By the time Dale Workman finishes with breakfast chores, serving breakfast to his wife in bed, washing dishes and cleaning, it is time to start the laundry and lunch. Then there is more cleaning and dusting and preparing for dinner.

But he is enjoying the role because he and his wife, Bethany ,are expecting the biggest blessing in their lives sometime in April. Mrs. Workman expects to deliver quadruplets: three boys and a girl.

"This is truly a blessing from God," said Mr. Workman, 37. "We had tried to have children for a long time and then suddenly, we are getting four."

The quads were conceived through in vitro fertilization.

Mrs. Workman, 39, insists that she was probably less excited than her husband when they learned she was carrying quads. She is on medical leave as an insurance certification specialist at Jewish Hospital.

"Right now, my bedroom is my home," she said. "My husband has taken over the chores. I am just taking it one day at a time. Except for a little morning sickness, I am OK."

Mr. Workman was laid off as a supervisor at a retail clothing store and expects to start work at the Internal Revenue Service soon. "This gives me a chance to get a lot done around the house in preparation for the quads," he said. "And I really love cooking."

He has a lot of arranging and sorting to do because members of the Fellowship of Believers Church in Florence, neighbors in Covington, friends and family have rallied around the couple, showering them with tons of clothes, baby cribs, toys, blankets, pillows and swing sets.

"I am putting together a group of women to conduct a diaper drive," said Debby Peers, a staff member at the Fellowship of the Believers.

"We are going to try to set up a schedule to go in and help around the house when the babies get here. They wanted children so long and now they are getting four," she said.

They haven't decided on names yet.

"I will wait until they arrive and look at them before deciding on names," Mr. Workman said.

The area's first set of quads were believed to have been those born to Robert and Willie Mae Mincey, of Springfield Township, on May 22, 1964.

Multiple births - four or more - are rare. According to statistics at the National Center for Health, it happens to about 500 women a year in the United States.

Since the Minceys' multiple births, quads were born to: John and Debbie Overwine of Taylor Mill, Ky, July 31, 1985; John and Vickie Himmelspach, Green Township, Feb. 13, 1990; Ed and Melissa Rainous, Springfield Township, Feb. 16,1995; Greg and Dana Schon, Pleasant Run, Sept. 27, 1996; Joe and Melissa Gruber, Mount Lookout, Oct. 22, 1996 and Buster and Amy Mullins, Independence, Ky., Feb. 3, 1997.

Allen Howard's "Some Good News" column runs Sunday-Friday. He can be reached at 768-8362, at ahoward@enquirer.com or by fax at 768-8340.