Reiko’s Birthday CardWhy is it that I can never find the right birthday card anywhere?

Today is my Reiko’s birthday and, despite what she might think, she’s still just as young and beautiful as she was the day we met.  But why can’t I find a nice card that says just as much?

Before coming to Japan I had scoured several Hallmark’s and other gift stores for the perfect birthday card to no avail.  After arriving, I looked everywhere (when I wasn’t being watched) for the right card, but again came up empty.  Even the online cards don’t seem to really say much.  Perhaps this is a good thing … because it means that I often wind up making cards for the people I care about.

The image on the left is from the card I designed.  She loves dogs and we’ll probably have a house full of puppies before too long.  You can click on the image for the full res version, but I kept the personal message out.  Those words are for her, not the whole world :)
Happy birthday, Reiko!