Nina was born on March 22, 1974 at St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove. She weighed 7lbs. 10oz., and was named after Pauline Smith (who I called "Nina"), my second "mother". She cared for me when I was an infant and my mother was at work. Back then, she and her husband Ben lived at 9th and Chester Sts. We lived with them for a short time, at least until my first birthday.
Nina Catherine(my mother's middle name), was baptized on May 18th 1974, our sixth wedding anniversary, and we had a party at St. Bernadette's after Mass. Grandma Frances sewed her a blue coat and bonnet to wear on that special day!
On her first birthday, she fell asleep in her highchair....probably too much excitement!
I know that I took a photo of her without her two front teeth but I can't find it for some reason, and I feel bad about it....maybe it will still turn up!
Nina was rather shy and retiring in the grade school classroom, but she saved her energy for home and family! Her teachers could hardly believe that she could be a "screaming banshee" when it suited her!
Around 1980, her little tap group was the first to go to Regency Dance Competition Nationals in St. Louis and win a big trophy!
On our trip to Omaha in about 1984, great-uncle Leo let Nina drive the tractor at one point. She didn't know how to stop, and when he stepped up to help her, he was accidentally knocked to the ground, and the back wheel of the tractor passed over his abdomen! Luckily we were near and made him lie still, and called the ambulance! At the hospital he vomited what they thought was blood, but actually, he had been eating a lot of raspberries in the garden.....he stayed overnight though. It was a traumatic experience for all concerned!
In Albuquerque in 1985 we went on a trail ride along the Rio Grande...Nina was very nervous on her horse and it did not help that our guides would say things designed to engender fear of snakes and runaway horses! When we got to Bryce Canyon, Utah, she and I stayed behind in camp when the others took an early ride into the canyon....
One evening we were watching TV in the living room. Nadia's hamster was getting it's nightly exercise on it's rather squeaky wheel, and the usual sibling banter was being exchanged. All
at once Nina came bouncing into the room on the Pogo-Ball, and I totally lost it! I was
laughing so hard that I had a pain in my side! It was one of those times that I could not stop
laughing at the craziness of our "3-ring circus"!
I have loved watching Nina dance all these years(I can't count how many times), and I am thankful that I still have the opportunity 35+ years later!
A screaming banshee, huh? I would have never imagined that of sweet gentle Nina. I miss her and her family in that front pew so much. It was such a pleasure watching the kids grow. And, that little Jovie, provided so much entertainment that I'm surprised the entire congregation didn't try to squeeze into that section just to be a part of it
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