Awash In Family History and Future
Big news! Our daughter, Katy, is having a baby in July. It’s a boy. Father, Nate, and Katy are madly setting up a bedroom, shopping for strollers and car seats, etc. Great fun. She is at 15 weeks and starting to show. Her students at San Quinten where she works are very solicitous, “Here, let me carry your computer. You shouldn’t be lifting anything.”
Amazing. I’m gonna be a grandparent. Hell, I never even imaged being a parent. Here are her most recent ultrasound images. I’m sure you want to see these…


All of this against the background of my interest in the Ancestry.com history of my family, and Mary’s brother John’s work on the letters of their parents during the war years. This brought to mind an interview I did with Mary and John’s father about being shot down in his P-38 over Germany.

A few years after my interview with him, Mary and her sister Colleen treated their father to a ride in a T-6 trainer airplane in Sonoma. So here was a wartime pilot getting to go up in a military-style plane for one more ride.
Please check out these two videos. Also, hear Katy’s commentary in the background, “Grandpa’s a pilot,” and note grandpa’s Green Bay Packers baseball hat.
What history for the grandchildren. So here comes the next generation.
Anniversary Dinner
Mary and me celebrating our 36th wedding anniversary.
She is in her wedding dress. Amazing. Me, not so much

What a great update! There’s nothing quite like being a grandparent! (Your task is to corrupt him with the best of intentions!! Enjoy! And happy anniversary to you and Mary
Congratulations on 36 Years of marriage! Fifty-four years ago, only East Palo Alto High school “allowed” pregnant women to substitute teach, so there I was. It was a very comfortable place to be while pregnant. One day, a very tall male student draped his arm over my shoulders, saying “haven’t you had that baby yet?”
GONGRATULATIONS RICK & MARY!!
Howard
One of life’s great joys- being a grandparent! Congrats on your anniversary as well. Katy and Nate must be over the moon! Much love to them!
This was a wonderful post! The video of little Katy talking and Mary laughing in the background was so sweet.
And the anniversary photo was just lovely. So glad y’all had a fun celebration!
Thank you for sharing, Rick. Love you
Big Congratulations, Mary and Rick! 36th Anniversary, upcoming grand-parent-hood… WOWEE!
And, I simply LOVE stories that bridge the generations – what a privilege to spend time with your father-in-law and bring connection, soon, to yet another generation.
These are super exciting times for the Gilbert/McGlynn family. It’s all so wonderful. Tying all the big current news in with the old-time adventure puts it all in perspective! Lovely post! I am sooo happy for you all!
Happy anniversary! We were in the living room where it happened! Great news about Katy and Nate expecting a baby! Truly a happy new year!
Such great news! Congratulations on your anniversary and the arrival of a baby boy in July!❤️
Love to all of you, M&M
Such great news! Congratulations on your anniversary and the arrival of a baby boy in July!❤️
Love to all of you, M&M
Lovely story and exciting news about Katy’s pregnancy! Congratulations. Thank you for sharing these videos – very touching reminders of how precious and short life is.
piano / prix / slam / canyon / finale …and, wait for it PARENT! – The best GRAND of all.
Congrats!