Last Saturday, I packed up both of my kids, far too much baby gear and enough snacks to feed a small country and headed north to visit some good friends. They promised to let us stay with them for a few days, and in exchange they got to meet my new son and smell his head. Sounded like a good deal to me.

The mom part of their household is my friend Amy, who I've known since junior high. We were friends through high school, went to college together and were bridesmaids in each others' weddings. She became a parent first, and is now a stay-at-home-mom to two high-energy boys, ages 5 and 2.

After spending a few days living in her house, I'm certain that Amy is my hero. She has a pantry full of healthy snacks. Her television is rarely on while the kids are awake. Her reserves of patience and her ability to stay calm even while wrestling her youngest through a diaper change are unmatched. She seems to make the most of every teachable moment, and she cooks awesome pumpkin pancakes for breakfast.

If I didn't like her so darn much, she'd probably make me a little nauseous. (Kidding.)

I admire many of my friends for their abilities as parents, and I learn a great deal from watching them interact with their kids and with mine. Nonetheless, Amy stands out as a role model for me. It's not that she's perfect. That would be taking things WAY too far. It's that she has strengths precisely where I struggle most. It's hard not to notice her calm contrast with my hurry, her gentle redirections compare to my raised voice. I try hard to take notes to use later in improving my own parenting.

Do you have people in your life that serve as models for motherhood or fatherhood? Who? What is it about them that makes them so special?