A baby is a small member of the family that makes love stronger,
days shorter, nights longer, the home happier, clothes shabbier,
the past forgotten and the future worth living for.
– Anonymous

We had a baby! Clarke Augustus (a.k.a. "Thor") Conner was born at 12:07 am on September 16, 2004. He weighed 8 lbs. 8 oz., and was 19.5" long. He has big blue eyes (just like dad) and round cheeks like mom. It looks like his hair may be reddish brown. From months of kicking, he's very strong and active.

Prior to Clarke's arrival I created this page to answer the most common questions we were receiving. Since he's joined our family, I've added details about parenthood and Clarke!

How are Karl, Clarke, and Mom doing?

With a newborn, a new house underway, 25+ new baby chicks and guinea hens, and a few hundred things to do—Karl is managing surprisingly well! He's mastered the 2am poopy diaper change, making breakfast and offering non-stop support for his exhausted wife, and still taking care of our land, house building, and his parents who live nearby.

Clarke has a terrific temperament; smiling, stretching, and looking around when he's not sleeping, eating, or pooping.

After almost four days of labor, it took a while to regain my energy. Now almost 6 weeks later, I'm feeling good and beginning to walk and work. Having a loving husband and beautiful child really help keep me excited, relaxed, and enjoying every moment.

Have you posted pictures of Clarke online? (updated)

Yes! See for pictures of Clarke on Karl's website. We try to upload a few new ones every couple of days.

How can I get notified when you have new pictures and news?

We've created a Clarke Conner mailing list. If you received the initial announcement, you are already on the list. Follow this link if you haven't received a note from Clarke before and would like to receive them in the future.

What is your mailing address?

Karl, Marcia, and Clarke Conner
1075 Old Greenville Road
Staunton, VA 24401-9657

More contact information on my make contact page.

Anything that we can do for you?

Each time I hear it, I look at the hour, the day, the week, and figure out an individualized reply. If you're serious about helping with something, write or call to see what's needed at that moment. No heavy lifting, we promise! Requests have ranged from "help rake leaves," "simplified baby stuff recommendations?" and just recently, "please send 'baby it's time to sleep' energy."

Where did the name come from?

A few days before labor began we picked a name we really liked. When we met him, however, we knew it wasn't right. [People had told us this might happen but frankly, we hadn't believed them. Ha!] We had to turn back to our previous ideas, and also really look at him and his temperament. Clarke is a nod to a few of our favorite curious explorers: Superman and William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. It means "Scholar" and we interpret this to also mean "Learner." His middle name reflects the county that we live in (Augusta Co., Virginia), my grandmother Gussie, and Karl's grandfather George. And that nickname, "Thor," reflects his mighty strength.

How will this change your work life?

Less travel, more video-conferencing, more writing, more long-distance coaching and consulting, and more invitations for clients to visit the Shenandoah Valley! This summer, several organizations sent their teams to our area and the meetings were very successful. When the new house is done, we'll hold meetings there. In the meantime, we have several great meeting spots to choose from based on the groups' needs. I'm taking off a few months this fall while Karl takes over some of my responsibilities, and then we'll share the workload.

What have you learned recently?

Skin has incredible elasticity. Ankles can be there one minute, gone the next, and back the third! My husband is amazing. I'm thrilled that my books (Learn More Now and Creating a Learning Culture) are complete. Pineapple juice tastes better going down than coming up; marshmallows taste the same in both directions. There is way too much baby stuff on the market. Breast milk is the gold-standard. Maternity pillows seem ridiculous but they are fabulous! Pine-tar soap does a great job of taking the itch out of rashes and bites. It's amazing how much you can love someone you've just met.

How did you look pregnant?

Yee-gads! The short answer was, "like me, but much bigger!" This picture was taken at 8 1/2 months pregnant. At 9 1/2 months, imagine another few inches out front and my cheeks even rounder.

 How was the pregnancy?

I dealt with a kidney stone, morning sickness, knee problems, reflux, and more than a few sleepless nights, however, I enjoyed most every day and I felt very fortunate I was able to be active throughout.

When will you be ready for guests?

We don't know. Call or write Karl before you consider coming.

What have you been doing to relax?

Walking, prenatal yoga, listing to favorite tunes, reading, and sleeping whenever possible. Near the end of the pregnancy I also watched the U.S. Open tennis tournament, cooked and froze goodies from the garden, and played with our dog who suspected something was changing. Also, I wrote the forward for my friend Clark Quinn's new book on creating engaging learning through simulation games. It may sound odd that this would be relaxing but it proved fabulously distracting and reminded me that my brain still worked.

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