Posts Tagged: "death"

House Book of Important Documents

Princess Diana - December 30, 2017 - $20 or Less, Gifts for Me

Would your family know what steps to take if something tragic happened to you?

It seems like a gruesome question to ask, but anything can happen so we should all prepare the best we can for such a scenario to happen to us.

Death is hard enough to deal with. Your family will be grieving for you so don’t give them the added stress of worrying about hunting down your financial records.

That’s where a “house book” comes in. It’s a binder containing important documents and information about your assets and estate plans.

It’s also sometimes called a “family emergency binder” or a “grab and go binder.” Because if your house were to burn down, a house book would be just as crucial.

“I’ve Walked in Your Shoes” Condolence Gift

Queen Darlene - August 20, 2015 - Condolence

I’m at the age now where my friends’ parents are passing away.

I can’t believe it’s been three years already that my mother passed away. We spoke every day and spent a lot of time together, especially during celebrations like family birthdays and holidays.

There is not a single day that goes by that I don’t think of her. I miss her.

It’s one of the hardest things to do in life, to go about your normal routine after you lose a parent. You want to share a thought or an upcoming event only to realize you cannot pick up the phone to call your mother or father.

I’m thankful to my friends and family who helped me through my grief after my mother died.

When a dear friend’s mother passed away, I wanted her to know it IS true that time is a great healer. I’ve realized that all I have to do is think of a precious memory to know my mother is never far away.

When you have walked in someone’s shoes, it’s sometimes easier to find the right comforting words to share.

What Gift Makes Sense for Someone Who Recently Passed Away?

Princess Diana - July 1, 2014 - Condolence

My co-worker Elise is one-of-a-kind. Any time she says something, I’m either cracking up laughing or shocked (but trying my hardest not to show it.)

Of all the crazy stories she has told me, the one I most remember is when she straight up quit her job because they wouldn’t let her off work to go to the Oklahoma State Fair.

I’m thinking to myself, “And she works in human resources…” That’s Elise in a nutshell for you though. A total hoot! And I’m lucky to work with someone who regularly livens up our office!

The other day she told made me something that made me say “Whaaat?” one second and “That’s a thoughtful gift! I’ll blog about it!” the next.

What Do You Get Your Best Friend When Her Mother Dies? | Condolence Gift

Princess Diana - March 13, 2014 - Condolence

My best friend Leslie’s mother died two years ago. Not just died – but died unexpectedly.

No last goodbye.

No final “I love you.”

It sucked, it was unfair, and I felt her pain. My father was murdered when I was seven years old and we lived in the Philippines. When I said goodbye to my mother to move to the United States with my grandparents, I didn’t know she would die of cancer before I had the chance to ever see her again.

condolence gift idea for best friend when mother dies

Click on the photo to see it enlarged

I’ve known Leslie since the fourth grade and her mother, Tina, loved me like her own daughter. She clothed me; she fed me; she came to my school activities.

She taught me about selfless giving and so many other things about life… (In junior high, she bought Leslie and I a copy of Playgirl. That sure answered a lot of our teenage girl questions!)

I wanted Leslie to know I shared her loss because I loved Tina too. I also wanted to show Leslie that her mother lives on through her because they share many of the same qualities. More than anything, both of them were known to go the distance (like Timbuktu far) in helping anyone in need.

But what condolence gift would convey my emotions and sentiments? Flowers weren’t going to do the job.

A Baby Lamb – Condolence Gift Idea

Queen Darlene - January 7, 2014 - Condolence

My son’s childhood friend passed away just before Thanksgiving. Travis was only 33 years old. The boys were best friends in elementary school when we lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They spent a lot of time together at each other’s homes until we moved to Oklahoma when the boys were eight years old.

Travis’s grandmother, Helen, and I kept in touch these past 25 years. When she called with the news that Travis had passed away, my heart broke. We spoke for a few minutes and hung up. It can be difficult to find just the right words to say when wanting to express your heartfelt sympathy and to give comfort to someone who has experienced death in their family.

Even standing in front of the sympathy cards section, reading and trying to find the right healing words is not always easy. It just so happened I was in a gift shop and I saw a baby lamb stuffed animal with a cross on its hoof. I immediately knew I had to send it to Travis’s grandmother. In the sympathy card, I explained when she felt the need to hug Travis to hug the baby lamb for comfort.