Awesome Moms of Huntsville: Melanie Thornton

A champion of the community, Melanie Thornton earns her title of Awesome Mom by creating a better tomorrow for the City of Madison. As the Executive Director of Madison Visionary Partners and a passionate community volunteer, Melanie gives her time planning projects that will benefit everything from parks to the arts.

Read below to “meet” Melanie and learn why we think she’s an Awesome Mom.

Melanie’s Passion

I am passionate about community-building. I have been working with local communities for over 20 years. Whether that was through rebuilding after a disaster or advocating for more resources, I have witnessed the power and resiliency harnessed by local communities.

As the Executive Director of Madison Visionary Partners (MVP), I help shape our community’s future by spearheading projects that enhance Madison’s quality of life. MVP is a community nonprofit that focuses on garnering philanthropic support for parks, recreation, arts, and culture in our city.

We work closely with our city leaders to identify projects that require collaboration to be completed successfully. A few of the projects that we have worked on so far are the renovations of Home Place Park and Kids Kingdom (opening later this summer). We are currently working on the Madison Community Center and have several projects in the development stage.

We also serve as the community’s umbrella nonprofit and support organizations such as the Miracle League of Madison, the Madison Arts Alliance, and the Shoppes of Historic Downtown Madison. I love that we are a connector for all of the great work that volunteers are doing across Madison.

I am also passionate about traveling. We try to visit someplace new once a year. I think traveling helps us grow into more well-rounded human beings and gives us an appreciation of different cultures.

Her Motherhood Journey (so far!)

Messy. Imperfect. Fun. I love being a mom of two boys. When my husband Jeff and I were starting a family, we didn’t know how many children we wanted. He was a Chief in the United States Coast Guard and we knew that relocation was going to be part of our future.

We moved to Washington, D.C. when my older son was only 8 months old. I quickly realized how challenging it was to parent without the support system I was accustomed to. I never saw myself as a stay-at-home mom, but after having my second son, I realized that the pace I was living was unsustainable.

When my mother passed away after a long battle with cancer, I decided to realign for my mental health. I left my federal career, stayed home with the boys, and went to graduate school part-time.

It was a consequential time for me. I remember being terrified of staying home with them. But, it gave me the confidence I was lacking as a mother. We carved out a great routine and had a blast along the way. I was able to ease back into my career four years later and on my terms, so I could continue to be present while my husband was on active duty travel.

I have enjoyed all of the seasons of being a mom, even now that they are teenagers. While the physical demands of motherhood have passed, the emotional ones are just as prevalent. Being able to navigate the ups and downs of puberty and teenage trials and tribulations has taught me to listen, practice patience, and trust deeper.

Her Quest for Balance

I find joy in the simple things – a cup of coffee on the back porch, a good novel, a board game with the boys, or a conversation with good friends.

I am particular about where and to whom I give my energy. Once I started paying attention to the amount of energy I was giving to relationships, a work or volunteer project, or a situation, my life changed for the better. That also means I pay attention to what gives me energy and what drains me of energy. For me, this is key to managing all of my responsibilities.

Her Ideal Rocket City Weekend

I usually have the mornings to myself now. I love to go to the Madison City Farmers Market or meet a friend for coffee at one of our many local coffee shops.
As a family, we love to hike. Our favorite spot is Rainbow Mountain. We go out to dinner once a week and we love trying out all of the new restaurants in the area.

Because Huntsville and Madison have grown so much since we moved here six years ago, we just love to spend our weekends exploring when we have time.

Funniest Parenting Moments

There are many and they all involve my children embarrassing me publicly. To the gentleman sitting next to us on a 2012 flight from New Orleans to Baltimore, I am sorry.

Melanie’s Top Parenting Tip

Be comfortable with all topics at the dinner table. We have an open line of communication with our boys, which gives us a glimpse into what teenagers are saying and learning from their peers. We have nurtured an environment where our boys are comfortable coming to us with questions and concerns. We listen, we don’t judge and we don’t always have the right answer. It takes work to maintain but it is worth it.

The Super Power She Wishes She Had

Teleportation. Then I may have a chance to get to all of the places I would like to visit.

Her Parenting Book Recommendation

The 5 Love Languages. It was such an eye-opening book for me. I am very conscious of the fact that each person in my family has a different love language and I think that has helped me be a better wife and mother.

Her Playlist

Name the song you think of when you need to:
Get your Game face on: “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys
Recover from heartbreak: “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding
Energize yourself: “Just a Girl” by No Doubt
Let loose and have fun with your friends: Anything by Prince.

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