First Meal Delivered

Well, I have so many things to tell you since yesterday.  I hope I don't leave anything out.  Yesterday I began cooking at 1 p.m. knowing I had to be teaching at 3.  I cooked my chicken and spaghetti noodles first thing and then began to chop and mix together the Chicken Tetrazzini.  The recipe I used called for 4 cups of cooked diced chicken.  I had about 5 cups so I added a little more pasta than it called for and was able to stretch another meal out of it.  I made an 8 x 8 casserole dish that I fed my family with last night.  There are 5 of us so we nearly ate it all.  But I also made (2)  8 x 8 cake pans which would have been a more shallow dish than the one I used for my family because I knew the family I was delivering to today was for a husband and wife.  That one cake pan  made enough for one meal for them with definite leftovers.  I also took the 5 cup salad which I mentioned yesterday.  I made plenty of it as well so that I had enough for my family and enough to take for 2 more meals with the tetrazzini. 
Yesterday, I went to the grocery store with the ingredients for this meal (which remember...it fed 3 families).  I also bought the makings for Mexican soup times 2 which will also feed more than one family with just the one pot not to mention the second pot that I bought for.  I put all of those cans and envelope packets all into one bag and sat it at the bottom of my pantry keeping it all together so no one will pull from it and I don't have to re-think a meal.  I also went to the Dollar Store.  I went mainly to purchase items for 2 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.  What I got for this project are several aluminum cooking pans so that transporting meals would be easier.  They are very cheap here.  Kroger had them almost 3x's as much. 
Last night after I was done teaching, I put in some store-bought cookies in the oven.  My family had a few and then I bagged them for the dessert today.  I bought the Kroger brand cranberry oatmeal walnut.  The dough  may be store-bought but they are delicious and "home-madey" tasting.  (I made up that word as I'm sure you figured out.)  By the way, my total bill was $100 at Kroger.  That was 7 meals for sure, maybe 9 depending on the Mexican soup but I also added to that bill my own family's milk, orange juice, bananas and bread.
So today, I gathered my meal which included the tetrazzini, salad and cookies.  I put directions on top of the entree and I also included ingredients to the salad in case of allergies or dislikes.  I took pictures of what I took.  I'll see if I can figure out how to add those pix or not. :)   I went into the school and gave the meal to the nurse.  She hugged me, thanked me and there was the neatest atmosphere in the office with a couple of other ladies talking about what a generous lady (the nurse) was and it was a neat thing for them to see her being given to.  So, once that was done, I turned to the other 2 office ladies and said, "Which one of you is next?"  Looking specifically at one of them I continued, "May I cook for you tomorrow?"  She said yes, got up and hugged me.  I asked how many in her family, she said 2 which I knew that meant I could give the same meal of Tetrazzini which was already in my fridge. :)   I turned to the other lady and asked if I could bring her one on Friday, she said yes.  I asked if something was a little spicy would that be ok and she said it would.  So I know I am getting ready to cook the Mexican soup.  My family will eat it tonight and hers on Friday.  There may be enough for me to give it on Saturday, too.  I'll get back to you on that. 
Ya know, one of the ladies said to me after I offered to make her a meal..."you don't have to do that."  I replied, "I know, and that's the beauty of it."  I really think this IS the beauty of it.  Giving with no ulterior motives, no looking-for-something-in-return.  Just giving....because you can, because you want to, because Someone gave to us.  Pass it on......