Wonderful news.....

We have great news to share. Baby Barker #5 is on the way. We weren't expecting to share the news quite yet; it's so hard for the kids to wait a loong time for a baby, but one of the children accidentaly found out so....

The doctor is checking my Beta levels as a precaution of all the miscarriages and everything has been wonderful.

The baby, now called "Nemo!" by the kids is due on Christmas Eve but we are positive it will be here a few weeks before, they always are!

Josiah wanted to know how big the baby was and why my tummy was so squishy! :-) We told him that the baby is a little bean right now but will swim in the squishy water until it grows into a big baby to meet the world. So since the baby is in water, well.. they dubbed the baby "Nemo".

Love to all~

Andra and Josh

A new season....

And no, I don't mean the winter/spring weather :-) Wow, that was weird. Waking up in April to a snow covered van! As I keep saying... we are craving warmer temperatures... Josh was given news today that he is now on permanent lay-off after this week.

Some may see this as bad news but not us! I can see many positives out of this. For one, we get to spend more family time together! Josh has been working towards finishing his degree and now he will have the time to go back full-time! Kelly is getting ready to have her "big" surgery so he can be there for that and the list goes on and on....

One thing Josh always reminds me of is when the twins were 3 months old. He lost his job at Zimmer due to downsizing. We were scared to death, weren't sure how to handle it. BUT, it turned out the a great 6 months of our lives and we wouldn't change that time for ANYTHING! He was there for all thier "firsts". It was a special time. And the very day his severeance etc ran out, he got a job offer!

God has our back. We see this as an opportunity, not a loss. We will continue to pray daily for Newmar that God will bring that company back to where its always been before the high gas prices etc. WE love the Miller family and are grateful for ALL they have done for us, thru everything! And we pray that one day Josh can go back there to work. If that's what God wants for us, it will happen. If not, then his plans are perfect and we are excited to see where he will take us from here!

Thanks for all the well-wishes, concerns, and prayers!

Love you all-
Andra

Kelly was in the newspaper for Ed-Com!!!!

Spring Cleaning....

Oh, the joys of cleaning. I LOVE being able to open the windows and getting the fresh air in our house! I have 5 bags so far to drop off at Goodwill, but I am sure there will be more. We always toy with the idea of having a garage sale but the thought of having this stuff in my house for another month drives me totally nuts. Plus, we itemize our taxes so we get a nice chunck for a tax break. I am taking it one closet at a time.. The kids are starting to notice what I am doing, I think they are bolting down thier items in fear they will be gone! I have assured them that nothing they are using will move but if they haven't used it since fall, its a goner...

The yard is next. I can't wait to get the last of the leaves that fell right before the snow hit. Its driving me nuts seeing it out there but the house is first!

Summer semster starts in a few months and with Kellys surgery right around the corner I need to get this stuff done ASAP!