There was cake, balloons and a picnic lunch.

But with the birthday girl missing for more than eight months, no one really expected a happy birthday.

Still, about 50 family members, friends and a handful of well-wishers from the community attended a celebration and prayer vigil at Escondido's Dixon Lake Recreation Area on Sunday to mark Amber Dubois' 15th birthday.

"Sitting at home at a time like this is the last thing we want to do," said Maurice Dubois, Amber's father.

Dubois said the company of others who care about his daughter was some comfort during the painful birthday milestone. And although she is missing, suspending the family's tradition of a party and cake on Amber's birthday might have been more painful, he said.

"We want to try to keep things as normal as we can," Dubois said. "It's been hard enough changing everything in our lives."

Dubois, who is divorced from Amber's mother, lives in Orange County. He recently returned to work after taking eight months off to concentrate on the search for Amber, though he plans to continue his efforts, he said.

A poster and a photo album that circulated at Sunday's gathering showed pictures of Amber at her past birthday parties.

On her first birthday, Amber already had a full head of brown hair and ate cake in a high chair. On her third birthday, she wore a court jester's cap. At her 14th birthday party last year, she jumped into a swimming pool at her mom's house.

"This is a great album," said Amber's aunt, Stacy Harker.

Harker said her niece would have loved the birthday picnic, set overlooking a bright blue Lake Dixon under a clear sky. The park, along with adjacent Daily Ranch were places where search and rescue operations concentrated in the early days of Amber's disappearance. Harker couldn't help entertaining a fantasy.

"I'd love to see her come walking up here right now so we could have a happy party rather than a sad party," the Corona relative said.

Amber was last seen Feb. 13 walking near Escondido High School, on her way to class. Despite an investigation that police describe as one of the most intense they've done, her disappearance remains a mystery. Her parents believe she was abducted and is being held by a stranger.

Family friend Joe Peters said he hoped Amber would be able to see pictures of the cake and party she missed.

"Hopefully we'll share the event with her soon," he said.

Carrie McGonigle, Amber's mother, said Sunday's gathering gave her some respite from a grief that grows every day.

"I'm not crying right now," she said.

She noted that the birthday cake did not say, "Happy Birthday."

"I don't even know if she knows it's her birthday," she said, speculating that Amber may be learning a new life from whoever is holding her.

Because they think she is alive, Amber's family believes publicity is the key to finding her. Next week, the family will send a mailer to about 27,000 law enforcement agencies asking for help, McGonigle said. The mailer includes a removable poster and an introduction by Escondido police Lt. Bob Benton, she said.

Moe Dubois said the recently publicized case of a teenager with amnesia found in New York City who responded to the name of "Amber," showed him publicity is working.

While Dubois' hope when he first learned of the New York City teen was short-lived ---- a quick Web search showed pictures of a girl who was not his daughter ---- he said more than 80 people from across the country e-mailed or called him about the case.

"It's good to know there are so many people who are aware of Amber and who will actually get in touch with us," he said.

Call staff writer Sarah Gordon at 760-740-3517.