These three brothers. They are God’s gift to me and to each other. Sure, there are less stable moments than unstable, and they could not be more different… but God designed Lifa, Benjamin and Wyatt each with a very special capacity for brotherly love. I pray they will be lifelong friends, always calling out the best in each other, and continually overcoming every obstacle with their unity.

This kid IS the vibe. He’s picked up a bad habit of screaming, “WHAT THA HECK!?!” over this school holiday. He loves his brothers fiercely, and his only volume is SCREAM. Wyatt is one of those kinds of people that brings energy to a room, makes the house feel alive, and can get a whole household working for him without us even realizing it!

Our beloved van might have had its last adventure, and we’re back to being a one-car family for now. We’re still in the thick of a long, hot summer holiday. The people (specifically, me) are going crazy.

But here’s the cool thing... We’ve unintentionally written some default codes into our family system for a time such as this…

There is no one on earth like Lifa.

We are traversing some of our hardest days with Benjamin right now. I’ve found the end of myself, and my tank feels empty. And then Lifa jumps in the van for a trip to the park. He sits under a tree and plays ninja turtles. He makes heavy times lighter just by being there. He embodies family in the way family was meant to be - the sticks with you, rain or shine, goes along for the ride kind of family….

We got an opportunity to show some love to a women’s shelter in Athlone called Carehaven. A building that was last painted over 20 years ago finally gets a face lift. We’re going back in the new year to finish the bars the other side of the facility.

Better question: How many times did Wyatt shout, “I’M RIGHT!” when he guessed the right answer?

We kicked off school holiday with a tour of a sea bird conservatory and rehabilitation facility. Wyatt was absolutely FERAL. He and I were asked to leave the tour for the sake of the penguins. But not before he answered the tour guide’s questions correctly with his favorite number.

How many times a day does a penguin poop? ONE HUNDRED.

We went ALL OUT for Thanksgiving this year! The Church Home family gave their time, talent, treasure - AND they invited their friends. It was our most epic celebration yet! We served a full traditional American Thanksgiving menu and feasted on the power of gratitude in God’s Word.

We collected donations for a local women and children’s shelter and look forward to a serve day there in a couple of weeks.

We are FULL of turkey, pie, and, most importantly, soul-satiating gratitude for the people God has placed in our lives.

We celebrated Lifa this weekend!

Mr. Nathan (Lifa's tutor, mentor and friend since grade 4) joined our family for taco night and a game of "Would You Rather" around the table. We took an intermission for table clearing and soccer, and then came inside to watch this video.

There’s honestly nothing else to say. I made them wear helmets. I told them they couldn’t scream too loud if they got hurt because it would disturb the neighbors. And that was it. The Ladd boys became skater boys. At least for this week.

I just got home from Church Home’s Ladies Alpha weekend, and I am changed. Eating, laughing, worshiping, fetching water, studying scripture, watching baboons, making jewelry, and everything else… it was all spiritual. God was in it all. We gathered in His name, and His love permeated every silly photo and deep conversation. He ushered in hope and healing through it all.

There is nothing more important than this. Get to know God. Plant yourself in His house. Love and be loved by His people. The rest is fleeting.

Rondebosch Boys High School E25 Valedictory was one for the books. We got to commemorate the end of Lifa’s extraordinary high school career with grandparents, friends and overflowing memories. Pray for Lifa and the other matrics as they endure another month of national exams. And then… 💨 It’s done!

Lifa, you are set apart by God…

Chris’ parents are here! Today was our first day together. GoGo Sherry joined us for soccer practice, and everyone gathered around the coffee table for bedtime dominoes.

Sometimes I get caught up in my grief over living so far away from our parents. But days like today remind me of the power of love. It holds fast, doesn’t lose shape, and grows from a distance. Our kids never skipped a beat, and the house felt so much better with them here.

They had uncovered every bug on our property before 7am - and brought them all inside for me to see. So hit the park for some fresh bug hunting terrain. You just never know what a Saturday morning’s going to be until you get there.

We’ve found another happy place in our beautiful city. The Atlantic Seaboard promenade is not new to us - but exploring the rock pools at low tide has become our new favorite pastime this spring. (We’ve been three times in a week.) Benjamin catches crabs. Wyatt plucks pin cushion stars and throw rocks. We fill our faithful traveling aquarium (a plastic measuring cup). And we always pause to reflect on the Creator. The infinite details. The immeasurably loving masterpiece. He is so much more than good. But He is indeed so so good.

The beginning of the ends has begun. Yesterday, my first baby towered over me as a full-blown man and endured my photo requests like a champion.

Matric Dance is an extravagant event for grade 12’s that commemorates the entirety of their high school years. In American context, it’s kind like a culmination of prom and project graduation.

Tomorrow marks ten years of being husband and wife, but we joke that we should count in “dog years” for all the life we’ve lived in the last decade.

A pastor’s wife game me “The Power of a Praying Wife” by Stormie Omartian when we got married. She reads through the book every year, so I thought I’d give it a try too. It has become a powerhouse in my life! I’ve learned to pray Scripture, been continuously turned to Biblical order, and been awestruck again and again as I’ve watched God move for my husband and our family.

I go to Honest Chocolate Cafe every year on my birthday. The darling courtyard in the middle of town holds a special place in my heart. It’s in walking distance to the lawyers offices we’ve frequented - physical spaces that symbolize years of pursuing justice and breakthrough. We always stopped by Honest Chocolate for a taste of chocolate-flavored redemption after a heavy legal appointment.

Another Friday. Another field.
Jam was there to play some serious rugby. Wyatt was absolutely unhinged. He brought the best kind of combination of soccer, basketball, rugby, and spontaneous dance moves. This is one of those videos I made for myself to watch over and over. The dance solo at the end is next level.

We are so excited for September 1st! Church Home is having another gathering at Gangstar Cafe. Pray for us as we reach out and invite people. We believe God has us here to create a safe place for people to experience Jesus and His Church. We’re taking it one step, one day at a time, and seeing what He does.

I LOVE this promo video Chris made. I think it captures the heart so well. Make sure your sound is on!

I didn’t have the mental or physical bandwidth to hit my weightlifting goals this week. (And the goals are minimal!) BUT today I showed up anyway. My most important commitment was never lifting weights for 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week. It’s much more about stewarding my life well. He pre-paid for it with His Son’s. I’ve committed to God, my family and myself to keep showing up with what I’ve got. Today that looked like a short run in the sunshine. It got my endorphins flowing and reminded my spirit to keep showing up, even if it’s not the original plan…