"Sisters, sisters..."

Remember that great ol' song from White Christmas? "Sisters. sisters. there were never such devoted sisters." Talk about a theme song! The last few days have been wrapped up in the process of becoming a "Sister". Yeah, like in a sorority.

Before anything gets started, I just want to dispel any rumors you might have heard about sorority girls. Every sorority has a GPA requirement, a "man schedule", a strict "no hazing" policy, and do not allow any sort of alcohol anywhere on the premises of a sorority house.

But anyway, Monday I started "rushing". It's just a fancy name for recruitment. I think they call it "rush" because that's what you do: you rush around trying to prove to the sorority that you are worth getting to know. Most girls started rushing on Saturday. Not me. I chose Navs over sororities this time. I started Monday, like I said, two days after everyone else. A normal schedule would have had two days of getting to know people, house tours, etc followed by one night focused on the philanthropy of that chapter, and then a final night called Preference night. Oh, no, not for Abby. I always end up doing thing the hard way. I packed the house tours, meeting people, and philanthropy all into one night. And not just for one chapter; all seven. Yes, I went to all seven sororities in about an hour-and-a-half. Don't talk to me about "rush"!

My thought process contained the following thoughts: What's the worst that could happen? I came in without a sorority and I can come out without a sorority, not a big deal. They only met me for what? Ten maybe fifteen minutes? I don't know a lot about them and they don't know a lot about me, so if no one calls me back for Pref. night, I understand.

I got called back....by my my top choice: Kappa Delta. I was so happy! Pref. night is the most formal of all the nights, so of course I got dressed up. It was really fun! I felt like I was getting ready for the Homecoming Dance again.

Pref. night consisted of fondue and more talking and laughter. Between the two sessions, there was probably about seventy ladies coming into Kappa Delta, or KD for short. Obviously, they couldn't accept all seventy of us, so it was my second and last shot at showing them who I really am. After we were done there, we went back to the student center and signed a card that basically said that if that sorority (possibly two, if you were lucky) gave you a bid, you'd take it. For some girls it was a really tough decision. I was happy that I had prayed up and I knew that Kappa Delta is where God had set before me, so I was in and out of there so fast you could hardly even spell "Kappa Delta"

Then there was bid night. The night where you see if what you had work so hard for payed off. I noticed that some girls that had been in my group weren't there. I couldn't help feeling bad for them. Obviously they had wanted it and they'd been in the process longer that I had. I wondered if I had stolen one of their spots. For me, I had only one choice, and obviously I had been called back, so I knew where I was headed, but for the other girls who had put down two choices, they had no idea and some of them were really nervous about it. I paralleled it to knowing Christ. I only signed up for Jesus; THE way, THE truth, and THE life. I know where I'm headed when I'm done here on earth. What about those other girls who have signed up for a multitude of meaninglessness? They have no certainty. I think that's why God turned me Greek.

The big moment arrived. Our liaisons, technically called Rho Gammas, handed each of us a small white envelope with our names neatly and plainly printed on the front. Each envelope contained one invitation to one sorority. 5.....4.......3......2......1......GO! I pealed open my envelope quickly, but carefully not wanting to rip the invitation inside. It read: You are cordially invited to become a member of the Phi Epsilon Chapter of Kappa Delta Sorority. September 16, 2009.

I was a KD!! I was so excited to join my new sisters and a new community. I'm honestly really proud of myself for not crying. You see, one of my closest friends from high school is a KD. I found her and we held each other for at least a minute, knowing that finally we have a secure connection to each other that nobody can break, that this new "family" had been mutually agreed upon by both parties. Somehow it's more special when you choose it.

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and hugs all the way around. I'm very happy with my decision to "Go Greek". I feel like I'm part of a group of people that not only did God choose way ahead of time, not only did I choose, but that they chose me, too. Now I have one-hundred-nine other "such devoted sisters"