Dear Tyler,

Hi pumpkin! How are you doing on this Tuesday afternoon? Happy May 1st to you! Today is Bereaved Mother's Day to all the Moms in the world that have lost a child. Included with the pictures tonight I will post a saying regarding this. May all the Mom's out there know that I feel your pain 100%. My heart is with you all. Many blessings to you.   Mom is doing much better today than I was doing yesterday. I guess I was just in one of those " I don't want to do anything" moods. That is exactly what Mom did too.... nothing! I got up yesterday, did nothing really all day long & then made dinner, ate, took a long hot bath & then went to bed. This morning I woke up early, made breakfast, cleaned up, got ready, took the pups for a nice long walk & then came right into my office & studied all day long! I was able to read the chapters again & finish the 1st exam in my new course. Tomorrow I will be reading the next 2 chapters & starting the 2nd exam. This book is not all that big so I should be able to get through this fairly quickly. 
 The weather today has made such a difference for me. The sun is shining & the sky is blue. The wind is blowing a bit but it is nice. The temps are in the middle 60's today. For the next several days it looks like we will be getting lots of sunshine & great temps. The next 2 days will be in the high 80's & Mom can not wait! They are going to be gorgeous & that is what I have been waiting for. Mom is hoping that you will be getting your paint brushes ready so that I get to see beautiful paintings in the sky both morning & evening! I will be looking. When I see them they make me smile so brightly. I know you are near me & that is a sign from you. Keep them coming please! Thank you my sweet precious son.
 The phones have been fairly quiet this week so far but Meme did call me again today on her break. She was asking me to do her a favor. She asked if I could call Bob to check in on him as she was really starting to get worried. I guess he is sleeping even more these past few days, his short-term memory seems to be effected again, he is really shaky & disoriented again. Mom is not sure what is going on but I really hope that whatever it is it stops soon & he goes back to doing much better. He was on a roll. Not sleeping a lot & he was on the ball with everything. Not sure what changed but it really is sad. Please watch over him & Meme for Mom. They need you. Thank you. Aunt Beck sent me a few pictures today. They are leaving the coast tomorrow & will be going to the town where we have family. She is hoping to meet some of them as well. How exciting. This is the part of the trip that she has been looking forward to. They have exactly 3 days there & then they go back to Rome for a day & then they fly home on Sunday. Those 3 weeks went fast. That is crazy. She looks good. Happy & relaxed too. That is amazing! I can't wait to talk to her sometime next week. This is the longest that we have gone without chatting on the phone. I miss her. Not much else has been going on. Grandpa & Debbie are well. Great Grammy & Aunt Shirley are too. The rest of the family seems to be fine. I don't hear from them all that much but I do check in on all of them from time to time. Today is our little cousin's birthday. Piper is 1 year old today. She is such a cutie & she looks just like her Daddy, Tony. Mark is crazy busy with work. He has had 5 new clients assigned to him in a week. They are all spread out so that will keep him busy for a few months. Mom... well you know how I am. I am up to my eyeballs in school but other than that I am doing good. I think that is all the updates that I have for you today but I am sure to have some more from you as the week goes into the weekend. I will keep you posted.
 Mom is hoping that this evening will be peaceful for you. May you have fun while I am sleeping tonight. I hope that you also get to do all that is needed of you & maybe things that you want to do as well. Tonight for Mark & I will be just having dinner, relaxing, walking with the pups again & then coming inside & watching a little TV before bed. Tomorrow is already the middle of the week. Mark will be busy & Thursday will be a very long day for him. He will be gone early morning into the late night. It will be dinner for one that evening. I will whisper to you later this evening & also I will light the candle for you. It will be burning in your honor. Smile when you see it & hear Mom. I will smile back to you. I miss you, Tyler. I love you to the moon & back & all the way around the world. You are my hero & my wind beneath my wings. Forever you will live inside my heart, mind, body & soul. Please continue to watch over us & come visit me in my dreams tonight if you can. Fly freely & high! Mom will be back tomorrow with another letter to you so until then... good night & sweet dreams.
 Always, Mommy xoxoxo. Muah!

Here is your prayer for the day:
  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11, NIV

Lord Jesus, we look to you on the throne beside your Father in heaven and ask that you be Lord of peace in our hearts. Help us to overcome ourselves again and again and to remain at peace. Then your will may be done in your disciples, a power of peace may be around us that goes out into the whole world, and your name may be glorified on earth. For you are Lord of peace, and we await you. In difficult times faith and hope will take hold in our hearts all the more firmly, to your glory, Lord Jesus. For you will suddenly come according to your promise as the One who does God’s will on earth among all people. Amen