye out on a regular basis? No, I don't. I probably should. Honestly, I just get caught up yeah in life. But you have to, just like any other like prosthetic, you have to maintain it. You have to make sure that it's cleaned and sanitary and things like that. And so it is an uncomfortable process. But thankfully, fits perfectly now. So it's just part of me. yeah.
00:32:34
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. That is awesome. So cool. I've learned so much. Thank you for sharing. I mean, I'm like so intrigued. And then um before we go, i can't help but wonder, are you on the sourdough train?
00:32:44
Speaker
Oh my gosh. Are you a baker?
Community Connections Through Baking
00:32:48
Speaker
Yes, so that's honestly one of the things I do for fun is when I do have, I don't really get to have many hobbies right now at this season in my life, but one of the things i do, and this is actually really important to me, is to like anytime I make food or anytime I have a minute to make extra food or or sweets or something like that, I usually make extra for our neighbors or the folks in in our community that may not have yeah those things. And so I actually love it right now. I have gotten under the sourdough train. Like I'm not good at it. My gosh, I'm i'm horrible at it, but I'm committed.
00:33:24
Speaker
So I feel like all in i feel like we're going to keep the little starter alive to this point. that Yeah, we're so we're doing that. But generally, have all my bad loves. I feel so bad for our community. I'm like, here, it's the thought that counts. Like, made this for you.
00:33:40
Speaker
It may not taste good. but it's the thought that counts but that is really special because our our oldest daughter sonora who's four at this time she she'll often ask is this for us or for the neighbors and so i really like you have to as a parent you realize your kids are watching everything you do and so like all the good and the bad because there's plenty of bad things i'm like oh i wish you hadn't seen that but yeah that's a pretty special special thing that um our little ones are catching on too Yeah, that is something that's like a full time job.
00:34:08
Speaker
um Hats off to you. I have not tried it. I think at Easter, I'm going to sit my um grandma in law. So Tyler's grant my house grandma yeah down and have her I might even video the process because yes, this is something that I want to do. And I, I'm not good at growing things. I've never been able to keep a flower alive. Yeah. Yeah. So the idea of feeding a starter sounds a little easier because you kind of can forget about it and it might survive.
00:34:31
Speaker
Right. They're tough. yeah Yeah. So if you have any tips, feel free to send them our way. Like I, I need all the things I'm open to it, but that's probably on my list. So I figured with you having all of your experience and then also living as far away from things as you do, having the opportunity.
00:34:47
Speaker
your own bread. That's super cool. Have you done anything fun like cinnamon rolls or pizza? Oh yes, girl. I love carbs. So I've never met one I didn't like. So I love to make bread. Yes. Cookies, bread, anything. Yes. That's awesome. yes One day I'll be there.
00:35:01
Speaker
One day I'll be as cool as you. Oh gosh, you are so cool. Yes, you are well on your way. Well, I know you have another, that we're filming, you have another event coming up super soon. So I won't keep any longer, but Caitlin, this has been truly a breath of fresh air get to know you are a breath of light.
00:35:19
Speaker
And, um, I wish you the best in all that you do. yeah I'm so excited to follow and get to, I love hearing your, your songs and your music. And I don't know if you do that really much anymore. I know 2020 was like a big thing, but, yeah um, you're, you're so talented and to be able to as firm as you are in your faith.
00:35:38
Speaker
And I think at 29 too, like at 28, I look up to you so, so much. So thank you for never changing and conforming for the world and for continuing the generations in the Western lifestyle, but then also Jesus too.
00:35:52
Speaker
ah pretty but I'm so honored. Thank you so much for the time today. I've loved our conversation. course. You're the coolest. I'm like so excited for them to get to see you. And if you guys have any more questions, I know i have a million more questions. So um feel free to comment below or DM us on Instagram and we will for sure get your questions asked and answered.
00:36:12
Speaker
And as always, share this episode with your friends. Please tell everyone you know about it. Kaylin's story is so cool. And um join me in cheering her along as she is inaugurated or is added to the 2025 class of Cal Girl Magazine.
00:36:27
Speaker
a big deal. So proud of you. Thank you again, Kaylin. And thank you all for listening to the Kick Boots Up podcast. I'm your host, Taylor McAdams, and we'll see next time you pick up.
00:36:38
Speaker
Thanks for joining us on Kick Your Boots Up. I'm your host, Taylor McAdams, and we can't wait to share the next story of the West. Until then, feel free to like, subscribe, and leave us a review.
00:36:49
Speaker
Follow us on social media at Justin Boots to keep up with our next episode. And we'll see you the next time you kick your boots up.