Our story

“missing home is just love
with nowhere to go yet.”

— from the book

The true part

I grew up in a small town. When I got into a university in the city, it was the best news our house had had in a long time.

My father passed away three months before I left.

So on the day I went, it was just my mother at the door. She didn't say anything wise. She said, “call me when you get there.”

I called when I got there. After that, less than I should have. There was always a reason. Class, or work, or it was too late at night. But the truth is that on the homesick nights I didn't call at all. She was alone in that house. I didn't want her to hear it in my voice.

It took me years to understand she would rather have heard it.

some kids don't call because they miss home too much. i was one of them.

When You Can't Call Mom is sixteen sealed letters a mother writes before her kid leaves home. There's one for the first night. There's one for 2am. The kid can't always call — but she already answered.

How we make them

Slowly. The sixteen letters were rewritten many times. If a page didn't sound like something a real mother would say, it went. The early test prints went in the trash, and we printed again until opening the box felt the way it should.

The first orders were packed by hand. Band wrapped, seals checked.

Who's behind this

Penned & Co. is a small team operated by TH ECOM LLC. Orders ship from our warehouse in Houston, Texas — same business day if you order before 2 PM EST on weekdays. When you reply to one of our emails, a person answers. Usually this one:

— T.H., founder

the one who reads your replies

p.s. call your mom. i'll wait.

Email support@pennedco.com · +1 (914) 901-5888 (Mon–Fri, 9–5 EST)

Penned & Co. is operated by TH ECOM LLC · Registered address: 1500 N Grant St Ste N, Denver, CO 80203 · Warehouse & returns: 9960 W Sam Houston Pkwy S, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77099 · contact us · refund policy · shipping policy