Friend Beth Woolsey of Newberg, Oregon just featured my art in a Give-Away Contest on her fantastic blog, Five Kids Is A Lot of Kids.  “Optimistic, authentic, poignant & laugh-out-loud funny, Beth Woolsey captures the mom experience with pathos and humor.”  No kidding– it’s that good, featured in the Huffington Post and everything.  Thanks be for meaningful humor when we need it most!!

I’m deeply honored by her article that ends this way:

“Melanie’s one who paints my story when I have no words.

She reminds me that my mess isn’t just redeemable — as in fixable or cleanable or erasable — but my mess is a critical, crucial ingredient to a life that’s already whole. Already enough. Even broken wide open. Especially broken wide open.

And, like the best art does, when I’m at my end — when I’m all done and washed up and finished and sure I can’t go on because the world and God don’t make sense — Melanie shows me a vision for Love that’s so beautiful and so crushing… and so quiet and so true… that I can’t help but hold on for a little bit longer. For just one more step through the muck and the mire and the magnificent. Which is all we ever have to do in life and love anyway. Just one more step in faith.” 

–Beth Woolsey, 12-29-2012, Five Kids Is A Lot of Kids Blog