Half-Pint House

Grieving with Those Who Grieve

There is a time for everything: a time to write papers; a time to make tea wallets; a time to consume jello salad; a time to go to bed at 7:30 on a Thursday night; a time to take a hay ride under the stars with lots of small children; a time to wonder if you've again bitten off more than you should have with outside-the-home responsibilities; a time to think with hope about the coming advent season; and a time to mourn with those who mourn.

My Facebook status this week has said, "sad," or something to that effect. I've been asked why a lot and sometimes I've answered. The reason? We will be attending a funeral tomorrow for a baby who died last Sunday. It will be sad. We will cry.

I don't understand, nor will I pretend to try. Life is hard sometimes. And when that hard happens to someone you know, you want to just do something - anything, really, but something. I think I've finally figured out that you make meals for people in mourning not because they need to eat, but because you need to feel like you are serving them in some possible way.

Tomorrow we will be present. We will honor the life of the little one. We will show respect to his parents, his brother, his sister. We will ask God questions we don't know the answers to.

So, quiet on the blog this week? I can blame it on traveling, or on a busy end to the semester, or on whatever else I can think up to blame it on. Truth is, I've not really known what to say; everything I have right now is trivial in comparison.

I feel pain on behalf of others. I don't know why, but I do. I don't know the family extremely well, but I want to. I'm hurting for them. For whatever I'm feeling, they are feeling a million times more that I can't even begin to fathom.

Tomorrow will be hard. Please pray for a family in the fumble. I imagine their need is only just beginning.

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your family be friendly,
May your turkey be juicy,
May your chocolate pie be tasty,
May your jello set up in time,
May your butter be soft,
May your bread be warm,
May your self-control be in check today,
May you laugh a lot, love a lot, and create pleasant memories for years to come.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Halfway to 70

A close up in case you can't see this very well:

I'd always wondered.

December Photo Project

Rebecca's doing it again: The 2008 DPP. When December hits and writing takes a backseat to baking, everyone can still manage to snap a photo or two. Or twenty-five. Right? Go let her know you're playing!

Free Tea Wallets!

I've had such a great response to the tea wallets, I decided to give two away.

Inside:

They probably won't be from this fabric above, but they will be from some really cute fabric!

Information on ordering some from me (in case you don't win and want some for the teachers in your life!) can be found here. Information on how to make your own can be found right here.

More giveaways can be found at the Money Saving Mom. There are even more giveaways over at Scribbet.

Note: If you've already ordered, you are still eligible to win. Leave a comment. If you win, I'll take $10 off your order or add two extra wallets on, your choice!

Note 2: I'm happy to include folks outside the United States, but will need you to cover the shipping cost and I will take out the tea (unless you know it's okay to ship it to you). So if you are outside the US, please let me know in your comment that you understand you will pay for the shipping.

Comments will close on Sunday at 5:00. Winner announced shortly thereafter.

Update on Gifts for Tea Lovers

Wow, you all know some tea drinking gals in need of a cute, inexpensive gift! I've got a list right now, so I'll be making a whole bunch. I'll post pictures once I get a variety and let you choose. If anyone else wants to order let me know so I'll make enough.

Thanks! You all sure know how to help a gal avoid writing papers and such. *grin*

Tea Wallets

I'm updating this post altogether with current inventory only. I can't guarantee any custom orders to be shipped in time for Christmas, but if I post it here for sale, I will ship it the same day I receive payment, first class mail.

I have a handful of tea wallets left over from the mad rush due to a few orders canceling after I started making them. That's okay, I don't mind having extra, but I figured I'd go ahead and post them as I finish them here. Anything posted here is ready to go. They are $7 each including the Trader Joe's tea and shipping. I mail them out the same day I receive payment. Email me at halfpinthouse at gmail dot com if interested.



Inside:



Don't forget, Christy made this tutorial up and graciously shared it with all of us. If you can sew, you can make these yourself!

Double Trouble

Can somebody stop me? I've got papers due next week...

Why, No, Thank You, I Can't Stop...

These two are for Christy. More to come. And yes, I did get one book review turned in and another written and awaiting editing. We interview a couple on Monday night and I'll write that paper later that evening. This means I need to start the big paper which isn't due until December 16. But, wait, my GWN deadline is moved up to Tuesday this week instead of Thursday which means I also have four articles to write, and OH YES, I'm teaching Sunday School in the morning, so I need to prepare too.

Bye.

This is How I Procrastinate

It's the end of the semester. And yes, some of us only took one credit hour this semester, but that same someone had a professor who assigned work worthy of at least two hours. At least.

Some people turn into Facebook junkies for the last two weeks of school. Some catch up on all previous seasons of Lost! Some, well, some decide this is the perfect time to tackle all those Christmas gifts they'd been thinking of doing for the past four months.

I'm not amazing. I'm average. I just show it with my sewing machine instead of my remote control.

Now then, I'm not allowed in the basement for the rest of the day. And if you catch me playing Scrabble on Facebook, you need to tell me to stop.

I've got some papers to write.

Now.