A Two-Decade Old Wedding Card

When I was around 10, I really wanted an American Girl doll. At the time, they were $82 — that amount is burned into my memory. I was receiving a weekly allowance, but nothing that would amount to $82 before I became a teenager. My mom told me if I really wanted the doll, I could earn the money to buy one. But how was a 10-year-old supposed to come up with $82?

At my mom’s suggestion, I started making and selling Christmas cards. I think it was summer at the time. While I loved to draw, I wouldn’t say I was especially talented at it. But I decided I would do it. I spend the next whatever-amount-of-time folding printer paper into quarters, drawing some design on the front, and proudly labeling the back of each one: “Karina Cool Cards” (that’s how you know they were the real thing). I sold each card for a quarter.

Family and neighbors bought cards and donated to my cause (I’m sure I didn’t end up creating or selling 336 cards), and I was able to buy my doll by Christmas.

Fast forward 21 years. I get married (to quite a wonderful and handsome man, IMHO). We get lots of wedding cards. And in that big pile of wedding cards is one Karina Cool Card. My grandma had saved it for over 2 decades and gave it back to me on my wedding day, with all her love and a beautiful note.