Dear Tyler,

Hi my sweet son! How are you doing on this Monday afternoon? Happy All Hallow's Eve to you! I can't believe that tomorrow is Halloween & even more so, Mom can't believe this is my 5th one without you. I sure do miss doing all the decorations in our house for you, carving pumpkins & cooking the pumpkin seeds for us to eat. I miss getting dressed up & getting you dressed up & taking you out trick or treating when you were younger & then handing out candy to other kids as you got older. Gosh... I just miss it all. Halloween is a fun time of the year but it really is a tough one for Mom. I love it but it pulls at my heart strings because you are not here anymore. Mom hasn't decorated for this holiday in 5 years now. I did some decorating in our apartment this year but it is a Fall/ Autumn theme.... decorations that can go through Halloween & into Thanksgiving. I did however put a large pumpkin & Zero outside our door going into the hallway so that when others come up the stairs they will see it & think it is cute. Simple but it gets the point across! Mom sure will be thinking of you a lot tomorrow all day & evening. We don't get trick or treaters where we live. It is a complex that does not have hardly any children. Mom misses that part as well. Seeing all the other children dressed up in their costumes but I am sure it is for the best that I do miss out on it. That day is tough enough!
 Last night Mom was sick all the way until 10 pm. I was so tired & just wanted to crawl into bed but the rain & wind was horrible that it scared the pups & Ozzy went under the bed. Mom knew she was in for a very long night. Ozzy finally got settled some time after midnight & then Mom laid down & could not sleep. The wind was just howling & so loud. The trees were smacking up against the side of the building which happens to be our bedroom. Mark slept through the whole dang thing. Mom fell asleep around 3 am & was up at 8 am. Not a lot of sleep so that means tonight will be a very early night for me. I am hoping to get some much needed sleep tonight. The wind today has still been high. We are still in a warning until 7 pm tonight I guess. The sun tried to come out but it was pretty cloudy for the most part. This Sunday we turn the clocks back. We gain that hour of sleep back but it gets dark at 4 pm. Short days & long nights. Not looking forward to that for 3 months. Mom didn't do much today at all.... I got ready, made the bed, did a little house cleaning & then made myself breakfast. After that I came right into my office & I did indeed do as I said I would... I did the rest of my exam & I will submit it tomorrow. Mom does not have a lot of confidence in this one but I am just hoping to get a passing grade. I must move forward & charge ahead! After I finished that up, I started writing to you! Mom will finish this letter up to you & then I will be getting our night routine ready with feeding the pups & getting dinner going for Mark & I. It is already 3:50 pm. Today really has flown by. Mom will try to touch base with Meme & Grandpa but I am not sure if either of them have power or not. I have seen pictures & have read that Charlestown & Claremont really got hit with that storm & knocked a lot of places power out. Where we used to live had none, up where Grandpa lives didn't have any either & Unity & other small towns are in really bad shape... they are without power & the electric company said it would be a couple days to restore it. Newport, where Meme travels to work is completely flooded out & roads are closed. There was no school for some & several delays for others. Tress, branches etc... were in roads & block many roads as well. They are not used to any of that so when something like that hits up there...people really freak out. I just want to touch base to make sure everyone is okay. I will try to touch base with Aunt Beck tomorrow as well or in the middle of the week. Mom should have more updates as the week goes on. 
 Here is the daily prayer for the day: May God bring fresh hope to your heart today! May He make a way where there's been no way. May He give you wisdom and peace for your next steps. May He protect you where you're vulnerable and establish you in your calling. May you dare to steward your time, treasures, and talents today so you’re ready for what God has for you tomorrow. Blessings on your day today.
To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away (Matthew 25:29 NLT). 
 Here are the sayings for the day: Let them judge you. Let them misunderstand you. Let them gossip about you. Their opinions aren't your problems. You stay kind, committed to love & free in your authenticity. No matter what they do or say, don't you doubt your worth or the beauty of your truth. Just keep shining like you always do!
 You are no longer under no obligation to be the same person you were a year, a month or even 15 minutes ago. You have the right to grow. No apologies!
 well, Tyler... that is all Mom has for you today. I will whisper to you as I always do when I light the candle & later when I go to bed. Mom is hoping that your evening is filled with peace, love & anything & everything else you need & want it to be. I hope you have some fun tonight while Mom is sleeping. Come visit me in my dreams & check in on me while I sleep. Thank you so much my sweet precious son. Mom wants you to always remember that you are my hero & the wind beneath my wings. You are my shining star & you will forever live inside my heart, mind, body & soul. I miss you like crazy & I love you more than anything. To the moon & back & all the way around the world. I will be back tomorrow night with another letter to you so until then.... good night & sweet dreams.
 Always, Mommy xoxoxo. Muah!