Dear Tyler,

Hi my sweet son! How are you doing on this Friday afternoon? Mom is doing okay today. Last night I got a lot of sleep and I woke up refresh and relaxed. It was a nice change! I was up a couple times during the night but fell right back to sleep again. Mom was up at 6:45 am and ready to go. Mark had been up 15 minutes prior to me and he had already fed the pups so Mom lounged in bed for about 2 hours and then got up, made breakfast, did the clean up on that, gathered the trash, dusted, and reorganized my side of the closet, got ready, took the pups for a walk and that was all before 12 noon. Mom went to her college site to see if my books were downloaded and they were not so I called student services and they were checking into the issue for me. Something on their end was wrong so they have to have IT look at the issue either today or Monday so that means Mom had today off as well. It is a nice break but I really didn't want 3 days off. That is 3 days that I could have been studying and making progress. Oh well.... nothing I can do about it so I will not stress. Mom took the afternoon after all that other stuff was done and I paid bills online and did our grocery shopping for the week as well. That will be delivered tomorrow evening. We had a pretty good thunderstorm about 2 hours ago. Listening to the thunder roll was soothing for me and I really liked it but the pups didn't at all. Princess did her usual shaking and Ozzy was under the bed. They are both fine now that the sun is back out and everything is already dried off. It is that humid outside. Mom did not see any kind of sunset last night or the moon but I am hoping I will tonight or over the weekend at least. 
 Last night was quiet. We ordered dinner out for a treat and it was yummy. It was nice not having to cook. The afternoon for Mom was very relaxing and just what I needed I think. There was no noise at all and Mom laid on the couch and played her game for a bit. Around 5 pm I fed the pups, our dinner arrived and Mom turned on the TV because Mark was still working. Poor guy never stopped until almost 7 pm last night. I was able to visit with him for about 2 hours and he was so tired he went to bed. Mom spoke to Grandpa for about an hour last night. He is doing well and Debbie is holding her own too. She is going to the doctors this week I think Grandpa said. Great Grammy has had no improvements at all. Things are just pretty bleak there and I am afraid that it will not get better this time. Grandpa said that she is sleeping more and more, not eating still, losing a lot of weight and she is in a lot of pain now. They will be going up Saturday to see her. All this just breaks my heart. I don't want her to be in pain at all. She has had enough of that in her lifetime. I will miss her when she passes on but I will be happy for her as well. She is holding on for something. Her birthday is on Tuesday and she will be 98 years young. She definitely is a tough cookie. Guess we both take after her! Everyone else seems to be good. Bean has her appointment as well on Tuesday so Mom will know more about that later during the week. Meme called today at the end of her break but I couldn't get to the phone in time. I heard her say that she would call tonight to chat. Mom will have more updates as the weekend is here. I will update as soon as I know things. 
 Mom wanted to take a few minutes right now to say that my thoughts and prayers as with everyone that is going through the awful fires once again. My prayers are with the firefighters as well that are fighting these nonstop. They are working so hard with little to no sleep or relief. Mom always has loved the saying that "not all super hero's wear capes". That sure is true! I hope that these fires start to settle down and that everyone will be okay through it. Mom also wanted to say thank you to all the people that read my letters to you on a daily basis. I love writing to you and knowing that others read these as well gives Mom comfort because maybe in some way I am helping someone else out through my writing to you. Thank you to everyone in the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, India, Poland, Thailand and the Ukraine. Many blessing to each of you and my thoughts and prayers are with you even though I don't know any one of you personally (I don't think). Mom doesn't get to know who reads the letters just the countries they come from. I am very thankful and fortunate to have faithful followers after 5 years of writing to you! It amazes Mom. 
 It has come to that time of day where Mom needs to get going so that I can feed the pups their dinner, get dinner going for Mark and I and then relax for the evening. Tonight will be an evening for maybe a game of chess and a little TV before going to bed. Mom and Mark have appointments tomorrow morning so we have to get up early. Mom has a nail appointment and Mark has a haircut. Then we will run some errands and then come home for the afternoon, have dinner and then our groceries will be coming. Sunday will be a relaxing day. Maybe moving things around in the garage the way Mark wants to do it, house cleaning and then a long over due skype call with Tubal and Karen during the evening. Preseason football has already started so I am sure there will be a game on Sunday night as well so that is what we will be watching! Mom is hoping that you have a wonderful and fun evening tonight doing all kinds of neat things that are needed of you and things that you may want to do. I am sure you will be busy and going many places and seeing new things. Come visit with Mom if you can. I would love that! Later I will light the candle for you and I will also whisper to you like I always do each night. Be listening out for my voice. Smile for Mom and I will smile for you. I will be back tomorrow afternoon with another letter to you. Always know that you are my hero, my wind beneath my wings and my bright shining star that lights the way for me day and night. I miss you beyond any words can ever express and I love you to the moon and back and all the way around the world. Forever you are in my heart, mind, body and soul. Until tomorrow comes my sweet precious son....good night and sweet dreams.
 Always, Mommy xoxoxo. Muah!

P.S. Mom found a poem that I wanted to share with you. Hope you like it.

To Hard to say Goodbye:

Every time I close my eyes
You'll all that I can see
I hold you in my heart
and know you're watching over me
Standing by your side
It felt like I could fly
If I could be half the person that you are in my eyes
And I could face the darkest day
And fight the tears inside
I can't turn the page or hold back the times
It's too hard to say goodbye
From you I learned it all
You would never let me fall
Love won't come undone
Between a MOTHER & her SON
Standing by your side
It felt like I could fly
If I could be half the person that you are in my eyes
And I could face the darkest day
And fight the tears inside
I can't turn the page or hold back the times
It's too hard to say goodbye
There will come a day
I'll have to walk alone
And I'll have to make it on my own
You taught me all there is to know
Mom...I'll never let you go
Standing by your side
It felt like I could fly
If I could be half the person that you are in my eyes
And I could face the darkest day
And fight the tears inside
I can't turn the page or hold back the time
It's too hard to say goodbye
It's too hard to say goodbye
It's too hard to say goodbye
Just can't say goodbye

Here is a prayer for the day:

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:9–12, NIV

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that we may be your children. We thank you for giving us your Spirit so that we may truly be your children. Gather us into community with you so that our minds and hearts and all that is in us may realize what joy can come to us through your gifts. Though the world today is in turmoil, in doubt, lost in material things, grant us inner quiet to receive from you the power of faith. For through faith we can learn to know what you are and what you will be to all humankind one day, through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.