As Rosanne Hopson humbly puts it: "I don't get what I do that is so special."

Maybe it's the collection of all the little things - and the positive spirit and passion Hopson adds to the "mundane" - that garners her the attention and praise of the many people that she seems to touch.

Hopson is a non-practicing nurse, mother of three, wife, runner, volunteer, Eucharistic minister, president of Regina's parent teacher organization and a spin class instructor among many other activities and roles. Friends credit her as a role model, the second mom that all the kids love to be around, the friend to turn to for support and the one to offer a hug or word of encouragement to someone in need.

"In a way I represent the majority of women in town. One thing I realized when I quit working (as a nurse), was you have time to be nice. You have time to send cards and to visit people," Hopson said. "I took it as a gift not having to work, but I am not going to take it for granted."

The Des Moines native came to Iowa City to go to college and met her husband, Rick, when she was a junior and he was a senior at the University of Iowa. Rick is a cardiologist at Mercy Hospital.

The couple never moved away.

Hopson gets up about 6:30 a.m., helps two of her kids get ready for school - Patrick, a junior, and Emma, in seventh grade - at Regina. Her third son, Alex, is a freshman at New York University.

"You feel like you do your job, and your job is to prepare him to leave," Hopson said of her son leaving for college.

After the kids leave for school, she runs 10 miles - every day - often on her way to North Dodge Athletic Club, where she leads a spin class several times a week.

"I run for myself. It gives me a chance to relax and clear my head. It's not an effort; it's not work," Hopson said.

Later in the morning, she "pulls her weight around the house," doing chores in the yard or house, running errands or paying bills. In the afternoon, she picks her daughter up from school, starts dinner and transports her children to their various activities.

While she describes her daily activities as ordinary and not very exciting, she said she takes pleasure from getting everything accomplished and watching it work.

"You realize everyone takes a turn with a rough spot. This is about as good as my life is going to get. I appreciate it. I take advantage of it," she said, adding "life is so great."

- Brian Morelli