When asked what official title she should have listed in her story, Melanie K. Bush replied with a laugh, "Titles are tricky; I am a Christ follower, wife, mom, daughter, granddaughter, County Treasurer of Montgomery County, owner/visionary of Better Bookkeepers Inc., friend, and volunteer." And even that barely scratches the surface of who she is.
Intrigued by public service from an early age, she ran for the Conroe ISD school board in 2014 and later for County Treasurer because she wanted to bring more positivity into politics.
"As County Treasurer, I am so blessed to serve the people of Montgomery County," she said. I am incredibly proud of the team I inherited from my predecessor and of the amazing ladies who joined my team as others retired. They worked so hard, and they will always be women I will do anything for."
These thoughts are just one of Melanie's public displays of love and gratitude. She believes in daily affirmations of positivity, which she has maintained even throughout her husband's cancer journey.
"Alan and I have been blessed to be married for almost 22 years. I've been asked about balancing work life and home life as a woman, and I maintain that there is absolutely no such thing as work/life balance. But there can be work-life harmony. The last seven years have taught me so much as a woman, wife, and mom. When you are faced with life-altering circumstances, in our case, Alan's cancer, you really get to see all the ugly of your preconceived notions of motherhood and marriage," Melanie said.
"When Alan was first diagnosed, I didn't show my girls the emotional side of me and of me dealing with it. That harmed them and told them that they needed to stuff their own emotions down and not deal with them," she said. "Thankfully, they are learning from my failings and learning to process their own emotions."
Melanie's unflinching and constant self-evaluation draws others into her presence in her personal life and work.
"Because of our personal battles, I have learned to be a better leader. I have learned to have grace with myself, even when others don't. And because of that, I give more grace to others at work. We aren't perfect; we will never be perfect. But if we are striving for progress and if we are growing from every failure, then we are succeeding in a way that far exceeds perfection," she said.
According to Melanie, 50 percent of her nuclear family are Aggies, and 50 percent are or have been in a marching band, so every fall, her family's spare time is split between high school football games, Aggie football games, or marching band competitions. In the off-season, the entire troupe loves grilling, family game nights, and simply spending time together. They also equally love serving in church together or with National Charity League philanthropies.
"Truly, my happiest spot is sitting on our back porch, watching the sunset while the dogs run amuck. There is a peace that overcomes me there. It's been a sanctuary for us throughout all the struggles," she confides.
Despite the slings and arrows hurled her way due to her service in public office and family illnesses, or even in spite of them, Melanie maintains that her faith is paramount.
"My strength comes from only one place: my faith in Jesus Christ," she said. "But let's be real; that relationship hasn't always been easy. Right out of high school, I was angry with God over the loss of a family member. After two years of avoiding everything related to God that I possibly could, He drew me back in. Though I've spent the rest of my adult life focused on serving Him, that experience changed my relationship. I learned that I can be angry with God, and He still loves me."
"I’ve been asked about balancing work life and home life and there is no such thing!"