updates from the Barbs

Well, this post is going to be all over the place!  We've been pretty busy, so I'll try and play catch up!

1. Baby Barb
Baby is doing extremely well ... and he has a name!  We decided on Cooper Owen Barb.  We had several options of boy names that we liked, and Cooper made it's way to the top.  We've shared this with anyone who asks and already bought letters to put up a name in the nursery, so it's not a secret and no turning back now :)  It's a pretty big deal to name a child ... I mean, this stays with them forever!  We tried to think through all the ways it could be changed, etc. and we know that it rhymes with Pooper ... but I don't think that's too traumatizing.  I got called Smelly Kelly and my feelings weren't hurt and I think I turned out okay ;)  We had an appointment a couple of weeks ago and everything is still going really well.  He is growing right on track (as am I) and so even though I still look small (relatively), we are on track!  I do feel like there has been a little growth happening this last week.  I feel bigger, look bigger, and my ever-growing basketball size uterus has made itself known as it pushes in and makes room.  I don't think there is any hiding that I'm pregnant.  So one week left and we enter the 3rd trimester!  It has been so fun to feel a living, growing being inside of me.  Maybe I won't feel this way in the heat of the summer as the kicks get harder and I get more uncomfortable, but I really have enjoyed being pregnant.  Another fun thing is that we have our pediatrician lined up!  We just went with Dr. Hoffman, who goes to our church- so lots of friends recommended him (including our OB doctor).  He also happens to be one of the best in town! 

May 20, 2012- 26 weeks

2. Chick-fil-A
This also marks my last week as a full-time manager at Chick-fil-A.  I'm now going to be the part-time Marketing Director!  I know I will miss being with my friends and team members that I enjoy working with and the guests that I enjoy serving, but I will still get to play a role there.  This will allow me to be pretty flexible and able to stay home with Cooper.  We can work with Eric's schedule and that way we aren't hiring out a babysitter or finding daycare options.  Our restaurant is also almost 9 months old now, so we are ready to really get our feet on the ground with stuff in the community too!  I'm also excited that I'll have a flexible summer to be able to spend with Eric, since he has such a flexible summer, and that we will get to be a part of Super Summer and MBC things :) Plus we have weddings, showers, and all kinds of other fun stuff lined up this summer!

My first CfA event -- Leadercast (cookie break)

Lunch at Leadercast

3. Showers
We've already had 2 surprise baby showers!  Our students threw a shower for us back at the end of April and we got so many great goodies....like pacifiers, bathtub, hygiene items, bottle refills, washcloths, towels, onesies, books, blanket, stuffed animal, and giftcards.  We've registered at Target- which was kind of just a shot in the dark.  Everyone has what has worked for their baby, what they never used, preferences, etc...so we registered for all the necessities we could really think of.  I'm sure there will be favorites that we get from people and we didn't bother to register for clothes, because I'm sure that will come too.  I also had a surprise shower on Friday at Chick-fil-A.  They gave us a Target giftcard and our jogging stroller!  We've already been blessed so much!

Some of the goodies from our BSU shower

$7 well spent at a yard sale across the street :)

Coop's first bowtie!

4. Vacation
At the end of April, we took a little trip to Los Angeles.  One of my friends that I met in Ethiopia was getting married!  Reuben (who got married) and Matt made the trip to Missouri for our wedding, so it was fun to be able to do the same!  We spent 4 days in LA and really enjoyed our time.  Eric got to experience Ikea for the first time, we went to Santa Monica pier and beach, went up to the Griffith Observatory, and just shopped and dined!  We got to have dinner with my friend Tracie (from high school) and her husband Ben at a great little Italian place.  Plus, we went to Reuben's wedding and an out-of-towners luncheon.  We love traveling and this was such a great opportunity to get away for a few days.  We'll have quite a bit of travel this summer (close by), but we wanted to get one more flight and travel a little further from home in before Cooper comes.

Reuben & Matt from our wedding- brought their own props for the photo booth!

Reuben & Nicole's wedding

Griffith Observatory--can barely see the Hollywood sign back there

I know there is so much more that I could write about, but it would be even more random than it is now.  So I'll just stop here :)  We've started work on the nursery--as in we know where it's going and have curtains, baby quilt, and the inspiration leading us, but I'm sure I'll have updates as we really begin to put it all together.  Thanks for reading :)

Love,
E + K

$5 prom during Finals week-- we know we're gross :)

Want to read a sweet post from my husband's blog....grab your tissues!

