Dearest Father,

I am writing you tonight because tomorrow will not only mark my 30th birthday, but also my first birthday celebration without a father. I will not get my usual call from you wishing me a happy birthday. Actually the other day, I eagerly looked through my voicemail hoping I still had a message from you. But I didn't. I know that if you were alive, you would have called me so. You never fail to. You always told my I had a real birthday, an accurate one unlike yours. I miss you so much dad. Tomorrow, I will be taking Mom to her first appointment with the orthopedist to discuss about her knee problem. I will take good care of her Daddy, so please don't worry about her. Just bless her and keep her healthy, okay?

Also, I got the message from Liz. I don't know why I have not seen you in a while Dad, but it would be nice to see your face again--it would be a wonderful birthday present for me. I heard you visited Liz in her dreams and had given me $40 for my birthday. I will stop by to see you on my birthday Daddy. It's days like this I miss you dearly.

Did you know that Seng and Txiv Laus had their baby? Remember, the one they told you about a month before you left this world? It's a healthy 6lb10oz baby and boy can it cry. They want to honor you and so they are hoping to incorporate your name into the baby's Hmong name. I didn't ask her, but I'm sure Seng cried after she had her baby because she knows you aren't going to ever get to hold her baby boy.

Please continue to bless the family. I will try to have a happy 30th birthday,
-Your daughter