Stephanie

 Both being violinists, my friend Stephanie and I met in the Concordia College Orchestra in 1996.  Being in that orchestra was a truly extraordinary experience for both of us.  We both came from small towns and we knew not to take this amazing musical experience for granted.  Even now, almost 20 years later, we look back on our time with the orchestra with cherished memories.
     Stephanie has continued to play in orchestras.  She currently plays for the Willmar Symphony in southern Minnesota.  After college, I lived in southern Minnesota too, so one April, we got to be stand partners for a small orchestra performing an Easter Musical.  Stephanie play her violin for weddings as well.  She even played her violin for my wedding in 2008. 
     Stephanie is an accountant for Jennie-O Turkey Store.  She has always amazed me with her mathematical skills.  She is a dedicated worker and Jennie-O is lucky to have her. 
     One summer Stephanie and I took a road trip together to Colorado Springs, CO to see our friend, Kathy.  We had been there a few years earlier to play violin together for Kathy's wedding, so we were thrilled to go visit Kathy again and see her life there.  The mountains were magnificent!  The air was minty fresh!  And, the company was great!

One of our favorite parts of our road trip was visiting Vermillion, South Dakota, where they have an amazing Music Museum.  It includes six Hardanger fiddles from Norway!  That was right up Stephanie's alley.  You see, Stephanie is very Norwegian and she even knows how to play the Hardanger fiddle!  A Hardanger fiddle is a traditional Norweigan stringed instrument similar to a violin.  It has eight strings instead of four.  The extra strings are called sympathetic strings and they resonate under the influence of the other four, providing a pleasant, echo-like sound.  Hardanger fiddles are often used to provide dance music.  The first time I heard a Hardanger fiddle was when Stephanie and our friend, Julie peformed on their fiddles at Concordia in 1997.

     As mentioned above, Stephanie is very proud of her Norwegian heritage.  She can even speak some Norwegian!  Nothing makes her sparkle like when she talks about the trip she took to Norway with her parents one summer.  They even met relatives living there.  I am part Norwegian, so when I'm around Stephanie, I always feel proud of the fact that I too, have some Norwegian blood in me.   

To learn more about the "31 Days of Friends and Family Who Inspire Me" project, click here:

http://journalingjennifer.blogspot.com/2014/12/intro-to-31-days-of-friends-and-family.html