Coming Home!

Today is Monday and me and my sister Raegen are driving back to OK today. It is a 12 hour trip so I should back to OK tonight or tomorrow.

Christmas Letter 2008

Well, this year instead of mailing out my Christmas letter I have decided to put it on my blog, so here goes....
2008 has been a year of many blessings and some challenges. My Mom has struggled with depression and some other issues for many years and in January this year she had a break-through. Ever since then she has been better than ever in many ways. It has been a tremendous blessing for my family to have a fully functioning Mom again and just in time for..... The next thing that consumed 2008 was preparing for a baby and then having Jackson Scott Hamilton July 3rd. What a blessing that little boy is! He is defiantly mine and Scott's pride and joy! Who would have thought you could love a little child so much?!?! I had a scheduled C-section with him at 38 weeks since he was breech. He was 7 lbs 13 oz at birth and now at 5 months old he is about 22 lbs....quite the little chunker. Jackson is a very good baby and stays happy most of the time. I am loving motherhood and highly recommend it to all my married friends. :) The third thing that has marked 2008 is Scott's first deployment. He left September 8th for southeast Asia and will be gone through January 15th. I have been at home in SC for most of his deployment. I think this was a very good decision since I stay very preoccupied here and am surrounded by loved ones. I have handled his deployment much better than I thought I would, however I am very ready for him to get back home! Scott is doing ok...not great. He misses us terribly and is so ready to get home... 4 weeks to go!!! Please continue to keep us in your prayers that we will be able to be back together soon. Sunday me and my family are leaving for AL to spend Christmas with my Mom's side of the family. I am looking forward to this since it has been years since we have spent Christmas in Spanish Fort. I plan to be there about a week, then come home for a week, then travel home to Oklahoma. Hopefully with the packed schedule these last 4 weeks will fly by!
I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

My 2 Men and my 2 Homes

Scott is deployed to the Middle East until January 15th. I know he would love to get cards in the mail especially during the holidays! Here he is at a rugby game on his day off in southeast Asia. You can mail him a card at no additional charge to: Captain Robert Scott Hamilton; 965 EAACS; APO AE 09853
Jackson is 5 months old here. Here is a picture of him sticking out his tounge. I think it is so cute when he does this!

These are both of my homes....the top one is in SC where I am from. The bottom one is on Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City where I live when Scott is home.
I thought this was a cool picture since it was taken from a helicopter.

Country Home and Thanksgiving

This is my family's country home. It is also the house my Dad grew up in... however it did not look this good back then. After my grandparents died, Dad bought the house and property. This past year my parents have invested a lot of time, money, and energy into fixing it up. My Mom did a fabulous job making it over! Now it makes a great country home get-a-way. In fact, that is where I am right now. The picture above is most of us eating breakfast this morning.

Jackson's 1st Thanksgiving and 2 front teeth!

Jackson 4 months old....~21 lbs

Up-date

It has been a little while since I have blogged due to always having something else more pressing to do. Last week I took Jackson to Greenville, SC to visit Scott's side of the family and some of my friends. We were there Wednesday to Sunday. This week we have more people at the house since it is Thanksgiving. I've ejoyed Ross, Keke, and Chris being around. This week has had a lot of extra drama in it too...more than I prefer. Scott being gone is getting harder and harder. He is scheduled to come home January 15th. I plan on going back to Oklahoma a few days before he gets there to get things in order for his arrival....get the home fires burnin'. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I'll try to post more picts then.

Mom's 50th Birthday

My Mom tured 50 this past Saturday so to celebrate we went to Pinehurst, NC and stayed in The Carolina Hotel. This is what she wanted to do. I was "in charge" of the weekend so I stayed rather busy the whole time trying to make everything come together as it should. I think everything went well. Mom said it was great. I'm glad she enjoyed it, but I am also glad it is off my plate now.

Jackson around 4 months

St.Petersburg Trip

Well, it has been a while since I have blogged. That is a good thing because it means that I am keeping busy which helps Scott's deployment to pass more quickly. Scott has been gone 7 weeks and should be back home in about 10. This past weekend I took Jackson and my sister Raegen to Scott's cousin's wedding in St. Petersburg, FL. Raegen and I had a good time and Jackson was very good....even on the plane rides! Below are some pics from the trip....

