I was five when our local grocery store, Alpha Beta, hosted a Fourth of July coloring contest. My sister and I got our coloring sheets, complete with fireworks and patriotic symbols, and broke out the Crayolas to create our masterpieces. My coloring was a bit unconventional; I must've had a thing for brown at the time. Have you ever seen a brown firework?

My sister is three years older and had a much better grasp on the task; she used appropriate colors and stayed carefully between the lines. After seeing her coloring, I crumpled mine up and threw it in the trash. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance.

Later that day, my mom dug my crumpled sheet out of the trash and submitted it along with my sister's. I had no idea until she told me I'd won the contest. We were treated to a tour of the Alpha Beta where my brown-inspired art hung proudly on the office wall, and I won five whole dollars. I learned two important lessons - you can't win if you don't try, and staying inside the lines is boring.

I grew up in a family of artists. My aunt gave me my first painting lesson when I was eight. My mom made our house the place to be in the neighborhood with creative meals, craft projects, and a little bit of slave labor churning apple butter. I was on my way before high school, selling crafts and jewelry on consignment, but it fell by the wayside as I turned my focus to education and starting a career.

I spent years as an adolescent counselor, uncrumpling beautiful lives that had been thrown in the trash. It was at once incredibly stressful and rewarding. I wouldn't trade my time with those at-risk youth for anything; I'd still be counseling if budgets cuts hadn't given me an opportunity to let go and explore. I decided to try.

I'm now a full-time mom to one of the coolest kids on the planet. I spend my days building block towers and seeing the world in a whole new way. At night, my husband sets up an antique folding table in our living room and I work hard to stay outside the lines. It's not the path I imagined, but I find that life holds a lot of surprises - I'm enjoying every step and stumble along the way.

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me. I’m so glad you're here.