The 4th, Mufasa and Orange Beach

Well. We have been busy to say the least. 

We spent the 4th with some friends and their very large extended family. We had a blast, they had a little stage set up for the kids to sing some patriotic songs, which was adorable. We had tons of food and then ended it with a great fireworks show. 

It was Blazing hot and humid that night! The kids had so much fun running around with little friends, they were exhausted the next two days. 

 Later that week Benji and I put on our Artsy caps and went to see The Lion King downtown at The Peace Center. It was amazing. I am so, SOOO glad/lucky/blessed to live in a city large enough to  host Broadway shows but also small enough to have the small community feel. Greenville really is the best city on the planet. (Besides Paris, of course).

It was also the first time we had a babysitter put our kids to bed before we got home. They did great, went straight to sleep. I think this may be the beginning of something good.

Soon after that we found ourselves headed out yet again to the beach. This time is was with Benji's High School youth. Every year we go to StudentLife camp in Orange Beach, Alabama. WE LOVE this camp. The speakers are top notch. J.R. Vassar (1st year), David Platt (2nd and 3rd year) and this year we heard Matt Chandler. Matt Chandler, in my opinion is one of the most prolific, influential pastors of our Generation. It was amazing to see how GOD worked in the lives of our students. HELLO, Did y'all have summer camp like this when you were younger, because I sure didn't! 

 Fast and furious past few weeks in the Ladd home. I am 9 weeks this week in my pregnancy and so far this one has been similar to the last two. This time around I don't have the luxury of sleeping away my nausea or even stopping for that matter. I've pushed through and am hopeful that the 2nd trimester will bring a healthy baby and no more sickness. 

7, By Jen Hatmaker

Okay so somehow I got sucked into this girl who's kinda like Francis Chan/David Platt, but for stay at home mommies....haha 

That's the best way I can describe her.

As mentioned before, Benji and I have tried and tried to cut/trim/delete/consolidate every little penny we spend each month. Because let's face it, he has a GREAT job but, let's be honest for a moment....being a stay at home mom is rare these days and we DO sacrifice a lot for me to be able to stay at home.

It isn't always my favorite choice, (momentarily speaking like when Emery is peeing in Jesse's room) but it is my choice. I could have worked if I wanted too, Benji was fine with whatever I wanted.

So instead of me working, we bought a smaller house, drove old cars, (until they fell apart) and then my man, my hunter, my hunk of all things 4 wheel drive and TRUCK...he sold his truck and he bought a KIA.

That my friends is called sacrifice for your family. We are still looking for ways to cut back for a few reasons.

1. We want/need to start saving for a "bigger" house, or at least a house with one more room. The price on our house had more to do with location than with the size of it....anyway.
 2. We want to be able for me to travel with Benji as much as possible as WELL as the kids, when he goes on his mission trips every summer. The church pays for him, obviously, but for me and the kiddos we have to pay......and it has always been a desire of mine that as soon as the kids were old enough for us to start taking them on the trips.
 3. SAVINGS, SAVINGS......
 4. Medical bills, medical bills, medical bills. Now I realize to some medical bills "don't really count" because there is just nothing you can do about it. I can't help that Jesse had to come out via C-section then pulled the meningitis stunt.....I also can't help BENJI LADD pulled the meningitis stunt just last month....geeeeeeezzzzzzz!!!!

Anyway me being first born, it makes it incredibly hard for me to know that we "owe" anyone anything. So we are working hard on the hospital bills so that we can have another baby and rack some bills up again!

 5. We also just want to be able to give when we feel led to give. If ya got a zero balance in your account ya can't be giving to the local charity of your choice.

Anyway, you get the point. I'm hoping that together, this year, Benji and I can re-prioritize our budget and cut the "Fat" where it is needed......This 7 book I have a feeling is going to rock my world. I'd encourage anyone to read it themselves. GO FOR IT!

Emery Hart Ladd

If I needed ANYTHING in the world after the week I've had it is this.

Emery made it in Awana's tonight. She was "suppose" to hide it and give it to me Sunday but of course she is MY daughter and couldn't wait at all.

