Me, A Writer

I guess I've been a professional writer for two years now. It is something I'm proud to tell people when they ask what I do (besides homeschooling, parenting, housecleaning and general slave duties). Until now, my blog has been the only outlet that I could share publicly with people who were interested in what kind of writer I am. I suppose you could call up any number of automotive dealerships or Chili's restaurants and hear something I wrote over the phone, but that's a little much to ask...

I recently started a second paid writing job. Just how much money I will make doing it has yet to be seen but I am going to give it my best effort. You just never know where things might lead. I am a writer with Examiner.com. It is a new on-line news platform, developed by a billionaire news mogul who is trying to keep up with the information age. If he is correct, it will change the way news is disseminated across local communities and the world. If he is wrong, then I guess he will just have to retire to his private island because all of his newspapers are going out of business!

Each examiner has a specific topic they cover. When I applied, I chose "Pampered Kids Examiner" because I was under the impression that I could write about various ways we as parents try to give our kids the best of everything (including our affection, prayers etc...). After I was hired, I was told to include links to lots of expensive stuff and high-end merchandise. So, maybe I'm not escaping advertising after all. Either way, I can inject myself into the articles as much as possible and I have plans for a natural evolution away from merchandise and more into the parenting perspective.

Unlike my blog, these articles are SHORT (ha ha) and to the point. I also get paid according to how many page views I get. I have made one cent so far today...so I am begging for clicks! You can subscribe to my page from the examiner web site and receive updates when I add new material. Or, an even better thing would be to add me to your favorites tool bar and click on my page every day! I get paid whether you read it or not, just as long as you click. If you are really interested in a topic, please leave a comment. Just keep in mind that I have no way of commenting back to you. If you have a question, it is better to email me, facebook me, or blog me. Also, I am searching for ideas for articles. I need to crank out 3-4 per week and that's a tough job in a slow economy when you're talking about expensive things. If you have any ideas, pictures you'd like me to use of your children (I can make them famous! lol), or any other input at all, please share! One last thing, if you have a blog, would you consider plugging me? Anything as simple as a post with the link to my page would be great. I need to build a readership and apparently that is a really difficult thing to do!

Joy's Examiner Page

Good News!!

I am taking a big sigh of relief as we hear great news about Gracie! She has escaped the jaws of death! Our new vet says that her kidney function is still good and isn't worried about her tumorous growths (yet). She wants to treat her with a very strong antibiotic and switch to a non-topical flea medication that may ease some of her inflammation (she thinks she is allergic to flea medicine). This along with some TLC may be all she needs! Yay! We will know in a few more weeks if her condition improves or she needs reevaluation. I am exhausted. I am also grateful to have found a vet that has a heart that I know I can trust. Thanks again to all of you who left comments about Gracie and to those of you who have come up to me and told me you understand what I'm going through. I know she's 11 and this news may only be a temporary fix; but as long as she's happy to be around and isn't in any pain, we're going to love her into her golden years.

Now, I can get back to reality again. Bible study meets here on Tuesday!! I will email you all this weekend with directions etc... I have a lot to do to get ready!! I have to finish tiling and a few other projects. I have to plan the menu and shop, clean like mad, and, oh yeah, finish up the reading for this week!

Quick Update

I just wanted to leave a note and let you all know what's happening w/ Gracie. We decided to do some additional tests before we make a final decision. We should know those results tomorrow and then we will definitely know what we should do. Thank you all for your sweet thoughts. It has been a difficult week for me and although I feel like we may be prolonging the inevitable, there is also a part of me that is very hopefull. I'll post again tomorrow.

Gracie

I was faced with a really terrible decision today. But, being grown ups, Baxter and I are going to have to make hard decisions from time to time. It looks like we have to put down my dog Gracie. I cried for about 45 minutes this morning, barely pulling myself together again before I had to get ready and pick up the kids from VBS at my sister's church.

She is so sick and so unhappy. Her quality of life has gone way down really fast. At such an otherwise joyful time in my life, it is a dark cloud that is hard to ignore today. Baxter is going to take care of the arrangements for me because I literally cannot talk about it without crying. I made the mistake of reading a "what to expect when you euthanize your dog" guide on-line and it completely sent me over the edge.

Just typing about this is making me sick. I'm asking for prayers from anyone and everyone. Please don't think, "she's just a dog, not your child." Gracie is the member of our family that has been with me the longest. She was mine for a year before I started dating Baxter. It is a huge loss even if it is in her best interest.

I just need to get through the next few days with as much strength and poise as I can muster. I don't want to make it harder on the kids than it needs to be. I think Ford will take it pretty hard no matter how I handle it. Watching me go to pieces will not do them any good. I am praying today that God take my sadness and the strange feelings of guilt that I'm having and give me peace.

Baxter is working late tonight so my niece is coming over for an "at home" wine tasting (just the 2 of us). I'm trying not to be alone because I will just get really sad about it. Maybe next week I will feel like posting some pictures and stories about her, but not today.

Homeschool Planning

I am doing very well with my plans for next year. I have some pretty picky expectations when it comes to text books and the like so I am very pleased with myself for having gotten so much done by July 3rd!

I have ordered Real Science 4 Kids Pre-Level 1 Chemistry and the workbook for the first half of our science curriculum. I may purchase the Biology book and workbook as well as I have heard that this won't take long to complete. Chemistry in 1st grade! Yay! (I know, I'm such a dork)

I have also decided to continue the Abeka math curriculum with Abby. She loved the Kindergarden book. We did the whole thing in about 3 months once she had experienced reading success. I thought it was fairly easy but since comparing it to other programs, I have learned that it is pretty advanced. So, since she loved it and everything else would be a step backwards, I'm just going to order the 1st grade Abeka math for her.

I am almost certain that I want to use Writing With Ease for language arts. I had looked at Climbing to Good English but have decided that WWE is more suited to her liking. Writing and the fundamentals of good English have always been so important to me and I just can't stress enough the importance of grasping good reading & writing skills. This program is 4 levels in one text so we can move through it with some fluidity. Although somewhat demanding, it draws from texts that I know my kids like. Passages are drawn from The Little House books, The Wizard of Oz etc... I love the idea that I can start her on Day One, Level One and will need no supplementation.

Ford is all set with his Hooked on Phonics and the Abeka curriculum that my sister gave me for reading and math.

I am unsure if I want to purchase books for history and geography or if I want to do those on my own. I will be doing units of study throughout the year but I have no idea what they will be. Any suggestions are welcome. I figure that art will draw from our units of study. I am also considering music lessons of some sort. Any advice in these areas would be greatly appreciated! The Homeschool Expo is at the end of the month! I need to have most of my outline finished by then if I want to take full advantage of the offerings there. Homeschool buddies, what are you all up to (question mark - that key is broken)