Looking ahead to summer 2010

Remember when I said that I would rather be a hunting season "widow" than a football season "widow"? Can I take that back? :)

Hunting season starts in a few weeks, so the boys are out at the camp getting ready, cleaning out shooting houses and putting up ladders. Eli went to Sunday school this morning and then left for West Alabama. Elsie and I stayed for church and then went to Dollar Tree after church to stock up on supplies to fill our Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child boxes. We then drove through Checkers and were back at church, almost like we never left. It took about an hour and a half to wrap and fill the boxes. Now we're home. I should be working on lesson plans, but all the materials I need are in the car that isn't here. Oh, well.

So, about this summer job for 2010...

First, a little background. I desperately need additional income to pay off my credit cards, the last little part of getting out of personal debt. My student loans will be paid off in two years (October 2011)--woohoo!--so I need the push to get there. The only problem with this plan to pay off personal debt in a timely manner is Elsie.

Now, Elsie in and of herself is not a problem. It's just that I have worked every summer of my life since I turned 16. As a teacher, that means that for the last 8 years (except this past one, of course), summer income has been "extra" money, used to pay for trips to Guatemala and Japan, to pay off furniture, to finance moves, to pay down credits cards, to start an emergency fund--you get the picture. This summer, however, will be very different. I can't just up and work a job 40 hours a week, or even 20 hours for that matter, with a little one to care for. I was in a bind--the cost of childcare would not be economical, as I would basically be working for nothing--until I got an e-mail.

Summer 2008, I participated in the summer institute for the Longleaf Writing Project at the University of Alabama, and then in November I attended the National Writing Project Annual Meeting in San Antonio. Here in Auburn, I have partnered with Sun Belt Writing Project and am on the district writing committee. Well, the director of Longleaf sent out an e-mail this last week asking if any of the alumni were interested in a job working with the E-Team on the e-anthology--a web-based compendium of our summer writings that come out of individual sites, where members can post and get feedback from other sites around the country. The E-Team is paid a stipend to read through the e-anthology during institute months (mid-May to mid-August) ensuring that everyone who posts gets some sort of feedback (press, bless, address). It would be about 2 hours worth of work per weekday, most likely in the evenings after the individual programs end for the day. Perfect for after Elsie goes to bed.

Of course I e-mailed back and said I was interested, and my name was forwarded to the national E-Team director. I interviewed on the phone on Thursday and was accepted to the team on Friday. Yeah! There are only 12 people in the nation on this team, and I am honored to be a part of it. The commitment is for three summers, and I will be required to go to the annual meetings every November (paid for, though), with this year as the exception--this year's meeting is in two weeks in Philadelphia and would be a logistical nightmare with breastfeeding and all. That, and I don't have the $400 to make the quick trip up there for an all-day Saturday meeting. Since I was hired on for next year's team so late, they can't pay for this year's meeting. Anyway, that means I get a great trip every fall for the next three years! I'm excited.

So, I will have extra income and will get to spend my days with Elsie. It's a win-win situation.

Cheers!