Our kids aren’t keeping score. They are learning to live by the ways we live. So, today, live loved. And tomorrow, live loved. You can write a legacy of love through your bests and your worsts.

On Monday morning, Chris and I took turns catching and containing Benjamin over two warm-is cups of coffee. We wanted to connect before the hustle of a new week began. Last week I didn’t even have time to make my calendars, and the whole system broke! I needed this connection with my husband more than I needed to breathe. I told Chris I’m so excited and so happy for all the opportunities, people, and things there are to do. But I have no idea how to do them or where to even start.

Last week TWO different people told me Benjamin and Lifa look alike...  Spoiler alert: They are not biologically related. This is technically impossible.

 Yet, somehow, they kinda do. Benjamin’s all-time favorite person is Lifa. Chris and I got trumped by big brother a long time ago. The moment Benjamin sees his brother, he erupts into shrieks, squeals and laughter. It’s the best!

The holiday season has ended, offices are opening, and the world is going back to normal. But we just received a Christmas package from my mom. And while I write this, I’m looking at six 12-year old boys (on one couch - with an empty one right next to them) chattering about Christmas gifts and watching Spiderman. We’re clinging on to Christmas morning and special family moments as long as we can over here! So, as you go back to work and un-holiday your house, I’m going to share a Christmas story.  

The week between Christmas and New Years feels like a wonderful secret. You don’t have to clean up Christmas decorations yet. You don’t have to go to work. There’s not a lot of have-to’s. The whole world seems a little off schedule. I wanted to steal a few Saturday moments to say hello and share with you why there’s been no Ladd Family stories or Friday Fives for a while. Spoiler alert: there is finally no “you should write a book about this” reason! No one got hit by a car, needs surgery, had a baby, is dealing with major corruption, or is up to their ears in legal drama this time.  Yippee!!

I have a vision. My eyes don’t see it, but my heart does. So I set the table by heart instead of sight. 

On Tuesdays, I pack a bin full of anything pretty I can find in my house. Tablecloths from the linen closet. The vase of flowers from the kitchen. The candles from the bathrooms. The colorful candy dishes. The frames and decor scattered around the house. And the fruit bowl. 

It’s Heritage Day in South Africa! Today is a public holiday to commemorate the cultural wealth of this rainbow nation. Some culture groups dress in traditional clothing, make special food, and celebrate with tribal dances. Some gather around the braai (BBQ pit!) - so many, in fact, that many call Heritage Day “National Braai Day”.  We’re celebrating Ladd Family heritage today.

I don’t like TV. Or screens in general, really. I could live forever with no TV... but the boys. 

My man loves a good screen-veg. If he gets a chance for a down day, Chris likes to turn on the most boring show Netflix has to offer to nap to. (He wakes up if we try to change it to say he was watching it, and it was “pretty interesting”.) He takes brain breaks with an extraordinarily random assortment of YouTube videos. We even have a screensaver playing from our TV when we play music. 

Five years ago, I was buying bricks and building a house. Not just any house - a house named Glory House. Glory House was a vision from God - a way to live out the purpose He shaped me with. To be Mom of the house in order to strengthen families and build His family… A lot has changed since then! 

Tia and 14-year old Ray visited us last week. There aren’t enough words to put to it - two miracle families finally coming face to face after one pivotal dinner and years of facebook messages. Chris and Lifa had never met Tia, and none of us had met Ray. Lifa was just happy their names were easy to spell for the chalkboard. He had no idea what was coming. 

On Sunday night we sat in our living room with two cooing babies, a toddler with her art supplies, and a couple of couches full of real people. One woman had left her husband that morning after learning that the adulterous relationship from 2013 was still active. Another woman came late because she had a sick child and was caught up in the boughs of an unbearably oppressive home life. Another family is getting ready to welcome baby #3 into the world and has no idea where this baby's car seat or crib will fit into their very compact life.

The expert reveals all: Interviewing Lifa after 3 months of being a big brother

Our stories anchor us. They shape our values, and help us find where we fit. 

We need to hear them, know them and practice them. We need the opportunity to write redemption into them where we need it, and sprinkle celebration through our self-images. 

The Ladd house typically runs like a well-oiled machine. There are colour-coded calendars, two-week study projections, and weekly meal plans with dinner ingredients stored in the “Do Not Touch” drawer of the refrigerator. We’ve found our family’s flow by implementing routine, order and life-giving family dinners in the midst of a nation filled with unexpecteds….

This weekend, I had the most beautiful, wonderful, lovely baby shower! My darling friend, Kelly asked me months ago if she could host it for me. Even then, it took my breath away. Somewhere in a subconscious vector of my mind, I had written in some self-protecting mechanisms. I’d created disclaimers for myself and others to minimise expectations and disappointments.

The Year of the Brave was full of life, loss, conquering, crying, incredible need, and being met in that need by the God who holds it all.  

In the Year of the Brave, we won rugby “Forward of the Year”, learned how to swim, worked so hard academically, and doubled the size of our family – two in heaven and one growing right here with his mama.

Today I remembered allllll the way back to 2010 when I first met Lifa. Here's the first story I ever wrote about him - when I thought I was just charmed by his guava-lovin' smile and would only know him for a short season of life. It's hilarious that I even finished the post jokingly saying, "Mom, can I keep him?" You just never know what God's intentions are for the people He sets in your path. Love them well today. Check out this post for pics of sweet baby Lifa at 2 years old!

REPOST FROM APRIL 9, 2010

I'm so excited about this week! In my previous story (Learning How To High School), I shared my current battle between reasoning, questioning and just plain remembering what is TRUE by remembering what God has brought us through. I'm celebrating God's faithfulness and welcoming in even more of His goodness this week by reaching back into the archives and posting stories on our website that have never been seen there before! This is one a personal favorite... and it's about CAKE! Please enjoy this story from August 24, 2014.

Cape Town was cookin’ last week! Just a few weeks into spring, and the highs were in the 90’s everyday. (I’m speaking Fahrenheit today. Cape Town friends, you know how hot it was!) I’m carrying a sweet potato-sized human and had to jump into our swimming pool intermittently throughout the day to keep me and this potato baby from baking! (Fahrenheit friends, there is no central air in homes or schools here.)

Between consuming three bags of ice, dipping in the pool and making some exciting church plans, I toured three high schools last week. Yes, that’s right… I said HIGH SCHOOL.

Our first family camping trip was April 2016. We were at Kruger National Park, and it was hot. We went on morning and evening game drives, and sat in the pool during the heat of the day. Pure Ladd Family bliss. Chris and I had only been married for 7 months, and we were perfectly content as a family of three.

As we plopped ourselves into the campsite pool one morning, I told Chris that God had given me a funny vision during the night. “I think He showed me that our first biological child’s middle name should be Brave.”