I mean seriously, SERIOUSLY.

I have felt all kinds of emotions this week. I've felt like a failure in just about every area of my life. As a daughter, sister, wife, mother, Christian, cook, housekeeper. Whatever, you name it I have felt defeated. I have felt like I will never ever get it together.

And the voices that I hear that tell me "yeah, maybe you won't", they don't help.

But my friends help me, my husband helps me, my JESUS helps me...

And tonight, tonight my Emery Hart Ladd helped me. She helped me realize, no I'm not perfect. No I'm not always in a positive mood. Yes I do fail from time to time.

But I am her mommy and she loves me no matter what, I love her no matter what NO MATTER WHAT. God has blessed me far more than I can imagine with my two children and there is nothing, nothing in the world that I want more than to add to that quiver of blessings.

"Children are a blessing from the LORD and a heritage for our faith." Even though that verse in found in Psalms in the Old Testament it STILL applies today.

I'm not going all Dugger's on anyone. I'm just saying that maybe, maybe for awhile Christian families have not paid attention to the opportunities that they have in planning large families.

God is in control of my future. I am sure of that.

We want more children. I am sure of that.

And I am thankful that Emery, my first born is so so special.

GOD is good and to him Benji and I give all the glory.

Dlyan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

The blog Sous Style I read just posted on this poet. Random I know but this has been my favorite poem for years. 

I even wrote a paper in my Philosophy Class in Seminary on Death and Dying while attaching a copy of this poem to the back. 

I remember my grade wasn't that good maybe a C+....my prof left comments that I was bitter (about my Dad's passing and some of the harsh words people said to me, like "it was for the best since he was so sick") yada yada yada..... anyway. 

I believe in Heaven and Christ and all those things a Southern Baptist girl would believe in but I also believe in fighting for your life until there is no fight left in you. Which is what my Dad did. I miss him every day, almost more now than when he first passed. 

This poem reminds me so much of him because to me he had so much left to do, so much more living, yet God, illness, took him too soon. 

I believe in the sovereignty of God, but I also know that Sin is ultimately why we die. Perfection is made complete in heaven and I have a peace about him being there and us meeting again. 

But still there are days when I wish he was here, hunting with Benji, holding my son, or just here to talk to me about IRA's, 4O1K's and cars...... 

When I'm Empty....

All the way my Savior leads me, 

What have I to ask beside? 

Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my Guide? 

Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort, Here by faith in Him to dwell! 

For I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well; 
For I know, whate’er befall me, 
Jesus doeth all things well.


All the way my Savior leads me, 
Cheers each winding path I tread, 
Gives me grace for every trial, 
Feeds me with the living Bread. 
Though my weary steps may falter 
And my soul athirst may be, 
Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see; 
Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see.


All the way my Savior leads me, Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised In my Father’s house above. 
When my spirit, clothed immortal, Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages: 
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages: 
Jesus led me all the way."

The Truth

The deal.

Sometimes I get tired. I get grumpy, i get hungry- which makes me grumpy.

I get overwhelmed. I get burned out....

But that never ever changes the way I feel about these two.

I would give my LIFE for them. I wake up for them. I love them like I have never loved before.

So. If I complain. Sorry, I believe in honesty and life is honestly not always rainbows and cupcakes. but my life IS in perspective. I believe in a Sovereign God, who is always GOOD, even if I feel like crap. My feeling and emotions and attitude may fluctuate. My JOY, my FAITH, HOPE and LOVE never waivers.

I may be more human than others, or I may just express my temporary feelings more. Maybe it is because I am confident in The One who is eternal and never changing.

That's the deal.

Resurrection Sunday

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

Save in the death of Christ my God!

All the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,

Spreads o’er His body on the tree;

Then I am dead to all the globe,

And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Isaac Watts 

Why Seminary and Kids Wont Let Me Finish Twilight and Start Hunger Games

Y'all thought I was gonna get all theological on y'alls behinds....haha. Well that aint me. I mean I LOVE theology. I live it. Speak it. Know it. But I also know and appreciate young, imaginative minds. Children who love to read. Who devour books in a day....that was me when I was a pre-teen. I read and read and read and I am so glad my parents never encouraged me other wise. I also played outside a ton. actually I read outside a ton. Life was good and I have forever had a love affair with books.

