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.

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….

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 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.

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.

What a weekend. There are a thousand details and disasters sprinkled into the last 48 hours but GRACE is louder than it all. It’s the last month of his high school rugby career. Lifa took a hit that could have changed his whole story. We are so thankful for the swift care from his school, medical professionals, and the people around us who showed up and carried us through. God showed Himself through His people once again. He’s so tangible and kind.

I love how Wyatt holds his dad's hand so he can gallop with more velocity. I love how Lifa starts a game of Croc rugby when we go to the only place in Cape Town that doesn't allow balls. I love how Benjamin wheeze-laughs and screams, "I LOVE THIS" when his big brother ankle taps him and knocks him out. I love how Wyatt throws himself on the ground after Benjamin gets tackled to feel like he's part of the game. I love how Lifa can fish for tadpoles and still look like a model. I especially love the handsome man that holds us all together with his incredibly intentional, kind, and discerning love.

Chris traveled through South Africa earlier this month, and we’ve had the privilege of hosting many guests lately. Our usual, unwavering routine has been all over the place lately. But there’s nothing that can make the Ladds feel more like family than the kickoff of rugby season!

THIS IS OUR LAST RUGBY SEASON!!!

Summer is in FULL SWING in Cape Town. We’ve been sweating for days (and nights), but we relish in forced trips to the beach and pool together.

Seasons have a way of shifting us when we wouldn’t do it on our own. We get less done, linger later, and master cannonballs in this heat that we wouldn’t have chosen if it was up to us. There just might be something for us on every season!

Blueberry Bar!! A fantastic Saturday morning in the sunshine with my 3 best boys. The blueberry juice was FANTASTIC! 🫐💙

We've heard stories of oceans parting, bones dancing, blind seeing, and the Redeemer resurrecting. Yet I still squirm when I'm the one that needs the miracle. I know God CAN do it... I'd still praise Him if He didn't do it... But having a need there's no way we could ever meet on our own is a very humbling thing.

We asked God and His people for funding for our boys' 2025 school fees. It was not a small ask - almost $13,000…

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…

Want to hear some good news!?!

Two week ago, we put out a big ask with a LOT of prayer. It will cost $13,400 to send our boys to school in 2025. We need help to make that happen - we explain why in this video. The good news... Lifa and Wyatt’s school fees are covered IN FULL! We are over halfway there.

Brothers. Beach. Balls.

The best. The Lord has blessed us tremendously.

Today was a perfect, unplanned Tuesday afternoon. We stayed in town at the park until bedtime, and then came home and jumped in the pool for “summer baths”. There is nothing better than having all three boys out exploring together. This is Lifa’s last summer in high school, and we all cherish time with him. And he’s so fun!

I've lived in Cape Town for almost eight years. That's the longest I've lived anywhere since I was 18. We got dealt a few hard blows upon arrival in the city we left everything for... so hard my stomach twisted in knots at the sight of that big, beautiful Table Mountain.

Eight years later, I've learned to love this city through the lens of special needs parenting and "a church to call home, a family to call our own". I know how the weather changes based on what side of the mountain you're on, to check tide times and wind speeds, and how to navigate the traffic.

Welcome to one afternoon at the Ladd house. This might be too much of a generalization, but I’m willing to wager that mothers of boys are one of the most grateful species on the planet when the sun is shining and the people can play outside. In just one hour this afternoon, we found out Wyatt has an impressive ability to hang, lost a soccer ball on the roof, and a red ball got kicked in the neighbor’s yard. The cars went down the slide multiple times, and it became official news that out the Batman suit does, in fact, make you win every soccer game.

The kids were feeling artistic on this oh-so-rainy Cape Town day, so I took a chance and took them for a walk through a “grown up art museum”. My aim was simply a change of scenery and perhaps an opportunity expose Benjamin to the idea that anything can be art.

Some of my favorite Benjamin quotes were…