Christmas Letter 1998

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Dear Friends,

In the spirit of the season, Rachel is great with child and will bless our home with a third swaddling babe sometime in late January. There was some concern on the part of older brother Dunn when we announced that the new baby will be a boy (ultrasound)--he had his heart set on a baby sister. It was little comfort to him to know that Mommy would make more. We have chosen the name "Chase Martin Westhoff." "Chase" after Rachel's Mormon pioneer ancestor Heber C. Kimball and "Martin" after Heber B. Martin, John's maternal grandfather who passed away this year. (After some deliberation we have abandoned the name "Heber Heber Westhoff," as Ray thought this too cumbersome.)

We have known Dunnington for about four and a half years now and he continues to grow in wisdom and stature. I would brag about how smart he is but since most of you know his mother it would come as no surprise to you so I will not bore you with the details. Suffice it to say that he spends the balance of his time drawing pictures (mostly of his family--though his piece, "dog brain," is my personal favorite) and pleading with his Daddy to play chess with him. It's still early to say if he is Grand Master material but he is definitely getting a head start. He has offered to teach his mother the game but she has thus far been content with keeping it a "Daddy-Dunn" activity.

At two, Zachary is Dunn's little blond shadow. He idolizes his brother and they get along swimmingly. Zach, like Dunn is a bit of a Star Wars fan and has developed no small skill with his brother's light-saber. Allowing him to pursue the ways of the Jedi has thus far cost us a set of blinds and a couple of Christmas ornaments. Santa, recognizing that the force is strong in this one, will no doubt be bringing Zach a light-saber of his own this year. [note: If you ever have the opportunity to meet Zach and tell him you love him, he will say "I love you two," to which the appropriate response is "I love you fourteen."]

Rachel continues to do a marvelous job as Mother and Wife. I am continually grateful for the woman I married, and each year we are married is better than the last. That is not to say that things have not been difficult, and we are both looking forward to the end of Medical School when we anticipate buying a second car. Having small children at home without transportation is an experience only those who have lived through it can appreciate. She has endured it well and in the spring she will, with all due solemnity, be crowned "Queen of the Minivan."

Graduation is in May of next year, after which we will be moving for my internship year. By the time you read this, we will know for certain where that will be. The two most likely possibilities are Tacoma, Washington and San Antonio, Texas. During my internship I will take the third and final "step" of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination, and apply for a residency in Emergency Medicine--another three years of training.

If you're reading this letter it's because we like you and we would like to keep in touch! Feel free to write, call, or e-mail, and let us know what's going on in your lives, particularly if you're moving, getting married or just don't get my jokes. In the meantime, Happy New Year to all of you, Merry Christmas to most of you and Happy Hanukkah to a couple of you. We love you and wish you the best.

John, Rachel, Dunnington, Zachary and (almost) Chase

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This page contains a single entry by John published on December 25, 1998 12:00 AM.

Christmas Letter 1996 was the previous entry in this blog.

Christmas Letter 2000 is the next entry in this blog.

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