A Sawyer video

I just figured out how to upload video. Check out this one of Sawyer trying to raise up. He will be crawling before you know it.

-- Heath

A New Year

We had a pretty relaxing New Year's Eve. We spent it together as a family. Then on the New Year's day we spent it with my dad, brother, Hollye and Kage.

I can't believe 2008 is over - it was such a wonderful year. Heath and I were blessed with Sawyer. But I think 2009 will be even better. Sawyer will have so many firsts--his first steps, first words and 1st birthday. Several of our friends will be getting married and I will be graduating from medical school. Then we will be getting a new house and I will start residency. Such a full year.

I usually don't make resolutions but there are some things I really want to accomplish this year.

1. Be a healthy example for Sawyer so he will grow to love fruits and veggies

2. Get organized

3. Learn spanish

4. Take advantage of my time off and spend it with friends and family

So here is to a great 2009!

Sawyer's Adventures

Sawyer has changed so much so quickly. It seems like he did all of these things in a week. One week he was just lying there with a few smiles. The next he is so active and talking and laughing. And let me tell you his laugh is so sweet. He gets a giggle fit and stops and then giggles again. Now he has tears and can hold his own bottle. He is trying to sit up and I hope he can sit in his bumbo soon. He rolls over and holds his head and body up so good now. It won't be long before he crawls --- I can feel it. And he has developed such a little personality ---he is so strong and independent. He doesn't want to take naps anymore so he fights me. He will yell and yell up till the last minute. Finally he gets overwhelmed and falls asleep hard. Next week we go for a peds visit--I think he will be 17 pounds and 27 inches but we will see!

Texas Panhandle

Although I grew up in the Panhandle and have driven 287 too many times to count there are some things I never noticed until this last trip. I got a little history lesson from Dawn and Heath. I saw an old cemetery and several ghost towns. Then I got a tour of Quanah from Dawn. Let me tell you Quanah has some neat old buildings. You just don't see architecture like that anymore. I got to see Dawn's first house, the court house, depot, jail and a beautiful old home. Then on the way out of town I saw the Medicine Mounds which are Indian Ritual grounds. I hope next time I am in Quanah that we can take a trip out there and see the old ghost town.

Sawyer's first Christmas

This Christmas was great except that I had the worst cold. It lasted two weeks. I had fever, stuffy head, cough and I lost my voice. But besides that it was great. We spent a week with our families. Sawyer got to see all of his grandparents and great grandparents in one week-- basically in one weekend. We went to Fort Worth, Bowie, Quanah, and Amarillo. We got great pictures of four generations of Coffmans and Whitfields. I think it is amazing that Heath still has all of his grandparents. I only have one left. They were more excited about Christmas than Sawyer could have ever been. And let me tell you they spoil this kid. He got so many books, outfits, and toys. But I think his favorite thing was the Christmas tree and all the lights. Or this jumping Santa that my dad had. Sawyer would lean close to Santa and talk but then Santa would jump and scare him. It was funny to watch Sawyer leap back and then laugh.

He also got to spend time with his cousins Kage and Gabby. Gabby is so big now she is almost two. She got a talking Elmo for Christmas and she would dance with him. It was too funny! I can't wait for Sawyer to be that age and play with toys like that.

Goodbye Penny

For those of you who know me well you know my love/obsession with my 98 Honda Passport. For everyone else--you are about to find out. I got the car when I was 16 and we have been through everything together. High school, college, med school --I even brought Sawyer home in that car. It is full of so many memories. It is even a joke among my friends that I would drive that car to my high school reunion. I believed I would too. But I am sorry to say that this Christmas I had to let Penny go. Yes, I name my cars and she was named Penny Passport.

It started on the way home to Amarillo--we had a blowout. To be honest a very bad blowout. We were lucky that we didn't have a wreck. Luckily we were near Quanah so Heath's family was able to come out and save us. But we needed to put new tires on the car. And this started a conversation about what if more work had to be done to the car. All of our family has been telling me that I need a new car. The problem was I didn't want a new car. I was perfectly happy with Penny--she wasn't perfect but she was perfect for me. I wanted Penny to make it through residency and make it to 100,000 miles. But after a long talk and some crying, Heath and I came to the conclusion that if the car needed work it might cost more than the car is worth. So we decided to buy a new car especially because now is a great time to buy.


By chance we saw an add in the Wichita paper for Tahoe Hybrid for a great deal. So on the way home depsite me being sick as a dog, we stopped in Henrietta to look. At first we were not impressed the car had the word "HYBRID" written down the side. We both hated it. But then the dealer came out and we asked if you could paint over it. He said, "oh it is just a sticker it can come off". Well that changed everything. We looked inside and much to our surprise it was fully loaded-leather, navigation, dvd player, back up camera and anything else you could imagine. They were making such a great deal on it because it was an 08. So it was fate! And now I am proud to introduce Tori Tahoe--I hope we go at least 10 tears together.

Interview Trail

For the past month I have been traveling all over interviewing. I am tired of it. I dislike the whole interview process --I believe it is fake. You are on your best behavior and so are the interviewers. So who knows if you are a good match because no one is being real. Even my attire is fake--a black suit. I never dress so bland. In a few weeks I have to rank my choices and then I find out in March where I matched. It is the longest process--I started applying in September and don't know till March. Then I only have 8 weeks to find a place, move, find a job for Heath and graduate. Only a few interviews left--thank goodness.