BUT after the past twelve years.....

I'm just REAAAAADDDDDDD OUUTTTTTTT.

No for real.

The first problem was/is when I was pregnant with Emery I was finishing up my last semester in seminary, earning my Masters of Divinity in Theology.

I read A LOOOOOOT. Like a real lot. more than anyone who hasn't been in seminary AT SOUTHERN seminary could understand.  This aint no pseudo seminary, where you can get your degree totally online in whatever. This is a true, for real, musty halled seminary. With real real smart professors. and real real smart students. A whole lot smarter than me.

I went just because I love school. I love Jesus. I love to learn more about Jesus. I also love to read. (annnndddd.....I didn't want my husband to be smarter than me). For real.

Anyway once I graduated, had Emery, moved to South Carolina, started my role as a side kick to Benji's ministry I found not one ounce of time to read unless it was in the bathroom.

And that reading usually consisted of People or US weekly. OR if I was lucky and feeling really cultured I would read one of the Southern Livings my friend Jocelyn had handed down to me.

Occasionally I would find a blog that sucked me in. (I consider that reading, hello! even if it is stalking).

Once I settled in as a new SAHM I was stuck with day time television and watching Emery bounce for hours in her exersaucer. One of my friends introduced me to Twilight, the series.

I LOVED Twilight. New Moon was actually my favorite. But I struggled getting passed those two.

Life set in, I got the last two in the series and got hooked on other books.

Then I got pregnant with Jesse. That ended my reading streak. Up until now. The last book I read was The Help, it was amazing and kind of left everything else I tried to pick up seem futile.

Now I want to, REALLY want to finish the Twilight series and see the movies. AND then start the Hunger Games and see the movies. I've got so many dreams...haha. reading two books. I will achieve this  goal!

I'm Green. Until I'm Not

I'm green. No for real. I take the call of being a Christian very seriously and part of that call, I feel is to preserve the planet He has created for us.

I mainly use "green" products. Trader Joe's has the awesome all purpose cleaner that I have used for awhile to clean everything, counters, bathrooms, windows, glass, high chair, table, whatever.

Whole Foods has awesome, cheap detergent and all purpose scrubbing cleaners for the tubs, tile, etc....

A few years ago I quit buying napkins and paper towels. I started back after my mom gave me a Costco size box of paper towels when Jesse was born. I was addicted so fast again!

Then my dishes washer went out. SERIOUSLY! So I continued our paper plate consumption, which we also started when Jesse was born. It was just so easy when people were bringing meals for us to have paper plates and not have to worry about the dishes.

I used to recycle obsessively. We have recycle pick up and I swear we always have the most on the curb. They don't pick up glass so I used to take our glass to the local recycle center myself.

I know I sound crazy. I accept that. I am OCD...No really. I'm diagnosed. If I told you all the things that run through my head....YOU'D really know.

Anyway. We had even starting composting all our compostable material to fertilize our garden. We acquired a rain barrel to catch rain so that we could water our garden with out running up our water bill.

WE WERE GREEN, PEOPLE.

I had no products with HFCS. I had switched most of our flour products to whole wheat. I was making so much progress!

Our garden was awesome!

Then we went and had another dang baby.

He put a kink in my greenness.

And THEN....THENNNNNNN. These past two weeks happened.

Let me tell you. My greenness went out the window with the stench of vomit and diarrhea.

I RANNNNN to the nearest Walgreens and bought all the Clorox products I could find.

Today I have been washing anything and everything that can be washed. I've been boiling paci's, toothbrushes, (because I JUST bought new ones after Benji was in the hospital). I have moped and swept and scrubbed and wiped every surface.

It's been a long day. I'm so over winter, and illness and stench and cold. I am ready for summer and health and being green again and warm weather!

