The Details:

My Mom, Benjamin, Wyatt and I will travel from Cape Town International Airport to Atlanta on March 16th. My mom will get us through a six-hour layover and continue to her home in San Diego. The little boys and I fly to Knoxville, TN to stay with Chris’ parents.

We have passport renewal appointments in Knoxville on March 25th and…

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. She’s the best Gosa there ever was. I am so thankful for a mom who loves deep, far and wide. She’s here in Cape Town with us for two weeks, and then the little guys and I are flying back to America with her!

This is day one in Cape Town.

This picture was taken 11 years + 1 day ago. Valentine’s Day 2015.

We’d never been closer to each other than a side-hug before we took this picture. We had JUST sort of decided to start dating and sort of betrothed ourselves. (There’s a whole story there.) The missions base I was living on was hosting a Valentine’s dinner. I decided to make things as awkward as possible by inviting Chris to the cheesey, over the top celebration. To my delight and Chris’ horror, we realized we were matching when he arrived for the dinner. I could have changed. Instead…

Benjamin woke up at 5am vibrating with excitement about celebrating Valentine’s Day. We have never, not once, done a “thing” for Valentine’s Day. Needless to say, I felt wildly unprepared. I do, however, keep an emergency stash of treasures hidden away. I dug deep and found these two hand-me-downs given to us months ago. Valentine monkeys!

Friends and family of the Ladds, I’d like to introduce you to Johnny Ladd (Benjamin’s) and Johnny Firetruck Rainbow (Wyatt’s). I have already duct-taped Johnny’s leg on, but all monkeys and boys are living their best Valentine’s lives. 🐵🚒🌈

It's 2026! Some are working out new year's resolutions, while others are still shaking the dust off of 2025. I tuned in (a week late, as usual) to a raw WhatsApp conversation about the new year in my neurodivergent parent support group. Weary parents disclosed visceral reactions to the social standard of dreaming big for the year ahead or even celebrating it as they stagger across the finish line of 2025. They found solace in relatable stories and sentiments, and then resolved together to take one day at a time. I was too late to join the conversation, but I related deeply as I read it.

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.

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.

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.

It's our 10th anniversary! Want to hear what happened right before the wedding?

One week prior to our big day, we were en route to a ministry retreat when rioting broke out in a community we were serving. From the road, we managed to have a Ugandan pastor moved from xenophobic uproar into the townhouse we would move into after our wedding.

We returned a few days later with massive sinus infections and discovered our pre-wedding housing would not have electricity for the week.

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.

Yesterday was my husband's 42nd birthday. The kids and I threw him a lemonade-themed birthday party at home. I set a beautiful table with a freshly-ironed tablecloth and a vase full of lemons. We had strawberry lemonade with dinner and went back for seconds of lemon cake and ice cream. He even had to hunt for his homemade gifts in a basket of lemons! It was silly and simple. We talked about the meaning behind our celebration during dinner between giggles and our toddler's frighteningly man-like belches.

We celebrated our favorite guy's birthday yesterday with a lemonade-themed birthday party. When 41 throws lemons, you make lemonade in 42!

We had lemon decorations, a homemade gift hunt in a basket of lemons, strawberry lemonade, and lemon cake and ice cream. It was silly, sweet, and the most purposed celebration we have ever had.

The summer sun burned extra hot this December 25th in Cape Town. Our family is in the middle of transitions and growing pains. Still… joy and abundance were thick on Christmas Day. It was a perfect Ladd-style celebration: full throttle, high energy, and fit for a King. We gathered close on the couch and gave thanks in front of a breathtaking spread of presents. It was, of course, the King’s presence that ushered in the kind of joy that sticks beyond circumstances…

Ten years ago, we crossed paths via similar missions and a shared culture. I thought you were a short-termer, getting the adventuring out of your system. You thought I was the weird missionary type, raising a child as my own.

Nine years, seven months ago, we had a conversation I’ve coined “the business meeting”. From separate couches, we discussed fears, futures, and made a decision to choose each other from that point forward. There were no romantic feelings between us, and the energy in the room was electrically awkward. But we’d start a relationship and see what God did.

Nine years, six and half months ago...

My birthday started with Chris, coffee and Jesus before the sun came up. Then we were whisked away to an extravagant, picture perfect breakfast with church family. The family had homemade (and sugar free!) ice cream cake in the sunshine after naps, and then the boys and I took a quick trip to the beach. It was a dream day that ended with a pile of chicken nuggets and bedtime stories. I’d say it doesn’t get any better than this.

I am continually amazed by the joy of the Lord springing up unexpectedly and faithfully through the zigs and zags of life. I feel surrounded by Him and blessed by so many. Thank YOU for being a part of my life!

Southpoint Church was full of Christmas cheer and laughing ladies today. Fifty women from all ages and stages sipped hot chocolate, snacked, decorated cookies, and participated in an oh-so-sassy Christmas re-gift game. We “stole” gifts from an almost-90 year old gem and celebrated another’s Christmas bun in the oven! 🤰(not me!!!!)

We celebrated Father’s Day on Saturday morning with an epic trip to one of our favorite places in Cape Town - the Friends of the South African Air Force Museum! (See our post from last week about it!) Chris has never been able to come with us, and it’s right up his alley. Passionate volunteers giving their time, tankers, fighter jets, legendary stories and equipment, plus the BEST burgers and wors rolls of all time.