I just took a couple-hour nap after coming home from a three-day weekend trip to the Thousand Trails in Acton, California. While in the camp, I didn’t have internet service which forced me to do a lot of thinking. It was difficult to not having able to reach the outside world online. However, at the same time, it allowed me to do some soul-searching. It was the first time I suggested my husband organize this trip with his entire children, grandchildren, and mine except for my son, Charlie. He was busy with school work during the fast-paced summer school. We drove separately and met up at the site on Friday afternoon. The children and grandchildren seemed to enjoy the swimming pool very much, although the water was quite cold. Our first meal was ham/baloney sandwiches under a big shade tree near the swimming pool. I loved the food, the weather and most importantly the companies. I’m very family-oriented so is my husband. Seeing the joy in our loved ones is priceless to us. Our dinner was served with beef cooked on a BBQ pit (Carna Asada), refried beans and potatoes. It took us a couple hours to prepare, but it was all worth it. What a beautiful picture to seeing almost the entire Perez and Vo family getting together to a delicious meal! Before and after dinner, I was pulling baby Jayden on a wagon for a while. At night, the bottom of my feet got hurt to the point that caused me limping. As a result, I could not walk with the family to the riverbed nearby or anywhere else. The whole Saturday I was pretty much “home alone.” It gave me much time to clear pictures from my phone. While clearing them out, I couldn’t help feeling homesick. I missed my father so much for the first time since he passed away almost two years ago. So I searched for the little connection I had with him a few years back by going through the WhatsApp. My brother, Steven introduced this App to our family where we share our thoughts on here. We all live in three different countries: Vietnam, United of America and Australia. Having this App brought us all closer together. It took me about one hour to go over two years conversations. I stumbled on a couple poems I shared with them. Just a shy three months prior to our father passing, I posted a poem I happened to find it interesting online. It’s about an elderly father who writes his goodbye letter to his wife and children. It says that he’s not been well due to sickness and old age, so he knows his day of leaving them is coming. He asks his wife to not feeling so sad when he’s gone and takes better care of herself. He also asks his children to look after their mom. I cried. Did my father’s time really up? I felt it was a sign for me sharing this poem with him and my siblings. How did he feel reading it? Then I read the darkest conversations we shared on the App on July 6 and 7, 2016. It was a surreal moment when my younger brother, Trung Hai texted us that our dad had a heart attack and currently in a hospital. He stopped breathing and was revived by the doctor once and twice. A few hours later, he texted us that the doctor refused to do anymore resuscitation and advised him to take our father home where he can die in the house. It was unbelievable! My father and I didn’t have a healthy relationship. Through the WhatsApp, I sent many pictures of my baby Jayden who is his first great-grandson. I was motivated and inspired to share a lot on the Apps as if it was my way of making up for the lack of communication between us. Since he’s gone, I no longer share as much. Realizing that my life or my loved ones can be taken away in a nanosecond, I treasure the present time we can be together. Having almost my entire family here at the campsite was the best thing I have done for the children and grandchildren. I know they will have this fond memory to look back when they are older. I know my husband had the best time of his life because he told me once that spending time with his family is the greatest thing can happen to him. At around this time next year, I hope we will get together again. I love you all. Happy Father’s Day ❤️ #FatherDay2018