People I Admire #2

Brenda StoudtWhen Carter was in preschool, one of my "preschool mom" friends told me that her friend from church moved into our neighborhood. I kept meaning to go meet her, but life was busy. So Brenda (the new neighbor) invited my whole family along with the preschool friend's family over for dinner. That is when I began to admire Brenda. She made the most amazing dinner and had a gift for the recently born Derek (whom she had never met). Through other neighborhood gatherings I came to find out how incredibly talented this woman is. Not only does she cook like a gourmet chef, she plays piano and bass guitar in her church band, teaches piano (she is Carter's teacher), and is a house call pediatric nurse practitioner.

The thing I most admire about Brenda is her genuine concern for other people. Her chosen profession is a tell-tale for how her life revolves around helping people. I can't tell you how nice it is (especially in the wintertime) to call her when one of my kids are sick and she just comes over and checks them out. Recently we discovered that my new insurance considers her "out of network" which means they will only cover her once my $1700 deductible is met UGH! I found all of this out when I got explanation of benefits saying I was going to owe over $550 for the four times she checked out my kids' coughs, sore throats, and ears this winter YIKES! When I told her about it, she just cancelled the bills and let me pay her the copay I would have paid at our paediatrician's office. I told her sorry about the mix-up and I wouldn't use her anymore since she wouldn't get paid and she told me to please still call her. She said she loves my kids and wants to be a part of caring for them and making my life easier. I called her the other day when Sydney was having an "issue" and she not only gave me free medical advice and talked me through what to do, she also let Carter stay way after his piano lesson to play the Wii so I would have one less thing to deal with while helping Sydney.

Brenda inspires me to look for ways to help other people. Though I am not a doctor, I can lend a hand by babysitting, or making a meal etc. and I should do it all with a willing heart like she does.