When I transferred to Elmhurst College, I didn't know anyone and I was not in a situation to meet people and make friends easily as a commuter working multiple jobs and caring for a small child. However, I was able to get involved in an organization of women musicians, formerly known as E.C. Sisterhood of Musicians, now a chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, Internation women's music fraternity. Yes, fraternity, because there weren't any sororities at the time, and we do have men members (professional musicians and composers, for example, as honorary members, not guys who joined a girl's club in college).
Anyway, I found a whole bunch of great friends there, especially my "big sis", Karie (Mather) Friedman. She really went out of her way to love on me and make me feel special and stuff. I could say all sorts of nice things about all these ladies here, but I will keep it brief. Karie, and Stephanie (Anderson) Abudayeh hosted a baby shower for me since they didn't know me in my pre-Jillian years. It meant so much that they did that!!! It was so special and sweet, and boy, they know how to have fun!
(Left to right) Karie, Me & Jill, Stephanie, Jessica,
Sarah, Julie, and Beth. Margaret came a little later.
Here's my mom, Bonnie, playing Bottle Bowling. There are empty baby bottles as pins and we rolled a small ball across the floor, trying to knock over as many as we could. I didn't do that great, but Mom and Julie did very well! That's Margaret leaning over the counter on the right. :)
Jillian helped me open gifts. This was an adorable little basket/bucket from Julie Kania. She was our first president of the Kappa Omega chapter of SAI. Lisa Furst was in charge before it all came together. She was a great president and a lot of fun!
Stephanie and Karie gave me a diaper cake, decorated with all sorts of fun stuff, like washcloths and rattles and a bib and a blanket on top. :)
Stephanie (left) was always very friendly and was in most of my music ed. classes with me, including choir. This Swedish cutie not only helped me in classes and choir but also gave us some great help getting our honeymoon to Scandinavia planned, especially the part in Sweden, since she speaks Swedish. Her husband, Elias, is from Israel, so that's where she gets her cool new last name.
Margaret Brumann, to my right in the picture, has been my buddy on many adventures, including Jamaica, IMEA, and choir tours. She's always doing something amusing. :) Marge is from Chicago and has spent some time subbing in CPS and has some CRAZY stories from the trenches!!!!
Karie, next to Marge, as I said, was a great friend and "big sis". We were Sop. 2's together in concert choir. Her husband, Scott, and I took a J-term class together (Civil War Lit.) before I did my student teaching. That was back before either one of us was engaged. She, Stephanie, and I have done quite a few interesting things together, and they "encouraged" me to go through with my first date with Brooks. ;) Thanks!
Sarah (Nielsen) Galarza was another Christian choir friend and fellow music ed. major. When she and Karie were roommates, I got to bunk with them a few times on campus. She's a great singer and has worked at Great America in the shows. Now she teaches part time in Bensenville. Sarah was sweet enough to let me tag along with her and Jess to IMEA this year so I wouldn't have to drive when I decided to go later that usual due to my pregnancy. Rob is her hubby and Lily is her adorable little girl.
I mentioned Julie earlier, but she was also a Sop. 2 with Karie and Jess and me. She was a music business major and works downtown near where her boyfriend, Tim, works. (That's how they met :)
Jessica Cross was one of my bridesmaids. This girl became a "Jesus Freak" (and that's a compliment, mind you!!!) in college. We sat next to each other in choir as Sop. II's, were in Chamber Singers together, and had a blast. She's cute and trendy and honest and very talented! Jessica really encouraged me in my walk with Christ while at Elmhurst, helped me survive student teaching (my middle school placement at Bryan MS in Elmhurst, especially choir)! She is now doing what I was doing, except getting paid to do it, at Bryan. She's almost done with her first year! Yay!
I don't know how Beth got away without a picture with me, but she's really sweet and teaches middle schoolers in Des Plaines. Beth majored in Special Ed. so she provides support to students whose IEP's call for it. She just got engaged to her boyfriend of 6 years! Yay! So happy for Beth!!!
Hope you enjoyed this fun little stroll back to my pregnancy days and Elmhurst years. :)
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