The Barkers 2020

Colin Russell Barker
Age 4
Birthday March

He is a hilarious human, I have never meet a child that sensed when they entertain others and purposely try to do so by such a young age as he is. He LOVES Ryan's World on youtube and I'll find him sneaking my phone so he can watch him. I love that he is a lover of adventures, whenever I tell him that we're going to go somewhere he usually shouts for joy and heads straight for the car. If I take him to the park I usually end up chasing him around playing tag the entire time. He loves being chased! Colin also is the child that I see myself the most in. I can't lie he has sudden emotions, they come quickly and strongly. When he's mad, he is MAD, when he is sad, he is SAD. The hardest thing has been teaching him that he's not a bad boy for feeling these emotions but it isn't good to say bad words, or hit things or people. I have found myself many times on my knees in prayer trying to gain insights into how I can help him be HIM, in the best way possible. I really really have a soft tender spot for him in my heart and truly want the best for him. I hope that I can teach him how to love himself, and just try to please Heavenly Father in how he lives his life.

Kylie Gabriella Barker
Age 6
Birthday July

She is the most tender sweetest girl. Kylie is always found making crafts for other people, helping me clean up, regularly makes her bed for me in the mornings. She never leaves her room a mess and naturally cleans is all up whenever she's done playing in it. Just today she asked me for a jar so she could make it her "tithing" jar for our church we attend. We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she LOVES Jesus and Heavenly Father. I find her saying prayers, singing church hymns, and requesting we read scriptures at night together as a family. Her favorite color is still yellow, and oddly she loves pickles and asked for a jar in her Christmas stocking. She honestly has been a very well behaved child, and excels in school. She already reads chapter books, and finished Charlotte's web a couple of months ago all by herself.

Russell Nye Barker
Age 30
Birthday April

Russell is killing it at his job at Global Sim, Inc. He gets to do customer support, IT, and engineering things (shows you how much I know). A lot of you know that with his job he literally travels all over the world. Last year saw him in Puerto Rico, Japan, Italy, Belgium, Canada, California, Georgia, Argentina, Thailand (with me), and a lot of other places I've probably forgotten. Italy was probably the hardest trip for me personally because its my dream destination and he got called away that day to fly out, he was sending me videos of him eating Gelato in Venice, and I was knee deep in 2 quarreling siblings.... let's say I had to say a prayer to ask to not feel SUCH jealousy in my heart haha. I am thankful that he does get lots of airplane miles, and hotel points :) I see you London, I will get back to you :)

ME
Age 30
Birthday March

I have been making leaps and bounds in being my happiest self. I have made a lot of revelations about myself, my life, and habits that are helping me feel my best. My best friend is doing a health challenge for January and every single day I've been working out 30 minutes. We also were challenged to drink 64 ounces of water a day, and that's been huge for me. I LIVED on diet coke, especially during my eating disorder. This month I've been completely caffeine free, and drinking MOSTLY water all day (this is HUGE for me). I was warned against diet coke in recovery because it curbs hunger and makes you want to skip meals and snacks... so that's been helping me to stay focused on nourishing myself with real food. I still have hard days, but life savers for me have been chewy caramels, protein bars, and dried mangos from costco that I can eat on the go so I'm not thinking about it too much. I just feel like I'm really improving my health even more.