Wife had first child nine months later. That first daughter is now 24 years old (as of January 16) and expecting number two.
This daughter (our number three child), who gave birth yesterday, was born in 1982 (we'd been married five years at the time) and is now 21.
So, here I am at 47, going on 48, with two grandkids and a third in the oven.
The wonderful birth of our lovely granddaughter will now forever, in our minds, also remind us of the tragic events of today. We will not be able to think of one, without remembering the other. She was born on the day before Columbia went down and we will teach her of the commitment, sacrifice and honor of those brave American and one Israeli soul who were all pushing technology, science and historical frontiers as she came into the world, and they went out of it.
God bless them all.