May 05th, 2018

  I can't believe it's been almost 2 years since I've last written anything in this blog.   The truth is, until we started Tyler's Ride I have never written a blog before.  I have tried writing a few times but found myself at a loss as to what to write, and how much to share.  I don't want the blog to always be sad, however the only reason we have a blog and this website is because of a very sad and tragic event in our lives.  What I am trying to write today is just a reminder that even though thinking about Tyler's death will always bring a sadness.  Life is still moving on.  There is nothing we can do to stop it.  So we are trying to do our best to LIVE it.

  Tyler left behind two wonderful children.  They are now 9 and 5.  They are really growing up fast, and they both resemble Tyler in their own way.  Spending time with them brings us a lot of joy.  We are making new memories with them and trying to help them remember things about their dad.  Sometimes that includes showing them pictures from when they where younger so they can see how much Tyler enjoyed being their dad.   

  When I think about the fact that Jayce and Adri were so young when they lost their father, it makes my heart hurt for them.   They had no choice in this.  They will always feel different when they participate in "Father Daughter" or "Father Son" functions.  Don't get me wrong, Adri and Jayce are loved by many extended family members who have stepped in so they could participate in these functions.  It's just something that makes them feel different.  So far they seem to be handling this well, I just wish they didn't have to "handle it" at all.   This is just one of the areas of life where there is sadness amidst the joy of life moving on.    

  Mark and I (Tyler's parents) have been trying to take more time to just "be in the moment".  We have recently taken two long weekends away at the beach (my happy place).  For those of you who don't know Mark well, this is huge...  He is a hard worker rarely putting in fewer than 70 hours a week.  So getting him away isn't always easy and when he is away, he is still doing work.  Anyway, we both needed to take some time to re-focus and recharge.  Sometimes working too much makes you less productive than if you work just 40-50 hours a week (on the same project).  Since I work for Mark, we often find our conversations at home end up involving work.  We are working to change that.  Mark is now coaching Jayce's t-ball team.  I have been able to help at a practice and  watch one game so far, hopefully I will get to see more.  It is so fun to watch young kids playing a sport.  This is a fun reminder of when Tyler played t-ball.   Different kids, but still their antics are the same.   One kid is playing in the dirt, another has to go potty.  One kid is batting the ball and the rest of the players all run to be the first to field it.  If you are having a bad day, or just need a laugh, watch young kids play a sport.   This may just help you to relax, laugh, and be in the moment.  

  This coming June it will be 3 years since Tyler's accident.  There has been a lot of Life happening since then.   Tyler's Ride will be holding our next Share the Road event on Saturday July 14 2018.  We are growing a little more each year.  I am so touched by the show of support we are receiving.   Those of you who like and share our posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are all helping to spread the word about our organization, and events.  Thank you for that!!!  As a non-profit we are trying to keep our costs down so we can use the donated funds to help others that have been affected by tragedy similar to ours.  So every 'like' and 'share' is helping to bring attention to Tyler's Ride without us having to pay for more advertising.
 Thank you, again !