Ladd and April Lesh

by Ladd

In November of 2007, I was single and getting old—really old. I was twenty-three and had never even dated. Sure, I had been on a few dates—OK, two, but I had never been in a committed relationship (i.e. courtship). College had come and gone and all I had to show for it was a degree. It wasn’t that I was anti-social. I was homeschooled K-12 after all! Nor was I desperate or lacking female friends. The reason was simple. I hadn’t found my girl. But I had a growing concern that perhaps she wasn’t out there. Not to mention, my younger brother went on his first date before I did. Who did he think he was?

So in the early fall of the twenty-third year of my life, I found myself working on Capitol Hill, enjoying my job, but missing one crucial element: my wife. One day a light bulb went off in my head. My sister, Charity was studying at Focus on the Family’s Institute in Colorado Springs. Ratio: 70/30 female to male students. What better time to find my bride? I booked my flight, and Charity arranged the gatherings. First there was the coffee shop: ten girls and me. Looking back, a bit ridiculous. Next was a hiking excursion: more girls and me. I was having a good time but things weren’t going well on the wife front. My bride to be just wasn’t there.

It was Sunday morning, the last day of my trip. On a spur of the moment decision, I decided to haul my sister to an Anglican Church service to meet Alan Crippen, president of the John Jay Institute (a graduate program I highly recommend). It was at that service that I was introduced to a girl named April Thompson, a fellow at the John Jay Institute. She wore cowboy boots, hailed from my beloved state of North Carolina, believed in states’ rights and packed a .38 special in her purse. Most important, she loved Jesus and His Word. She had more personality in her 5’2’’ frame than I had found in the entire 107th congress. After a lengthy five-minute conversation, it was settled. I would have to marry her. Before the day was out, we were Facebook friends (that meant something back then), and I was plotting matrimony. For Christmas, I sent her the usual flowers, chocolate and ammunition—every girl’s dream. I convinced April to come to Washington D.C. for an internship (for a pro-life Democrat I might add. Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do). Two months later, I asked for her hand in marriage from the top of the Capitol dome. We were married only six months after we met.

November 11, 2012 marked five years since we met in Colorado, and I am so grateful that God gave me April for my wife. She is my closest confidant, best friend and mother of our three wonderful children. But lest you think otherwise, marriage isn’t always bliss. In only five years, we have had our share of sorrow, job loss, totaled vehicles, financial struggle and earthly idols coming to the surface. Marriage has exposed my tremendous shortcomings and praise God for it. Our relationship has been used by God through the power of the Spirit to spur sanctification in ways I could never have imagined. I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness. I’m thankful for April Thompson.

Ladd Lesh was homeschooled K-12 by pioneering parents and lived most of his childhood in Charlotte. He is a graduate of Grove City College and worked on Capitol Hill for Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) before joining Apologia, a homeschool curriculum company.
April Thompson Lesh, from Jacksonville, attended a small Baptist school where both of her parents were teachers and her uncle the principal. She is a graduate of Southeastern Free Will Baptist College and a fellow of the John Jay Institute. She is now a stay-at-home mother of three young children. Ladd and April look forward to homeschooling. They are members of Church of the Redeemer (PCA) and reside in Union County.
Ladd and April were married on June 21, 2008.