Congratulations to the Fincke Family!

Best wishes to new parents Mike and Renita Fincke and new brother Chandra Fincke on the birth of little Tarali Paulina Fincke!

She arrived today at a local hospital while the proud pappa listened from his perch aboard the International Space Station.

NASA officials said it was the first time to their knowledge that a U.S. astronaut was in space during the birth of his child. NASA also arranged two video conferences so that he could see mother and child, and videos and pictures will be sent to him aboard the space station.

We folks who live near NASA view every crewmember as a part of the extended family, for we see them in the grocery store, at church, and in lot's of everyday settings -- it's nice to have some good news to report after the events of February 1, 2003.