I Miss Her

So Pinterest is....well, y'all know... anyway. Looking at the food Pins has made me nauseous the past couple of weeks. (I know, such a shame, right!?) So when I've felt the need to Pin I've had to stick with  non food images. 

I found this adorbs image of Lauren Conrad last night. AND IT WOULD NOT PIN! It kept saying the site was spam. So anywhoo....I love it, and I miss her so much! I feel like I seriously know her since I watched her grow up on T.V. 

Haven't read any of her "novels"....haha that may be a bit much for me. But I do love some of her clothing at Kohls.

COME BACK TO T.V LC!

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. 

Beach Baby

I already need some looser clothing. I see maternity jeans in my near future. 

Here's a few more pics from our time at the beach. Can I please go back now? 

Almost A Month!

I can't believe it has almost been a month since I posted last. Things have been crazy. Benji was in Brazil for 10 days, home for two, then we headed off to the beach for vacation. We went back to Florida this year, after a few years of the Beach in South Carolina. It was a welcome change and the water was beautiful and sand so white. 

This year my Birthday and father's day came while we were at the beach. I couldn't have thought of a better way to spend the two days! Benji played golf and I went shopping.  

The day I dropped Benji off at the airport to head off for Brazil, I found out we are expecting baby number 3! Talk about an emotional day. 

I am still pretty early in the first trimester, due around February 19th. We are so excited and thankful for the opportunity to welcome another member into our family. 

Of course once we got home we hit the ground running. The kids were exhausted after playing hard all week in the sun and water. It took them an entire week of sleeping late to catch up. 

We have been busy with pool parties and summer bible studies with the youth. We've TRIED to catch up on house duties, laundry, yard work, paying bills, grocery shopping and washing NASTY cars! 

I can't believe how fast the summer is going. Emery will be starting Pre K4 before too long and we will be finding out whether or not she gets a sister or another brother. :) 

Here are a few pictures from the beach. May post a few more later. 

Shiny, Happy, Church Photo!

Aren't we adorbs??? Seriously I was so stressed out that night. No telling how many Xanax I "forgot" I already took.

I was SOOOO nervous that the kids would be horrible. But as you can see.

They were GREAT!

This is actually our first "family" photo not done by a friend who happens to be a photographer.

It's a little stuffy for my taste, A little to "JC Pennys" BUT I am glad we have it and I know I will be glad we have it years down the road.

When I look at it I just overflow with gladness in my heart for my family. With Thankfulness at how far the LORD has brought us and where he has planted us.

I'm honest (duh) this new chapter of my life as mommy and pastor's wife has been WAAAAYYYY more challenging than I expected.

Don't read that wrong. I signed up for it. I surrendered to ministry....on my own terms, before I met Benji. I knew I would be in ministry.

I also always knew I'd have kids. We want more kids, and more kids. Biological and Adopted.

I am one blessed woman. But it has been a hard 3 1/2 years for me. I feel like I'm just getting the hang of it. There is no rule book on how to be the wife of a youth pastor, help him minister, while simultaneously raising your own two, three, four, little "mission fields" that you have birthed.

I feel like sometimes I am caught in a constant battle between wanting to do everything I can with Benji in his ministry, to feeling guilty for sticking my kids down in day care for another "church event".....

I know my primary role in this season of my life is first and for most to raise my babies, my own "youth"...

But honestly, something that has caught me my surprise is how LONELY I am.

Really!????

I have a great group of girl friends/ a group that I have actually prayed to find for a long time. I know that I can (b/c I have haha) call anyone of the group up at any time and spill my guts about whatever.

But it just seems like so many days are so lonely in the house with the kids. I LOVE interacting with them, Emery talks like a 12 year old anyway. I just miss day to day adult interaction. I really did not expect that.

Any one else struggle with that same issue? Is it just SAHM's? or is is all moms?

OR IS IT JUST ME!!!!?????

Days Like These

 Today. I needed.

Benji's mom came up for two days while Benji's dad was at a children's camp not too far away from us. Emery and Jesse are worn out!!! Which is wonderful! I love when they can have full days and fall asleep easy at night.

Today at church was Senior Sunday. The seniors who were involved with our church get to walk in and be recognized during our services. They play a video of when they were babies and everyone cries and every year it makes me realize how short the time is I have with little babies.

I needed today. I needed to be reminded that the time is so fleeting. That the hours creep by but the years fly by.

I'll need to remember this when I'm holding down the fort while Benji is in Brazil.

I LOVE my family so so much. Every day I am so blessed to have a healthy marriage. A ministry with my husband that I can participate in.... thriving, healthy children, who WEAR ME OUT, but give me so much joy..... I give all the GLORY to GOD. I certainly deserve none of this.

This weekend, I needed and I am so thankful for our place in life at this moment.

God Bless America

MY MAN IS GOING TO BE HOME FOR 3 DAYS STRAIGHT!

What am I going to do??? Last weekend I saw him for like 4 hours.

This weekend I am soaking up the extra help and having lunch with a young woman who graduated out of our high school youth program last year and just finished up her first year at college.

I can't wait for a little break break from my marathon Stay at home mommying. I haven't left the house since Sunday.

This is his Law and Order  BDU (Biblical Defense Unit) promotion picture for church.   How serious!