Mercy Triumphs: James

This week my church FINALLY started our Tuesday a.m. Bible study back. This time we are doing a study on James.

I swear, this 2 hours is my sanity. It is a time where I can fellowship with other mom's like me, SIT for an extended period of time, drink hot coffee- even 2 cups if I want....AND I get to learn from The Word.

I love the Bible study, but honestly I love the ladies in it more. I need this time more than anyone will know. (unless you are in my season of life, which a lot of you are!).

I can't wait to see what all we learn and experience through our study this session. I love the book of James so I am super excited!

Two Roads Divided

I can not even begin to explain what this picture means to me and the direction that my life took after this week.

THANK YOU Kevin Kilgore for posting this. I have no idea where you got it....

This week is the week that I quit running from God's call on my life. I surrendered my life to serve him in whatever capacity that he saw fit for me.

This was my first mission trip experience, in San Miguel Del Monte, Argentina.

Out of this week I started working with the church full time, with this cute boy I knew from the singles group (who felt God's call on his life for full time ministry).....

Of course, his name was Benji.

We worked side by side for an entire summer doing everything interns do for a church. At the end of that summer I was headed back to Argentina for a semester of studying Spanish and Biblical studies.

The week before I was scheduled to leave we went on our first "official" date.

Got engaged that week.

And then off to Argentina I went.

He followed me there.

That fall I was scheduled to study abroad in Italy to finish up my final year as a Studio Art major at Brenau.

God changed my plans. Instead of going to Italy to paint, he sent me to Argentina, with a fiancé.

We came home, worked hard, got married and moved off to South Carolina without a penny, a job or a clue!

We enrolled in North Greenville College, who was taking transfer credits from the school in Argentina, and finished up our degrees. Mine this time in English and Christian Studies.

After graduation we headed off again sight un seen, penniless, clueless and full of hope to Louisville, Kentucky to start our journey thru seminary.

I can say without a doubt our time in Louisville were some of the greatest times of our lives. We studied hard, worked SUPER hard and grew as a couple and as partners in ministry.

I graduated from Seminary 7 months pregnant with our first child. Benji graduated a few weeks after she was born. We were once again jobless, homeless, yet full of hope that God would again direct our paths.

He did.

He miraculously, graciously and unexpectedly brought us BACK to Greenville. BACK to the church we loved and attended while finishing college at NGC.

You know the rest......

I am thankful for our story. The story of God's faithfulness in seemingly chaotic situations he was always in control and directing our steps, just as he planned.

Disclaimer: I'd be lying if I didn't think about that semester in Italy I missed every once in awhile... :) but it was worth it! 

Going Thru The Big D

Backing up a few months...hey I'm scattered, I know.  Here's my reading material for the plane!

Benji and I headed to Dallas in November (I think, don't quote me on the date).

We headed there for a conference on small groups.

Well, mainly because Matt Chandler, Francis Chan and J.D. Greer were there to speak. And when you get an opportunity like that you take it.

It was a great get away. A great GREAT conference. Benji was very encouraged that he was not alone in some of the issues he faces and I was encouraged that HE WAS encouraged.

I LOVED getting to spend time with him. Just him. I know it seems like we have a lot of weekends with out the kids, BUT those weekends are usually filled with high school youth trips or Christmas missions, or something related to us actually not spending any time together at all and coming home with piles of dirty laundry, more exhausted than when we left.

I felt like our trip to Dallas encouraged us as a couple and encouraged us both in ministry. We came home feeling a little more like that couple we were before kids.

                                           Coffee in our hotel, they were waiting on me! 


                                              And our first taste of IN-N-OUT. Delish. 

 Every Christian stereotype has to wear TOMS. We thought it was hilarious they had a booth.

                      My main man, best friend, partner in ministry for over 10 years. LOVE HIM. 

Matt Chandler, Top, Francis Chan, Bottom. Both amazing speakers and humble men.

