Jackie

Jackie. Just the name brings a smile to my face when I think of all the fun we have had together.   She and her charming husband, Ken, just came to visit me for their summer vacation.  I gave her a belated birthday card that said, "When I first met you, I didn't know you would become one of my favorite friends...but I had my suspicions."  That perfectly sums up what I think about Jackie.



The best roommates a person could ask for: Jackie, Amy, and Wendy

I met Jackie at Trinity.   She lived down the hall from me my freshman year in West Hall.   Even though she was only there a short time before moving to South Hall, I liked her right away.  We were both Elementary Education majors, and we had several classes together.  She tutored inmates with me in the PACE program.  She was in my seeker's Bible study.  Jackie has a warm personality and is fun-loving.  She reminds me a lot of Rachel on Friends.

Every January Trinity offered a two week interim class that promoted multiculturalism.  Our freshman year, Jackie and I both took teacher aiding at Roseland Elementary School, an inner-city school on the far south side of Chicago.  We were both in Mrs. Reagan's kindergarten class.  It was a sweet experience, and Jackie and I had a lot of fun!   Mrs. Reagan addressed her students as "My friends."  She asked the students to call us Miss Suzanne and Miss Jackie.  When the class got too wound up, she would hold up her hand and say, "It's important to know when to stop."  Jackie and I got to help out during craft time.  We had to outline each student on a big sheet of butcher paper that they would later decorate and hang in the hall.  Jackie outlined one little girl, and when she sat up and looked at herself, she turned to Jackie and said, "You made me ugly."  Jackie and I roared with laughter as we retold the story to our friends later.

Our sophomore year we ended up on the same floor again, this time in South Hall.  Halfway through the year I moved to another hall to be an R.A.  At the end of the year I reapplied to be an R.A. again my junior year and got a spot in the upper class dorm, East Hall.  Finally we got to be roommates!   Living with Jackie was an adventure.   She was easy to live with, and she was very tidy.  Those are two important qualities every roommate should have, in my humble opinion.  Once we had to move a sofa from the top floor down the fire exit stairs.  That is the only time Jackie ever got irritated with me, and she didn't even raise her voice. 

Jackie is practical, but she likes to have fun.  She would usually start on a project as soon as it was assigned.  This also meant that she was available for fun activities when the weekend rolled around.  She has a wonderful sense of humor and laughs at my jokes!  We went with a group of friends to watch a movie and during the entire show, she and I made our own running commentary.  I don't think anyone around us appreciated it, but we were certainly entertained!  We kept exclaiming, "Oh gee.  Oh dear.  What's going to happen now?"   During one of our education classes, our professor was trying to simulate a lesson on grammar.  She asked who could use the word "shake" in a sentence.  I turned to those sitting around me and said, "It's Shake 'n Bake...and I helped."  Everyone started laughing much to the dismay of our professor.  She then called on me so I said, "The baby will shake the rattle."  We continued to randomly throw out those two sentences the rest of the year.    

For one of our English classes, our professor, Dr. Diephouse, gave us the option of writing a final paper or performing a scene from Shakespeare.  Four of us chose a scene from A Midsummer's Night Dream.  We drew quite a crowd as we practiced in the yard between the dorms.  We borrowed dresses from the choir and made tunics from sheets.  It was quite a production.  And, of course, we got an A!

Wendy, Suzanne, Jackie
February 2012

I am thankful that Jackie and I have remained close even after college.  When our friend, Amy, got married, I stayed with Jackie after the wedding.  We stayed up late talking as she helped me get several dozen bobby pins out of my hair and then brushed my hair.  She and her hubby, Ken, have always opened their home to me and made me feel like a part of their family.  They even have a room in their house called The Miss Suzanne Room.  I enjoy spending time with both of them.  They have four beautiful children: 3 boys and 1 girl.  Whenever someone has 3 boys and then a girl, I say they are pulling a Miss Jackie.

Jackie is the youngest of four children.  They are a very close family, and all the cousins go to school together and are each other's best friends.  It is very sweet.  This past February, Jackie's dad went to be with Jesus after a sudden heart attack.  I flew out for the funeral and admired how Jackie's family rallied around each other and encouraged one another.  Jackie's mother, Mama Leep, was so gracious and strong.  Jackie is a lot like her mama.   

Jackie and Ken have visited my church, met my pastor, ridden rides at Busch Gardens with my nephews, been to my grandma's house, made my family fall in love with them, complimented my cooking, and made me want to spend my vacation time with them.  I consider them a part of my family.  I honestly believe if I ever truly needed help, I could call them at anytime of the day, and they would do their best to help me. That means a lot. 



Ken and Jackie

I wish everyone could have a Ken and Jackie in their life.