While I’m up extra early with Benjamin every morning, Chris makes the coffee and jumps right into a quiet time and a super early start to his work day. He winds down on the couch in the evenings while I work. We always try to go to bed together, even if I have to wake Chris up from the couch after I finish up for the night.

I have to buy Benjamin a new pair of pants today because ALL of his pants are wet and muddy. Good news! The Cape Town drought is OVER! Just a little over a year ago, we were all showering in buckets and recycling water too many times just so the city would not run completely dry. Now I CANNOT keep my child dry! We’ve been cold and wet for days, and we are celebrating! Benjamin is especially celebrating.

Boom. Clap. Boom. Clap.

The sound on the kitchen counter during breakfast this morning. Lifa was trying to teach Benjamin how to slap his palms down on the countertop and then clap to make a beat. It was adorable. Benjamin will do anything Lifa does. (Which is not always adorable.)

My sister is very pregnant, and I’m dyyyyyyying to touch that belly. I want to celebrate pregnancy milestones with her so badly I’ve started craving what I ate while I was pregnant. (Note: I am definitely not pregnant! It’s just a very weird way I’m responding to missing my sis!)

I’m so happy you’re here. Really. I feel like you and I have a special thing when you’re here. Like oceans, continents, not even pandemics can keep us apart. I feel like you’ve been to my house, gotten glimpses of my heart, and have been completely inundated with photos of my children.

I want to tell you about a short series of small events that have turned into something of epic proportions. A couple of weeks ago, Chris’ visa renewal application was denied. It felt like a step far, far, farrrrr away from the prayers we’ve been praying for our family’s documentation for the last three years.

It’s the first day back to school for Lifa after another 2 week COVID-inspired holiday. That boy is ready to be around kids his own age! His little brother will be sad to see him go. We’ve had a beautiful time together in our beautiful city. Cape Town, we love you!

Yesterday was Ladd Family Screenapaloouza! (It’s very weird that auto-correct just kicked in and added a “u” to that word. Is screenapaloouza a real word?!) Chris preached the message for church online, and Lifa was featured in a worship dance video for kids. I live with legends! I had been prepping all week to record a short video series for Help Club for Moms, and we decided Sunday was the best day for me to film.

We’ve been winning all week! Not by circumstance, but by heart posture. (And with coffee… and not all the time.) I hope you’ve a winning week too, even if it was just one win.

Another way to find a win is to remember your other wins. Remember God’s faithfulness. Remember Jesus left heaven for earth because you are worth dying for. Can you remember a time when you felt like you couldn’t and God did? Or can you remember a time that was absolutely ridiculous, and you still came out ok? That’s what I’m remembering today!

Have you ever had one of those moments that, even while you were in it, you couldn’t believe this was your real life? I’m not talking about your deepest, darkest secrets. I’m talking about the everyday lows. The things you said you would never do, like giving your kid candy in the supermarket line so they wouldn’t throw a fit. One of mine was week three into having a newborn and realizing I’d already done 99% of the new mom things I said I would never do.

Lifa’s got one more week home from school. There was a long time of no school, and then there was school, and then school closed again. We’ve loved having him home, and we’ve had some wonderful moments in our beautiful city together. My boys love each other with a very special love, and I thank God for that every single day.

But despite all the pretty pictures and sweet stories, we’ve got some boredom, grumbling and pity parties happening at the Ladd house. If you read yesterday’s post, you might know that it’s “Find a Way to Win” week, so we created an action plan!

I’ve cried many tears over missed birthdays, weddings, funerals, births, summer vacations, holiday celebrations, and plain old Saturdays in the last five years since we’ve seen our US families. Chris has become a ninja husband, skilled in the ways of comforting an emotional wife.

Today is another special day. It’s Uncle Patrick’s birthday! (Patrick is Chris’ younger brother.)

Is there anyone else out there who thrives on schedule, rhythm and routine?

Does anybody live their best life within some good old fashioned structure?

And then 2020 happened!?!

It’s not that I’m anal or hyper-organized. (You could ask my husband about that... but don’t.) But I do thrive on order. One of the ways I care for my family is by bringing order to our home.

If you have been a friend of the Ladd family for long, you probably know about our visa issues. If you’re new here, HI!!! We’re so glad you’re here! The short version: My volunteer visa has been stuck in various pipes of the legal system for years. Yes, years. Because of that, neither of our children have birth certificates, passports or the documents they need to travel or have basic rights. Chris has been the only one able to travel for the last 4 1/2 years and has only been to America for a few short days during that time to officiate his brother’s wedding.

Lifa: "Hey, Mom. How many people are in South Africa?"

Me: "Hey Siri, what is the population of South Africa."

Siri: "In 2019, the population of South Africa was 59,622,350."

Lifa: "Ok, think about this. What if every person in South Africa gave 5 Rand? We could help so many poor people with Coronavirus! What if ever person even gave 50 Rand?" (R50 ZAR = $3 USD)

This is a short article I wrote for the Help Club for Moms for our final week of the “Love Your Husband Challenge”. As I’ve intentionally prayed for our marriage during the challenge, we have been stretched, strained and grown in some beautiful ways. This post was written specifically for wives and the Help Club audience but there’s truth in it for any person at any stage of life. Love you all! ❤️

Remember that darling blog I wrote yesterday called “Benjamin’s Best Monday”? All those sweet plans and prayers? Anybody want to know how Monday really played out in my house?

School has closed down again! The world calls is a global pandemic. Benjamin calls it his best life.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has closed all South African schools for the next four weeks with the exception of Grade 12 students taking only one week off and grade 7’s taking only two weeks off. That means we get our Lifa home with us for another two week holiday.

It’s Fridayyyyyyy! The baby is asleep, and the big boys are watching YouTube videos and playing Minecraft in the living room. I am in Chris’ office with a candle and “drippy rain” noises playing my headphones. I’m trying to get in the zone to write one more blog for the week. Friday night blogs can be tough. I’m ready to start the weekend, but I’ve given it my very best since May to write every day, Monday - Friday. AND I’VE DONE IT! Every single Friday, I feel like removing my eye balls and disappearing into a bathtub with a dark chocolate bonbon. But, even now, I love that I’m doing it.

I could count the number of hours I’ve spent away from Benjamin since his birth on my fingers and toes. He gets plenty of time with his mom - especially since Lifa’s at school, Chris is working, and Benjamin and I are still social distancing for safety.

He’s developed supersonic senses for the sound of his dad coming into our room at bath time. They’ve developed their own language. He knows when Lifa switches the light on in his room and will barge right into the bathroom to greet him if he leaves the door cracked. Those two are Benjamin’s heroes….