Definitely hoping I can join him in some more conferences. I love using that side of my brain every now and then. :)

Read This Daily, Moms

I'm not going to lie, (not that you thought I would but whateves..)This has been a hard 10 days for me while Benji has been in Brazil. Jesse hasn't slept great, well...Jesse hasn't slept great AT ALL. He is getting his molars. AT 4 MONTHS. Really?

Emery has been a little fussier than usual because she really misses Benji and doesn't understand where he is.

I'm sick again and exhausted and HOT! It is so so so HOT!

But all in all I've actually had a pretty fun 10 days with my kids. My days aren't really that different because, well, this is what I do every day anyway. Benji just usually comes home at 430pm to relieve me of some of the burden.

I've been meaning to post this ever since I read it, I'm just now getting around to it.

Mom's, especially stay at home mom's who have a hard time with finding meaning and purpose in your "everyday" routine...PLEASE read this!

I'm telling you if anything in the past 10 years has changed my heart, my attitude about something, this is it. I can not tell you how many times at the end of an exhausting day I have sat at my computer and searched again for this commentary. To read it again and again, to encourage my weary soul.

This girl, I don't know her but she deserves something, like a medal for how she has encouraged me and I would bet thousands of women out there.
I felt it would be especially fitting for me to post it this week since my husband is off jet setting and ministering to the world while I'm at home wiping bottoms and noses and getting spit up on (3 times today). But you know, our ministry is the same. I am working my mission field, he is working his.

And there is no other place I'd rather be than right here with my children at home.

Motherhood as a Mission Field

June 16, 2011 | by: Rachel Jankovic | Category: Commentary

There is a good old saying, perhaps only said by my Grandfather, that distance adds intrigue. It is certainly true — just think back to anything that has ever been distant from you that is now near. Your driver’s license. Marriage. Children. Things that used to seem so fascinating, but as they draw near become less mystical and more, well, real.

This same principle certainly applies to mission fields too. The closer you get to home, the less intriguing the work of sacrifice seems. As someone once said, “Everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help Mom with the dishes.”

When you are a mother at home with your children, the church is not clamoring for monthly ministry updates. When you talk to other believers, there is not any kind of awe about what you are sacrificing for the gospel. People are not pressing you for needs you might have, how they can pray for you. It does not feel intriguing, or glamorous. Your work is normal, because it is as close to home as you can possibly be. You have actually gone so far as to become home.

Home: The Headwaters of Mission
If you are a Christian woman who loves the Lord, the gospel is important to you. It is easy to become discouraged, thinking that the work you are doing does not matter much. If you were really doing something for Christ you would be out there, somewhere else, doing it. Even if you have a great perspective on your role in the kingdom, it is easy to lose sight of it in the mismatched socks, in the morning sickness, in the dirty dishes. It is easy to confuse intrigue with value, and begin viewing yourself as the least valuable part of the Church.

There are a number of ways in which mothers need to study their own roles, and begin to see them, not as boring and inconsequential, but as home, the headwaters of missions.

At the very heart of the gospel is sacrifice, and there is perhaps no occupation in the world so intrinsically sacrificial as motherhood. Motherhood is a wonderful opportunity to live the gospel. Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Motherhood provides you with an opportunity to lay down the things that you cannot keep on behalf of the people that you cannot lose. They are eternal souls, they are your children, they are your mission field.

Faith Makes the Small Offering Great
If you are like me, then you may be thinking “What did I ever give up for them? A desk job? Time at the gym? Extra spending money? My twenty- year- old figure? Some sleep?” Doesn’t seem like much when you put it next to the work of some of the great missionaries, people who gave their lives for the gospel.

Think about the feeding of the five thousand when the disciples went out and rounded up the food that was available. It wasn’t much. Some loaves. Some fish. Think of some woman pulling her fish out and handing it to one of the disciples. That had to have felt like a small offering. But the important thing about those loaves and those fishes was not how big they were when they were given, it was about whose hands they were given into. In the hands of the Lord, that offering was sufficient. It was more than sufficient. There were leftovers. Given in faith, even a small offering becomes great.

