Archive for the News Category

Our son, Charlie, was born Monday, February 5, 2007, at 6:20pm, weighing in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces (0.65 stones). He was a little over 20 inches long (51 cm).

Here is a slideshow of pictures from his first week: http://www.flickr.com/photos/loveoirs/sets/72157594525817218/show/

In addition to learning how to live again and recovering from labor and delivery, Kathleen and I are trying to recover from illnesses we acquired before the birth. Kathleen has a cold and a bad cough and I have strep throat. So, please be gentle when you email or call.

Speaking of which, we really do appreciate the well-wishes and the support. I am overcome emotionally by all the love we have received bringing Charlie into the world and in the near future I hope to write about what this experience has meant (and is meaning) to me. He is here–and we are surviving–because of all of you.

That said, while we would love to call or email all of you, our most likely action right now will be to not. We’re in biggest-bang-for-the-buck mode, so if we have anything to say, we’ll probably say it here as it reaches the most people at once.

So, that’s it for now. Take care. Until our next communiqué, this is Harry writing on behalf of the Love family in Seattle.

Our son’s not here yet. Just keeping you updated.

While you’re praying for us and our big day coming up, please keep my mom and step-dad in your prayers. They live in The Villages, which was decimated by a tornado early this morning. They’re alive, obviously, but they had a pretty scary night. The roof of their house collapsed onto their bed just a few seconds after they made it into the bathroom. All of their windows blew out, leaving glass all over the house, allowing debris to come flying in. Their garage door blew in several feet, locking the vehicles inside. My step-dad’s truck was wrecked. They lost a big part of their roof, and their furniture was damaged. There is mud in many parts of the house. Their outdoor plants were shredded.

And that’s just their place. All of their neighbors’ homes are damaged as well. It’s going to be a difficult time ahead for them. It’s hard being completely across the country from them. If we didn’t have a baby on the way I’d be on a plane. Please pray for them and their community.

Thanks, Harry.

Update: Here are some photos of the damage.

Here are some of our questions and answers from 2006. Happy to say we got all of them right.

What are you happiest about?

Kathleen: Having a baby.
Harry: Yep, I concur.

What’s the baby’s name?

Kathleen: Justin Uhlotta
Harry: Asurp Rize

No, really:

Kathleen: …
Harry: …

Share a memorable laugh you had:

Kathleen: Photo booth pictures
Harry: More photo booth pictures
(yeah, we did this for hours)

If you could walk through any door, what would you like it to open to?

Kathleen: My gut-reaction response is that it would open to our little boy…sans labor & delivery! On a deeper level, I’d love to walk through the many doors of unbelief, pride, and fear that keep me from experiencing life to its fullest. However, I’m also thankful that this journey involves a more dynamic path.

Harry: Sainte-Chapelle, the night we saw the concert there; Zoka, my favorite coffee shop.

Who is your favorite neighborhood cat?

Kathleen: Even though he sprayed my friend, Copper takes the cake (for letting me rub his enormous belly on a regular basis).

Harry: Tough call, but I gotta go with Chester.

Will you be happy to say goodbye to anything from 2006?

Kathleen: Pregnancy-induced heartburn.
Harry: TV.

Who has inspired you?

Kathleen: Countless people, including strangers, friends, and family, through beautiful acts of generosity, perseverance through difficult times, faithfulness, and sacrifice. Maya Angelou’s Seattle visit, during which she recited poetry, sang, and shared about life, was also deeply inspirational to me.

Harry: Kathleen: it’s been amazing to watch her experience pregnancy. Guy Kawasaki: I read The Art of the Start in 2005 and now I follow his blog. Very motivating. Maya Angelou was fantastic.

When do you feel like time flies?

Kathleen: Dates with Harry. Watching our son move in my belly. Reflecting on the past year.
Harry: Reading. Watching movies.

Any favorite movies or videos?

Kathleen: Millions, Akeelah and the Bee.

Harry: Casino Royale, Tony vs. Paul, everyday, Martians Descend on Sesame Street, Bein’ Green, Evolution, Pythagora Switch, Imagination.

Any favorite music or books?

Kathleen: Some Wildflower in my Heart. Re-reading Maya Angelou’s early autobiographical works. I’ve continued to play many of the same albums from last year over and over again this year: Garden State Soundtrack, Illinois by Sufjan Stevens, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb by U2, and anything by Coldplay. Harry also made me a fantastic iTunes digital album for Christmas that will probably be overplayed during 2007.

Harry: The Tale of the Unknown Island, Worldchanging: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century (still reading this one), The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology (still reading this one, too), Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joni Mitchell, Understand by Pete Rock (watch out, this might be too funky for you), and most recently, Black and Blue and Numb All Over by Graig Markel. Also, by way of video: Drifting, and The Wind and the Wheat.

Favorite web sites?

Kathleen: I’m not much of a web surfer, so my vote is for my email account. Harry always shows me funny sites, so I get to see the good stuff without searching for it.
Harry: Line Rider, Animator vs. Animation (choose Watch this Movie)

Other than the baby, what are you looking forward to this year?

Kathleen: I could write paragraphs to answer this question…but I’ll spare us all the time! Instead, in a nutshell: growth and development in my relationships and new roles, watching the same in others, Harry launching his business, and returning to gardening & physical activities (besides waddling around the lake).

Harry: Opening the doors to my web business (still under development). Ocean’s 13. Writing more. Adding more fiction to my non-fiction-leaning book list.

As always, we update Loveoirs from time to time with our thoughts so you can keep up with what we’re doing. When the little boy is born we will post an update here, so check back in the first few weeks of February. Our photos are still on Flickr. Here’s a collection of some of our favorite memories from 2006.

We wish you all the best in 2007. We hope you get at least some of the best. We’ll rock-paper-scissors you for it.

From Eurosport.com:

“Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso and Francisco Mancebo were among 37 riders listed in Spanish media as being named in the country’s official doping report.”

The Tour begins tomorrow and teams are rebuilding as we speak. More:

• It’s official: Vinokourov, Astaná-Wuerth out
• Tour Turned Upside Down With Doping Scandal
• Astaná-Würth now out of Tour

“Amid fears” that others may have their “sights” set on me, thus, putting me in their “crosshairs,” (”aiming,” really) I, like Paul Bausch and Jason Kottke before me, “vow” not to “engage” in the practice of headlinese. I “urge” others to “follow suit.”