Dear Tyler,

Hi my sweet son! How are you doing on this Saturday afternoon? Mom is doing alright. It is December 21st and it is Winter Solstice... the shortest day of the year and the longest night of darkness. I think I read that we loose 5.5 hours of daylight today but starting tomorrow, every day will stay lighter and lighter out until we get to Summer Solstice. It really amazes Mom how all of this stuff works. It fasinates me. 

 Mom is sorry that I didn't write to you yesterday but Meme and I left at 10ish yesterday to go do some shopping and then headed to the nail salon, from there we went grocery shopping and came home. We arrived around 4 pm. We put everything away and then made dinner and all that and dishes were done by 6:30 pm. Every one came upstairs and went there separate ways. Bob went to bed, Meme stayed up and watched a movie and Mark and I did the same thing. I never once turned my computer on at all and Mom was fast asleep by 9:30 pm. I felt bad that I didn't write to you but I was just so tired. I thought I would get a good night sleep but I was wrong. I was up every 2 hours. I am really tired tonight. I am hoping to get a really good nights sleep because we have to be up and out the door by 9 am tomorrow to go to the movies. Mark is excited to see it and so is Meme. I think Bob is just going because he got a ticket and Mom is just happy to spend time with Mark. I can't believe that it is 4 days away from Christmas. Mark and Mom went out today for a few hours alone. It was so nice and we had fun. The people were crazy as they were doing their last minute shopping. We went into one store and the line was outside and all the way to the front registers and it wrapped around. It took us over 30 minutes to stand in line. It was crazy. Mom felt bad for the cashiers because I know exactly how they were feeling today. We went into a few more stores and called it a day. The weather went from sunny to cloudy, very windy and rainy so we left. We got home around 1:30 pm or so. Mom put everything away, reorganized the refrigerator and freezer, vacuumed the downstairs while Meme was upstairs looking for some papers, Bob went to sleep and Mark hopped on the computer and has been playing his game with his brothers online. His brother calls him every day and it gets so annoying. He calls right before dinner, during dinner, after dinner and continues to get in touch with him by text until Mark responds. I know that it is his brother but every day is a bit much. He always wants Mark to play his game with him. He may not have a life but I sure want one. I told Mark to play his game until it was time to cook dinner. That gave him 3 hours to play. Hopefully that will hold him over for another week. It just gets tiring. we live in Florida now where the weather is always good! It is not like it was in Massachusetts where it was cold, snowy and miserable and he had all kinds of time to play because there was nothing else to do really in the winter. I know that Mom is hoping for a miracle with this but I am going to keep wishing!

 Not too much for updates today. Grandpa called me Thursday night. He seemed like himself. He was telling me that him and Debbie went shopping and they got a new snow blower and a few other things. He is setting up appointments for Spring and Summer already so it doesn't seem to bother him too much that he is not moving down here. That hurt Mom like hell but I didn't show it in my voice. Debbie said nothing in the background to me so nothing has changed there. It is only going to be so long that Mom is going to accept that behavior from her. I won't tolerate it for much longer. I will give until New Years and then I wash my hands clean of it. I will not take it into the new year. I saw a post on facebook where Auntie Kristina's dad is now in hospice. My heart is breaking for her and her family. It must be so hard. I will call her on Monday to check in with them. she told me that she would call if anything changed. I am saying prayers that he will make a turn around. Mom will keep you posted on that. Not much else. Aunt Beck said she would call on Christmas Day. I am sure they are staying busy in Arizona. That is all I have for updates today, pumpkin. 

 Mom needs to be getting off the computer so that I can feed the pups soon and get dinner going for us. Mark will be needing to get off his computer as well and go cook the steak on the grill as Bob is sleeping and it is going to be taking awhile for that chunk of meat. We should be eating no later than 5:15 pm. That is less than an hour away. Mom will be back tomorrow with another letter to you and tell you how the movie was. I would like to think you are right there with me at the theater watching it too. I will light your candle when I go downstairs too. Smile when you hear Mom's voice later tonight when I am whispering to you. I will be sure to smile back to you. Have fun while I sleep tonight and if you can come visit me in my dreams. Thank you my sweet precious son. I love you to the moon and back and all the way around the world. You are my hero and the wind beneath my wings. Forever you live inside my heart, mind, body and soul. Until tomorrow comes...good night and sweet dreams. I miss you, Tyler.

 Always, Mommy xoxoxo. Muah!

Here is the prayer for the day:

He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 2 Peter 1:17–18, NIV

Lord Jesus Christ, to you we may lift our eyes, for you have broken free from our world of death and live in the glory of life, and you offer your life to us on earth. Let the power of your life be revealed today in us and in many others who want to celebrate Christmas. Send your Spirit to move our hearts so that we hear, see, experience, and understand what you and your gift of eternal life truly mean for us. So watch over us in these days and strengthen us in faith. Shed the light of your grace over us and within us. Protect us as your disciples. Lead us into communion with our Father in heaven and into community with you, O Jesus Christ, for all eternity. Amen.