This one's for you Dad.

PVT. Iver Nichols and his mother, Ruby - 1943

I am missing my Dad today. August 5 was his birthday. His mom, who we called Nonnie, had the same birthday too! Funny, I thought of him today,as my friend, Diane told us her mom and dad were coming today. She was so excited to see them. I told her to enjoy every minute with them as I am an orphan. He has been gone 19 years and I can still see him smoking his hand rolled cigarettes. He really didn't smoke them much. He mostly hung them out of his mouth, and he must not have drawn on them, because they would go out and there would be some spit marks going down them. Then he would pull out his lighter, take a drag, usually burn a little hole in his shirt (it usually had holes in it anyway). He usually had his glasses halfway down his nose, and one eye would be squinted against the smoke as it curled up the side he had it hanging from. He also usually had a cap on cockeyed to one side or the other. We would come home and he would be in the kitchen tinkering with some junk. He stripped motors and things and sold the scrap to Pitts in Sioux Falls. Anyway, I don't remember mom getting mad about his messes...maybe she just kept it to herself or maybe I blocked it out. He usually had some country music playing full blast. I also can just see him, smell his cologne, and feel him as he held me in a tight hold as we danced the polka. He used to take me along with him and mom to dances on the weekends if I was without something to do or had experienced some heart breaking break up. They LOVED to dance! They kept it up all night. Dad was just sweating away, but loving every minute of it. Mom died 3 years ago and I remember her being ready and wanting to go when pastor Ron asked her, "Well Elvina, are you ready to go on a journey? What do you want?" She said "I want to see my Mother, my father, my sister, and the father of my children." She loved you Dad. With all the years of hardship, there was love. With all the years of her scraping every dime together to feed her family, she loved you Dad. Her journal said, "Please bury me on the hill in Beloit beside the father of my children". She loved her children and she loved you for giving them to her to love. She always said, "When it comes to blessings, I'm richer than most". Life was hard, but it was harder without you. I have no doubt that you and Mom are dancing in heaven. Who knows, maybe when you met Mom at the gate, you ran to her, hugged her, and gave her your little pat on the butt!!! Love you Dad and Mom! Carol