Look at your children in faith, and see how many people will be ministered to by your ministering to them. How many people will your children know in their lives? How many grandchildren are represented in the faces around your table now?

Gain What You Cannot Lose in Them
So, if mothers are strategically situated to impact missions so greatly, why do we see so little coming from it? I think the answer to this is quite simple: sin. Discontent, pettiness, selfishness, resentment. Christians often feel like the right thing to do is to be ashamed about what we have. We hear that quote of Jim Elliot’s and think that we ought to sell our homes and move to some place where they need the gospel.

But I’d like to challenge you to look at it differently. Giving up what you cannot keep does not mean giving up your home, or your job so you can go serve somewhere else. It is giving up yourself.

Lay yourself down. Sacrifice yourself here, now. Cheerfully wipe the nose for the fiftieth time today. Make dinner again for the people who don’t like the green beans. Laugh when your plans are thwarted by a vomiting child. Lay yourself down for the people here with you, the people who annoy you, the people who get in your way, the people who take up so much of your time that you can’t read anymore. Rejoice in them. Sacrifice for them. Gain that which you cannot lose in them.

It is easy to think you have a heart for orphans on the other side of the world, but if you spend your time at home resenting the imposition your children are on you, you do not. You cannot have a heart for the gospel and a fussiness about your life at the same time.

You will never make any difference there if you cannot be at peace here. You cannot have a heart for missions, but not for the people around you. A true love of the gospel overflows and overpowers. It will be in everything you do, however drab, however simple, however repetitive.

God loves the little offerings. Given in faith, that plate of PB&J’s will feed thousands. Given in faith, those presents on Christmas morning will bring delight to more children than you can count. Offered with thankfulness, your work at home is only the beginning. Your laundry pile, selflessly tackled daily, will be used in the hands of God to clothe many. Do not think that your work does not matter. In God’s hands, it will be broken, and broken, and broken again, until all who have need of it have eaten and are satisfied. And even then, there will be leftovers.

Rachel Jankovic is a wife, homemaker, and mother. She is the author of "Loving the Little Years" and blogs at Femina. Her husband is Luke, and they have five children: Evangeline (5), Daphne (4), Chloe (2), Titus (2), and Blaire (5 months).

We're Back!

We had a blast at camp with the youth last week. Benji's mom went with me again this year to keep the kids while I went to the services. I am SO SO SO thankful for her! She is the most loving, amazing, caring mother in law ever! If you ever want to know why I have such an awesome husband, you only have to look to his mom. I don't think she will ever realize how much it meant to me to be able to spend time with Benji and the youth.

One of my struggles in this season of life is that I want to be able to help Benji in ministry so much more than I do. I get so frustrated because I desire to serve along side of him with the youth but I also know that my primary calling in life right now is to serve him by raising our kids.

My mission field is my home right now. Investing in Emery and Jesse, two of the most precious souls in the universe.

I know that once our kids are older I will be able to be more involved. So it was so wonderful to get to know some of the youth better and to refocus my heart on Christ. The mundane routine of life as a stay at home mom gets me down sometimes. I was reminded this week that I am so blessed that this is my purpose in life right now and that this is my act of service.

The Elephant On My Back

This week I am wishing that our seminary had offered more classes on how to handle difficult people.

I don't usually post here about my MOST personal issues, because, well it is the Internet. I also don't post much about the very big part of my life that is my role of a pastor's wife.

I'm slowly learning that this is a lonely place to be at times. WE love our church and are so blessed to be where we are, but I'd be lying if I didn't say it was extremely hard at times.

Benji can never leave his work at work. He is a pastor 24/7 and the weight of that spills over on to me and to our children.

If you are a member of a church pray for your pastor's wives. Encourage them, Love them, they are called to serve the Lord but they are not perfect in any way and don't claim to be. Remember that whatever criticism you bring to the pastor he carries it home to his family. Whatever encouragement you give him, well that spills over too. Encouragement comes in many forms and you will never know how much a few words can effect an entire house hold of people, even if you only say it to one.

