Holly-days...

You would totally love my friend, Holly. She is the school nurse at the Christian school where I teach journalism and my babies are students.

I didn't know Holly well the day we went to see our pediatrician because Zack had an allergic reaction to eating shrimp. But that day the doctor, who went to middle school with Jimmy, and I were discussing a note the allergist gave us for the school nurse. After he realized what school we went to, Dr. G said, "Oh, I know that school nurse. She's awesome! You don't need to worry one bit. She is the perfect school nurse. " Seems Dr. G takes a turn at being camp physician at the same Down East YMCA summer camp where Holly has spent her summers being camp nurse. So he knew her very well.

He was right. Holly IS the perfect school nurse. She is the optimal blend of sweet, caring, walk-you-down-to-the-office-and-wait-with-you-until-your-mom-gets-there-when-you-really-are-sick and "So when did your stomach start hurting? As the teacher was handing out the test? Did it hurt last night? this morning when you woke up? earlier in the day? What did you eat for breakfast/lunch? Now that you're in here, how to you feel?" She is shrewd and has an uncanny ability to distinguish between anxiety and a norovirus. And she never tells anyone they can't go home, but somehow, the ones who really aren't sick usually end up feeling better after they see her and they go back to class and, remarkably, make it through the test and the rest of the day. I am in awe of Holly.

She has four kids, three boys and one girl. The oldest is in seventh grade. The youngest, second. She loves being a mom and adores taking care of her husband, her children and her home. She even loves to cook.

Holly and I were talking in the Teachers' Workroom this morning about how she handles all her family duties balanced against a full time job. When we were talking about working all day and then coming home to cook dinner and do homework in the evenings, Holly shared an idea that I told her I was gonna have to blog about.

Sunday is her cooking day for the week. On Sunday afternoons, each kid in the family (remember: 3 boys, 1 girl; 2nd grade - 7th grade) cooks a meal that the family will eat during the week. Then they store them until the appropriate night, and all Holly has to do is come home and heat it up.

Holly says it takes about two hours, total, to cook all the meals. They all get in the kitchen as a family. She gets to teach her kids how to cook and at the same time prepare for the week ahead so that when they get home from school/work, the can focus on homework and each other. She says it takes a ton of stress off of her and she's loving the time to teach her own kids. Isn't that SO cool?!

I never ceased to be amazed as the number of godly women I get to meet. How blessed I am to have such awesome friends.