Scott's family at the wedding reception. From left to right: Bill, Becky, Jimmy, me, Aunt Liza, Raegen, Emily, Michael, and Charlotte.

Rachael and Raegen at the rehearsal dinner. It was at the pier in St.Petersburg. Jackson in the airport. He is almost 4 months old and weighs about 19 lbs now.

Joe and Shelby Bassford. Shelby is Scott's cousin.

The view from our room at the Vinoy...it was a beautiful view...the pic doesn't do it justice!

Scott loves getting mail!

If you would like to mail Scott a letter or a package, his address is:
Capt. R. Scott Hamilton
965 EAACS
APO AE 09853

*it does not cost any extra to mail since it's an APO box

Jackson's 1st Football game

The Kellis Girls from left to right: Raleigh (15), Mom (49), Rachael (26), Rochelle (13), and Raegen (17). My girls have grown up so fast!

Greenville, SC Trip

Scott's biological father, Hugh Hamilton.My step-mother-in-law, Suzanne Hamilton. Sounds scary...but she's great! A sunrise view from the front porch of the Watson's (Scott's parents) new house. In case you have not noticed, I love great scenery. Scott's friend since elementary school, Kevin Lewis. He and his his wife Erin just had a baby.

My friend Erin Lewis and her new son, Robert Craven Lewis. My friend since middle school, Lindsay Kramer. From left to right: Scott's Grandaddy, Scott's step-grandmother Sue, Scott's Grandmomma, Scott's sister Liza, her husband Kenny, and Scott's Dad Our neices Mallory and Ellison. Our nephew Sam holding Jackson. Sam and Ellison are twins. Scott's Dad, Michael Watson Scott's step-brother Eric and his wife Brandy and their 2 kids Zachery and Gabbi Scott's cousin KathleenScott's Grandmomma Jackson is wearing one of Scott's baby outfits

Back home

I took 5 days to go visit our friends and family who live in Greenville, SC and got back to my parents house yesterday. Scott's side of the family got to see Jackson for the first time and so did many other people. It was a good visit. I also went to see a popular Naturopath doctor who practices there and it was very enlightening! I am going back in 3 weeks and taking my Mom and sister with me. I had no idea what these doctors were capable of!!!

Greenville Schedule

We have yet to visit Greenville and show Jackson to Scott's side of the family and some other friends and family we have up there so here is the schedule:
Thursday, October 2nd....drive to Scott's parents house
Friday, October 3rd.....visit Scott's Grandaddy and Sue and Eric and Brandi Watson
Saturday, October 4th....hang out at the house and visit Lindsay in the evening
Sunday, October 5th....Church with the Murphrees, lunch with the Hamiltons, Michael's Birthday party at 4:00
Monday, October 6th....visit Erin and Kevin's new baby, visit and spend the night with the Murphree's
Tuesday, October 7th.....hang out with Aunt Rhonde' then drive back to my parents

Home on Lake Murray

One reason I love coming home is the lake. No matter what time of day it is or what the weather is like, it is always so beautiful and calming to me. It is food for my soul just to be able to take in the sight. The window in my room provides a great view all day long.

Jackson at 12 weeks

With my family in SC

Raleigh holding Jackson on the way home to SC. Mom eating and holding Jackson. I'll work on getting a better picture of the two of them. Rochelle feeding Jackson.

Birmingham, AL Visit

My best friend from college, Jessa Mullen. My best friend from college, Cortney McKinney. Cherry DeRosa....my Mom's first cousin. Yes, I need some lipstick in this picture. My second cousins, John and Meredith DeRosa. Joe DeRosa...he's my mom's first cousin's husband.

By buds, Jessa and Corteny. WAR EAGLE!!!!

I also got a chance to visit other aunts, uncles's, and cousins while in Birmingham, but did not get a picture of everyone. : (

Spanish Fort Visit

Mandy Bell and her sister Raegen Great-Aunt Rene' Bell and cousin Gair Bell Great-Uncle Curtis Bell cousin Neil Sherer cousin Katherine Sherer Great-Aunt Rachael Sherer cousin Gannon Great-Grandmother Kitty Mullins Great-Grandpaw Bennie Mullins