Sometimes I worry about our "YES" to remain in South Africa.

Chris and I wholeheartedly know God has authored every step of our story, and we are right where we are supposed to be. It is our joy to love and lead Southpoint Church.

I worry about the repercussions of my kids growing up without their grandparents, cousins, and extended family members. I wonder what it's like for foreign soil to be your only familiar soil.

I took this picture of Wyatt for the boys in the background.

We've been in an extra-challenging season, learning to new sides of Benjamin's PDA profile of autism. I've been posting brotherly bonds and family adventures as a banner over us. We're still doing the things that matter. We choose these moments to mark us.

Benjamin lives with an unusual form of autism called Extreme Demand Avoidance.

Most people's primary drive is survival. Our brains will do anything to ensure we have food, water, and air. Benjamin, and kids like him, have a primary drive for autonomy and equality.

If you've followed along with us, you've probably read that Benjamin struggles with an unusual form of autism. We've developed a great support team in the last 12 months, but there is no better support system than his big brother. I just had to sneak a few pictures this morning of this unexplainable love in action.

My mom just spent seven glorious weeks with us in Cape Town. We said goodbye last night, and she is on a plane back to America now. Mom stayed in the apartment connected to our house, and Benjamin asked to go to "Gosa's house" every morning as soon as he woke up….

Happy New Year! To tell you the truth, I can hardly remember the last weeks of 2022. Wyatt got strep throat, a virus and then a sinus infection. I had mastitis. My mom came in town. And we moved! My 2022 ended at 10pm because I knew 2023 was going to start early, and I was already wildly sleep-deprived. But here we are now, all settled in to a beautiful place God has provided, cherishing moments with my mom, and enjoying a Cape Town summer together. We are healthy, and the small people are finally sleeping again.

There was a lot of a lot in 2022. Here's a "Year in Review" in bullet points!

Kacy: "Hey Benjamin, do you think God gave you special powers?"

Benjamin: "YESSSS!"

Kacy:"What are they?"

Benjamin: "VEGETABLES!"

Welcome to the Ladd Family Update! If you're reading this, THANK YOU. We are so grateful for a relationship with you and a few minutes of your time. We hope to hear back from you and have an opportunity to invest in you - you matter!

I grew up in Texas . Country music was always on the radio, and my family played penny and nickel poker when we got together. Maybe that's why Kenny Rogers' lyrics played through my mind on Wednesday when I just didn't know what to do.

We had a baby! And we officially miss you.

It's high time for a Ladd family update. Let’s jump right to the highlight reel, shall we?

We dropped our 2-year olds at school, paused responsibilities, and met at a cafe to celebrate our "South African birthdays". Melanie and I are both American missionaries who came to South Africa solo in January 2010, never expecting to start families and build lives here. We became fast friends when we met a few years ago, both trying to figure out how to care for our newborns a hemisphere away from our home churches and families. Our sons ADORE each other, and it's a precious gift to find a friend that understands both my home culture and the beautiful tension of cross-cultural families.

The South African school year has just started up, and Lifa is loving life back on the all-boys high school campus. This time he's not the new guy - but an "experienced" grade 9. (High school begins in grade 8 here.)

There is passionate group of praying moms who faithfully meet on the school's sports field twice a month to pray over the school, students, our families and futures. We know our boys are longing to find their own ways in this world, and we are committed to not leaving them unarmed for the battles they'll face. In this stage of life, that often happens by praying behind the scenes. It's faithful moms, battling together on the bleachers.

It's my South African birthday! 🥳 I landed in South Africa for the first time on 14 January 2010... 12 years ago!

After five years of single-parenting, God gave me an incredible husband. Since we've moved from America, we've lost all of our grandparents without goodbyes. We've missed a generation of weddings, babies, and milestones - as well as pizza nights and Saturdays with our parents, siblings and cousins. We fused together a family in strange and lonely circumstances, and have since been impacted by mass injustice, corruption, brokenness and oppression.

I have polished off two watermelons since Friday. It has been HOT in Cape Town. Saturday was a real scorcher. Unfortunately for my family, there is a force within me telling me to nest that is just as strong as the watermelon-consuming force. Instead of taking it easy in the heat, I did 4 loads of laundry and started deep-cleaning.

I hit my boiling point that afternoon and took the kids to the beach for respite - both from my nesting and the pulsing heat of our house. The other 4 million residents of Cape Town had the same idea and were packed like sardines along the coastline, streets and grassy banks.

It feels like my children's holiday break will never end, and this mama is ready to nest! I loaded my darling boys in the car yesterday and said, "We're going to run errands." Benjamin spent the rest of the day trying to figure out whose house "errands" was and when we'd finally get there. 🤣

I wanted to share an article I wrote for Help Club for Moms with you. I LOVE extra opportunities to write and teach - because that’s when I learn the most. I wrote this article weeks ago during a very stressful time. I remember the pending deadline to submit an article about the Word of God and feeling overwhelmed about what to say. But isn’t that always where God shows up?

Last week, we found out we are expecting a healthy baby boy in April! We rejoiced over our blessings, and tears of grief stung my face simultaneously. My first pregnancy in 2018 was very brief. Our daughter, Annabel Brave, was born straight into heaven. Moments after seeing a hearty baby boy dance around my womb, I lamented for my little girl like it was the day I lost her.

Keep Reading…. Baby Ladd gender reveal is here!

A mom's love is a crazy thing. Truly. Tiny people take over our bodies, hearts, and minds - and occupy every millimeter of personal space and time that previously existed. Some days you can't wait for them to go to sleep, only to stay up late watching videos of them or praying for them.

Happy Heritage Day, South Africa! 🇿🇦 Many South Africans will fire up their braai's today, and some will don traditional clothing and dance as we celebrate the cultural wealth of the nation. Cultural celebrations resound with belonging as we come around shared history, songs, food, and clothing that remind us of where we came from.

I remember tearfully leaving my grandmother's house the day I moved to South Africa in 2010…

Have you ever known "Smash Into A Wall Grace"? It's a real thing. Chris and I have learned over the years to think differently when life starts feeling upside down. We do a double-take when a perfectly life-giving routine suddenly feels like repeated toe-stubbing... or bull-dozing.