Dear Mom,

It's 4 a.m. and I can't sleep. My thoughts keep wandering to you.

The kids and I are staying at your house with Dad. Mike came in town today - he will be taking Levi back home with him and then they will head to Ohio for a wedding. It is very strange being in your house without you in it. It seems so quiet and still - until the boys get to running in circles around the kitchen island!

There has been no early morning talks over coffee and boy do I miss that! Remember when we used to go out and sit on the back deck to have our morning coffee? We would just stare out at the lake and enjoy quiet of the calm water.

Dad is hanging in there - though I know he is torn up inside. But he keeps pluggin' along. We find ourselves talking about the strangest things - such as where we plan to put your cookie jars or what the hell are we supposed to do with a $300 wig !!!!!!!!!

Maverick keeps talking about you - he tells us how you are watching us and that he hears you. Levi has stayed pretty quiet about it all - though he did tell me he didn't want to make Pawpaw sad by talking about you. Boy they miss you!

We all do.