>Abigael's First Pictures
Dear Abigael,Happy Birthday babygirl!!!! For your very special 21st birthday, we decided to buy your domain name and initiate what we hope will be a lifelong project to develop and maintain your very own webpage - abigaelstriker.com! How flipping cool is that?!?!?! Is that not a "shut the front door" kind of gift? The downside is that it means that Daddy needs to learn how to write code in HTML, CSS and Javascript(if we want to do any really cool stuff). Everything is (obviously) pretty basic at this point but we will get more polished as we refine what type of content you want and how to add the right styling. We really hope this can be a project that we collaborate on and that you will endeavor to learn how to write your own code. It's a lot of fun to make computers do what you want!!!
The day a daughter turns 21 is always a bittersweet day for her parents. It is the day that Daddy's Little Girl is all grown up. So, in one context it is a big celebration. Our hearts swell with pride over your many childhood accomplishments. We cannot possibly fully articulate our confidence in your ability to make good choices and pursue any goal that you set for yourself. We celebrate that you have safely navigated the stress of high school and the hardships of leaving home and living away for a period of time. Notwithstanding a few car accidents, you have come out of the tunnel of adolesence none the worse for the wear. All these things we celebrate.
At the same time, it is a bit of a sad day. You have now reached majority age and you have the same legal right as any other full citizen. More importantly, this day represents a symbolic turning point in which your are less dependent on us for guidance, less needing of our assistance, less susceptible to our influence and obviously less immune to our control. We take heart in the knowledge that you are fully endowed with a solid moral compass. We are encouraged that you have maturity beyond your years. So, it is entirely appropriate that we feel a bit of wistful satisfaction as we see you fly away from the nest.
Ahead you will face some potholes, some pitfalls and more than a few headwinds. Yet, you also face unexpected surprises, continued learnings, wonderful experiences and unimaginably interesting people. So, in addition to celebrating, we charge you to go forth and experience all that life has to offer. Dream big. Savor the moment. Don't look back but also never forget that path that you traveled. Be kind and choose good over evil. Think for yourself and challenge the status quo. We look forward to sharing your experiences with you and hope that you always remember that wherever the road of life takes you, we will always be there with unconditional love and support. Happy birthday Scooby Smooth, AbbaZabba and Yolanda.
With much love,
Mom and Dad