Dear Tyler,

Hi pumpkin! How are you doing on this Sunday afternoon? It is already 12:30 pm and Mom is writing to you now because I will be heading out in about an hour to go to my nail appointment and then back home because Gary and Sarah will be here for the evening. We will just be visiting and having dinner. They leave tomorrow to make their trip back to Las Vegas. It will take them about a week to get there. I wanted to write to you now because I know later I will not have a chance. That is what happened yesterday and Mom is so sorry for not writing to you again. The day was a bit different than what we planned but that is okay. It started out where Mark and Mom went to the grocery store and did our shopping, Mark got a hair cut and then we came back to the apartment because his brother, Gary and Sarah were already there. They all visited while Mom put the groceries away. Rick arrived around 3:30 pm. We visited for a bit longer and then decided to go see and check up on Epoch...Gary and Sarah's pup. We were there for about 30 minutes or more and then made our way to the Cheesecake Factory. That was a disaster. The place was mobbed at 5 pm and there was a waiting time of 60 + minutes. We agreed to wait and we decided that we would go walk around the mall but we didn't end up doing that...we walked to the food court and got something to tie us over for the longer wait for dinner. That was a huge mistake. We all decided to not wait and we would come back here to the apartment and order dinner to be delivered instead. Half way home Mom was feeling sick. That was not fun. We made it home just in time for Mom. It was awful. I was not the only one who was sick...Sarah was too. She was pretty ill while she was here last night. We ordered dinner, visited for a bit and then they all left at 9:30 pm. Mom cleaned up and was in bed at 10:30 pm. I was up until midnight though as I was still not feeling the greatest. After a while I did fall asleep and woke up at 8 am this morning. Gary had called us to say that when they got to their hotel room last night they had to change rooms because there was no heat and that Sarah was up most of the night being sick. Not sure if she has the start of the stomach bug like Mom had last week or if it was something she ate or drank. I guess by the sounds of it it was a rough night for them both. Mark was doing good and so was Rick. The pups did okay around everyone. They barked a lot but later they calmed down so that was nice! They did better than they have done in the past when it comes to meeting new people for the first time. 
 Mom has absolutely no updates for you at all today because I have not spoken to anyone at all in a few days. I will be sure to either catch up with them later this evening or tomorrow to just check in. Jennifer, Bob's daughter is going on week 3 at the police academy. She is doing well. I can't believe that it is already week 3 starting tomorrow for her. That is crazy that the time has gone by that fast. Tomorrow is once again Monday. Most folks have the day off and kids are off as well because it is President's Day. Mark does not have it off and will be working and Mom will be back to studying and getting this course over with. Time is ticking and I still have so much to do. I will get it done though! Not much else is going on I must say. The weather today is blue skies and sunny but only 34 degrees out. Tonight will be a different story. I didn't even know that we were getting a snow storm. We are suppose to get 1-3" of snow over night and another 1-3" of snow during the day tomorrow and again 1-3" of snow on Wednesday. Ugh! That is all I have to say about that. Once again we will be going from no snow on the ground to either 3-9" of snow in 3 days. Mom is looking forward to Spring. It can't come soon enough. Mom is sorry that this letter to you will be short again but it is already 12:45 pm and I have to finish getting things ready before we head out. Mom will be back tomorrow with another letter to you. I hope that your evening will be filled with all the things that you need to do and want to do. Have fun while Mom sleeps. Come visit me in my dreams if you can. I will light your candle later this evening and also whisper to you as I always do each night. Smile for Mom and I will smile to you my sweet precious son. Please continue to watch over us. Thank you. I miss you so much and I love you to the moon and back and all the way around the world. To infinity and beyond. Remember that you will always be my hero and the wind beneath my wings. Forever you are in my heart, mind, body and soul. Until tomorrow comes.... good night and sweet dreams later, Tyler.
 Always, Mommy xoxoxo. Muah!

Here is the prayer for the day:

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Psalm 98:1-3, NIV

Lord our God, we thank you from our hearts, from the bottom of our hearts, that you consider us worthy to work with you so that redemption may come to the world in Jesus Christ. Already today many are rejoicing in their Redeemer. They are full of hope and comfort because the end is approaching - that evening when your glory shall be revealed, when the whole world and all nations shall glorify you, O great God and Father in heaven. Come into our time, we pray. Help us, Lord our God. Day and night we look to you in the hope of beholding the time of your glory, in the hope of receiving the peace that is beyond all understanding and of finding redemption, the great redemption from heaven, through you, the God over all flesh. Amen.