I love half.com.  It’s my new best friend, seriously.

Mark and I had 11 text books to sell from last semester and I decided to go with this little brother of ebay to go about business.  I don’t know if you guys have any experience with the original ebay.com, but trying to get something online for people to buy can appear tricky. What shipping to offer customers? How much should I charge? How can I catch the customer’s eye and accurately describe the product?  (okay, that doesn’t sound bad, but trust me, it can be a confusing task with many options to chose from for a newbie). And, they get you with the little fees. And, you can only have an item up for about a week and either it sells in that time, or it doesn’t.

Well, what I like about half.com is that it takes all that guess work out.  It’s made for just media type things (books, CD’s, movies, video games, etc.) to sell/buy at reduced prices.  It’s really great for buying textbooks (that’s all we’ve bought/sold so far, haven’t tried the other categories of products) at lower prices, because university stores are ridiculous. With 11 books, it took me hardly any time to get our items listed. I was able to tell them the exact product (what edition/cover/author/everything!) with just entering the ISBN number (therefore, saving time), entered the quality of the book, described the book (like, if it had markings), and listed the price. Click. Done.

What I really liked?  Instead of the guessing of what I should list it for, it gave me a recommended price based on what other people had/are listing it for so that I could list it competitively, but fairly.  It was usually spot on, too.  And, what I really like? No bidding.  I like that I can buy a book at ebay prices without sitting at the computer for an hour fighting over an item. And what I really, really like? It doesn’t have a time limit.  It stays up until it sells, or until I take it down. And, no listing fees. It just takes a very small percentage out after a sale is made (like, two dollars).

Within just a few hours? I’ve already sold 2 books.  Score.

Of course, the extra cash will go right back into buying new text books. School starts for Mark on Wednesday, and myself on Thursday. Ugh. I’m not ready for vacation to be over.

I got a new Bible today that I’m very, very excited about . I had gotten one as a Christmas present, but I’m the kind of girl that needs/likes extra “stuff” within the pages to help me understand and reflect more about what I’m reading. So, I exchanged it for the TNIV version True Identity: The Bible for Women. It’s focused for woman in their 20′s and 30′s just beginning in the more adult world (instead of teen issues, like the Bibles I have now) and truly finding themselves in Christ and discovering who they are in Christ (and moving out of the bounds of I am so and so’s Mom or the president of x company). It has pages with some myths of the world (like: if I have children I will be happy, if I just loose 10 pounds I’ll be happy, I NEED these pair of shoes! And more spiritual/religious based ones like: it’s not important to go to church if my personal relationship with God is good, God doesn’t want me to have any fun, if I’m a Christian God won’t let anything bad happen to me, etc. ) and God’s view of them. Pages that help you get to know the woman of the Bible more, questions that get you thinking or talking with others, and parts that help summarize who God is. Of course, the most important part is God’s word it’s self, but these added areas just help me understand and connect with it more in a practical daily way.

Plus, it’s just pretty to look at. The cover (shown above) is one of my favorite colors of green with beautiful tulips, and all the text inside is blue and green!

It also has great tips on how to have a closer relationship with Christ, how to write your testimony, and how to be a mentor for others. I was skimming through and came across a tip to keep a journal just between you and God, writing down what you are learning through reading the Bible, your prayers, and how you’ve seen God working in your life. I’m glad I read that! Often it’s not enough for me to just read, it doesn’t sink in and go further reaching to the heart (even with school material, it’s the same way) and how neat it is to look back weeks, months or even years to see the changes.

During my pregnancy with Kaylee (especially after her adoption plan) and up until I went to college, I was the closest I have ever been in my relationship with God. It was a beautiful experience and I really want that back again. That was when journaling and writing began such a huge part of my life and I realized the gift that He’d given me with words. I used to keep a special journal, away from the internet and the eyes of other people just between me and God. I was single for over 2 years during that time, knowing, waiting and trusting that God would bring me my true love next (and He did!). But it was very lonely and I longed for a relationship, so I even have secret letters and written prayers to my future husband with in that journal. I had totally forgotten about all this until I read the tip tonight. If I can find it…that would be a great place to start some couple devotional and prayer time, wouldn’t it?

I’m excited. And that is the first step towards one of my resolutions: Get closer to God again. Excitement is motivation and motivation means I’ll actually DO it and get started. In fact, instead of wasting my night here on the computer like usual, I think I will go read!

Apparently blog stats improve when you are extremely honest. Good thing to know.

That said, date night went well after I got some food and further away from my sleepless child that was driving me insane. Like I said, it was much needed and I came home refreshed (both emotionally and physically, full night’s sleep!) and ready to take on this sleep issue with a fight. A no-cry fight, even.  Not saying tears are bad, because even crying can be refreshing, but crying isn’t so lovely when you hear it all. night. long.   I came home and did some research online trying to find a book focusing on sleep issues. Hopefully, I’ve found the one the will work for us, The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley.  Thank you Amazon.com for the used book section, allowing me to pay $6 total including shipping, half the price of if I had drove to the book store. Granted, I have to wait a few more days to find some answers to our problems (hopefully), but still, can’t pass up a good deal.

In the mean time, we’re back to establishing a bed time routine (bath time, lots of books, snuggles and a feeding–which I want to learn how to cut out of her sleep necessity). Duh, Leah. Why did you get flax about it in the first place?  Remember that back tracking I was talking about? I bet that is why. We’ll see what else Ms. Pantely has to offer soon. I chose this book because it seems to be more than just reading and then trying to apply.  She has ‘sleep logs’ and questions to ask yourself and keep record of about daily/nightly routines to help show where the problem is and then gives you a majority of solutions, not just one (so I’ve heard) to apply.  She’s got a chapter for tiny infant sleeping AND older infant sleeping (Hello! That’s us!). She has one for co-sleepers and the one I’m most looking forward to–a chapter about babies who are depending on breast/bottle/pacifier to sleep.

And, quite frankly, I’m a person that some times needs some one to just tell me what to do next. Especially, when I am head deep in frustration, anger and tears.  When a person is at the end of her rope, she needs some one to tell her what to do next to save herself.  I’ve heard this book offers gentle step-by-step solutions. Just what I need.

We’ll see if it lives up to the reviews and to my expectations soon enough.   In the mean time, off to dream land where there are no dreams because I’m always awake.  Meaning, bed time for the O’s.