failed blogger again :/

Oh wow.  Here we are almost three months later.  I confess that I'm not the best blogger...especially when it comes to being consistent.  A lot has changed in the Barb household the last couple of months- including the Barb household.  Eric and I bought a house!  We had been looking since the middle of the summer- and went out probably 5-6 different times to see many homes in our area.  We actually put a rushed offer out in early August (when we found out there was another offer, so it was our only chance), but realized that we were not into playing the games that this 'for sale by owner' had.  So we kept looking....and then finally stumbled across the house that is now ours!  I like to refer to us as 'home owers' instead of 'owners' because we are far from owning this.  It's crazy when you look at the sheet with what you're actually paying out over all those years.  We even bought something at the very bottom of our price range and are actually saving money compared to what we paid in rent.  So I'll show you a picture of the little guy (on the outside) and then will hopefully get pictures up of the inside soon.  It is an old home (from the 1950's) in a great area of town that has lots of old homes with character.  It's actually on the same street as the first house we put the offer on.  We painted and got new carpet before we moved in and it seriously made a huge difference.  It has some fun features like a fireplace in the living room and built-in cabinets in the dining room.  We have moved down to only one bathroom, but the bathroom has been completely remodeled in the last 3 years and even has heated floors!  The major thing I would want to change is the kitchen.  It has green counters and an old, old green stove.  We plan to do a complete kitchen remodel somewhere down the road.  It is 1 1/2 story, Cape-Cod style.  The upstairs is really neat too- just needs a little love put into it, so that is probably in the future too!  But here it is from the front....

isn't it cute? the yard could use a little lovin' though...

We also finished our marathon last month!  It was such a great experience and we couldn't have picked better weather.  It started out around 50 degrees and was just starting to get too warm in the last couple of miles.  We also reached our goal of raising $1800 for 'His Voice Global' to go for building a 4th orphanage!  Several of our students came and watched us, so that was fun to see them at different points along the route!  I was definitely ready to be done by the end of it, and would have told you that I've completed my marathon and have no desire to do another full again.  It's funny though how you can forget those feelings- and in the back of my mind, I think I might want to do it again sometime in life.  I guess we'll see!

before the race in downtown STL

our cheering section after the race

The last thing I mentioned in my last blog was that I was going to work at the new Chick-Fil-A.  Well, about three days before we opened, I became a manager.  It has been a fun experience so far-- not that all days are easy or enjoyable, but I really like working there.  I have definitely been learning a lot about leadership and business.  It is hard work and we have been really busy.  It has also given me the flexibility to continue to work with the Student Ministry Team!  I work early in the day, so I finish early and still have the opportunity to get other things done.  I feel like I could probably blog about CFA though-- just all I have learned and experienced.  I come home and tell Eric stories everyday.  Like yesterday, for example, the outside door leading into the restaurant fell off (onto the sidewalk) at about 11am right as the lunch rush was starting.  Oh joy!

And I really do want to get better about blogging....so here's hoping that it's sooner than later :)

short & sweet: wreath & chikin

Some days I feel really crafty...and yesterday was one of those days.  I now have use #2 of the lima bean wreath.  Remember when I made it back in the spring here?  Well a couple of days ago, I saw this wreath pinned on Pinterest and my mind began going and I knew that I wanted that wreath on our deck for fall and to root on our favorite college football team MIZ-ZOU!

So I took spring/summer bright wreath

and turned it into something new

and I actually made it pretty cheap!  I returned some things to Hobby Lobby that I had bought for a different project (and have since changed my mind about what I'm doing) and so with that return, I was able to purchase:
2 wooden letters (.99 each)
1 piece of black felt (.25)
1 piece of gold yellow felt (.79) - didn't match my gold paint, but i had already cut it up
1/8 yard gold fabric (.76)
small bottle gold acrylic paint (.79)
ribbon (already owned)
paint brush (already owned)
black spray paint (already owned)
Total: $4.57

Woohoo! I have made so many things from Pinterest...and I really don't even waste that much time on there.


In other news, I have a NEW JOB!  I'm going to continue with some contract work for the Student Ministry Team at the Missouri Baptist Convention and I'm also going to work at the brand new Chick-Fil-A coming to Cape Girardeau!  I don't really know my role yet- except that I'm probably going to have some early mornings with opening and then the owner/operator has talked to me about doing Marketing/Events.  I'm really excited about the job.  I have had a little pride about it because it's fast food and have just been worried about what people would think of me, but I really like the owner/operator and I've been hearing about several people from church or friends of people I know that are going to be working there and everyone has been super positive.  And I really am excited.  I loved my time in college working at Heavenly Ham- just a mix of the people I got to work with, serving others, and I do like food preparation stuff.  Plus I think I'll really enjoy having an active, fast-paced job.  Not to mention just getting to know more people here- and the way that corporation is set up in regards to leadership development, being family-oriented, and helping the community.  And I'm guaranteed to have Sundays off :) Training starts next week....so we'll see how it all goes!