Baby Dedication

This Sunday we finally had our babyezzz dedicated. We had to do both Emery and Jesse because for a few different reasons we never got around to dedicating Emery when she was a baby.

I was stressed out about having to get up in front of all those people! I was worried that Emery might freak out but she did great! I'm glad we did it, it's like that saying "the shoe cobbler's kids have no shoes." haha that's how I felt about our kids not being dedicated in the church.

It's not baptism (for those of you who aren't baptist and are wondering what I'm talking about) it's more of a commitment from the parents saying that we will raise our children in the church and teach them The Word. Whether or not they choose to follow Christ is up to them, we pray that they will make that choice but we can not make it for them.

Emery and Jesse were both presented with their own copy of The Jesus Story Book Bible. This is an awesome bible for little kids. We had a copy already and and Emery asks to read out of it every night.

After church our families came over for lunch, Emery and Asher played hard outside then we all went our separate ways for nap time. Great day for our family. I am so blessed with my two kids. I love them more than I ever imagined I could love someone. God is so good and so gracious.

Dongy

Emery has the Fisher Price Little People Nativity Set that we get out at Christmas for her to play with.

There is a donkey in the manger scene. Emery calls it a "dongy".... and it is hilarious.

We die laughing every time.

Man, do we love her. Life is so much fuller with a daughter around.

Here are some pictures that her aunt Kaki took over Thanksgiving.

I'm Baccccckkkk.

Well, the stomach virus Emery had that I thought was behind us, was not.

I got it and then Benji. It was a rough few days here in the Ladd house, but we are finally back to normal and feeling good.

Emery went back to school this week, she and I both were so glad! Putting her in MMO was one of the best decisions ever. She loves it, gets to have fun in a structured environment (I'm not great at the structured part) and I get a few hours to myself each week.

Today I slept the entire time she was gone! I was exhausted from all the sickness from the past week.

Yesterday a group of girls and I got together to swap Jesse Tree ornaments. There were 29 of us, so each of us were assigned a scripture and the ornament that went along with it. We all made 29 of our ornament and then swapped during a night of fellowship and great food!

Now I have 29 ornaments to place on our Jesse Tree, one each day for the Advent season. I'm excited about the tradition starting with our kids.

Here is a link to the devotions that we used...

And here is a blog post from a friend of a friend who did a Jesse Tree ornament swap one year. If you have a big group of girls, like a Sunday School class, MOPS group or whatever, this is a super fun thing to do together! This blog has great pictures of ornament ideas and more of what it is all about. Been There Blog....

What I'm Reading

Today was a great day! We visited an apple orchard in N.C. less than an hour away from us. We picked apples, ate fresh made donuts, and had apple cider slushies. It was a much needed change of scenery for me and Emery had a blast.

I got a few good pictures, but I'll save those for another day. (I'm too tired to upload them now.)
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The good thing about the local library is that the books are FREE! and you can have a ton out at the same time. The bad thing about the library is also that the books are FREE! and you can have a ton out at the same time. :)

This obviously does not help my schizoness because I end up reading like 3 to 5 books at once.

These are the ones I'm currently in the middle of. Radical is actually the book study Benji is leading our youth through. It is an amazing, life changing read. Most of the youth are actually reading it. Well, at least the girls in my group are, I know girls read more than boys. Anywhoo. I never read the Great Gatsby in high school. It's one I've always wanted to read just never thought of it when looking. Something I read in an issue of Elle magazine peaked my interest in reading it again, so I reserved it through my library account online and picked it up!

The Help I've heard a lot of good things about, so I'll see how it goes. I just picked it up today.

I always love a good book recommendation, so I thought I'd share mine for the moment.

Easter

My mom and I, we may not share the same facial features, the same DNA....

But. We both take our coffee black.

And for me.

That is enough.

I understand Easter more than the most.

Because I've been adopted twice.

Once by Mom and Dad.

Once by Christ.

Take time to meditate this weekend on the fact that GOD took you out of your sinful, rotten, sliminess and placed you under the protection of His wing.

And He called you his own.

In love, he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace..."
~Ephesians 1:4-6