Dear Friends,
Congratulations! If you are reading this letter, you survived a total solar eclipse (with any accompanying Zombie activity that may have emerged), an epidemic of cicada, and a presidential election cycle. Some roads to Christmas are longer than others. But you made it! Put extra of candy in your stocking.
Rookie is now the first family member highlighted in our letter… as he fully believes he should be. Rookie had a great year. He claimed the couch… the bricks in front of the fireplace… several beds… frequent cheese taxes… bacon drippings on his kibble… and a few marshmallows whenever Sallie tried to sneak a pillowy snack. He is currently contemplating what other items in our home he might commandeer.
Lawson is now in his second year at Auburn University (War Eagle!). He finished his instrument license and is now working on his commercial rating for professional flight. When asked, after his first year of college, what skill he wished he had learned before embarking on his own, “Cooking,” was his answer without hesitation. If you have children at home, allow his testimony to motivate them to learn to cook. But if a bland menu is the most difficult part of college, Lawson is doing great.
Marshall is a senior at Voyager Academy and has identified a career path that he’s excited about… [drum roll]… he wants to be a vet. After graduation, he plans to move Greeneville, TN to intern with a vet we know well for two years while attending Walter State Community College (Go Senators!). He’ll get to help with both large animal care on their farm and small animal vet medicine in the clinic. After WSCC, Marshall wants to transfer to University of Tennessee (Go Vols!) for the rest of undergrad and possibly vet school.
Sallie is frantically preparing for our last bird to leave the nest. Neither boy is capable of fully appreciating the year-long ritual involved in Sallie sending them off well. But many vendors on Facebook marketplace within a 2-hour driving radius of our home are deeply appreciative of the lengths she will go to make sure Lawson and Marshall have everything they need. It is beautiful to watch.
Brad continued his Church-Based Counseling series. Transformative Friendships was his tribute gift to Gran (his mom), who says his books are too technical or heavy; nobody has ever accused her of holding back her opinion. On the heavier topic front, Overcoming Addiction (bradhambrick.com/addiction) and Navigating Destructive Relationships (bradhambrick.com/destructive) also released in the CBC series. Can you tell that, now that Brad’s not coaching anymore, writing is his new hobby? At least it’s cheaper than golf.
We hope that regardless of what 2025 brings, you find joy in pursuing the things you are passionate about. Christmas and New Years are a time when we look back, with reflections like this letter, and look ahead. Pray for us as we pray for you that we will be faithful stewards of the opportunities and abilities that God gives this year.
We are grateful for you, your friendship, and the unique role each of you play in the life of our family. Our prayer is that this Christmas you will experience the power, peace, and joy of Immanuel – God with us (Matthew 1:23) – and multiply that hope by sharing it with others.
Merry Christmas!
The Hambrick Family