When Liz and I were pregnant with our first son, my grandmother gave me something very special. She handed me a small, felt-covered box and said, “Your grandfather wanted you to have this.” I slowly opened the taupe encasement to reveal a small diamond set in a slightly embellished gold band. It was the same ring I had seen on my grandfather’s weathered hand many times before he died—it was his ring. This year marks fourteen years since Paw-Paw Ham passed […]
I stood behind my sons as they waited to see Santa Claus. I could feel their excitement. Their anticipation caused them to sway back and forth, jittering, waiting to sit in his lap. A few years ago, they were terrified of Santa. Sheer panic would break out whenever they saw him. But in time, their fear has been replaced by hope. I have decided that is my favorite part of being a dad. Every day, my sons give me the opportunity to experience what it […]
A number of years ago, our family started a Christmas tradition. Around the 22nd or 23rd of December, we’d load up Paw-Paw’s Yukon as if it were Santa’s sleigh, don Santa caps and reindeer antlers, and we’d bombard friends with carols and Christmas Vacation quotes. By the end of the night, we’d be reduced to an off-key version of “Mele Kelikimaka” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” After a few years, friends and family began expecting our craziness. Two staples in […]
In the film, It’s a Wonderful Life, as George Bailey’s living room is flooded with friends, he is left a most special gift by his guardian angel, Clarence. Inside the pages of a favorite book, Clarence writes: “Remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings! Love, Clarence” At that moment, George hears the bell ringing on his Christmas tree. He looks up towards heaven and winks, then he smiles as he embraces his family. As I re-watch the […]
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed with joy in a particular moment you want to hold on to that moment forever? You want to squeeze that memory so tight, take a mental picture and remind yourself of it constantly. I had a moment like that this morning and I’ve been reflecting on it most of the day. This morning, for the first time ever, we took MJ to “BIG CHURCH“. Seeing how much he loves music, we thought he’d love […]
When I graduated from high school, a friend gave me a book with the words NO MAN IS A FAILURE WHO HAS FRIENDS written inside. I thought it was catchy and I thanked him for the gift, but I had no idea where that phrase originated. When I asked he said, “Watch It’s A Wonderful Life sometime. I think you’ll enjoy it.” To be honest, it always seemed like one of the boring black and white films that I intentionally avoided, so it […]
Christmas is full of traditions. With three boys, at or under three, we’re never short on dull moments. For the next twelve days, I wanted to share unique things to our family: thoughts, recipes, traditions, videos, posts, ideas; consider it a virtual Christmas Card from The Hams. Join with us as we celebrate. Day 1: Our three-year old – Matthew, Jr. loves to sing. He and Buddy the Elf would be best friends. Enjoy these videos of MJ sining his versions of […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
