* * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * *

''My Birthday Surprise''
was created especiallyfor
Mika Yasima

with lovefrom
Mommy and Daddy
April2, 2006



* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * *

Mika Yasimawas so excited!
Her''big'' day had finally arrived!
Shehad reminded everyone in
Yokohamaaboutherbirthday
onApril 2,for a long time.
Mikahadnot wanted a single person
to forget this special day.
Todayshewas6.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Formonths now,Mikahad been
dreaming day and night aboutherparty.
Shehad asked herfriends again and again,
''Do you suppose my birthday will ever get here?''
There were many names onherinvitation list.
MikahopedYuko,SyokoandRyoucould come.
Shewas really looking forward to a great time!



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Itseemed toMikathatherdreams
always started out the same way.
Shewould besitting in the middle of
an enormous room all dressed up forherparty.
Besideherwas a key ringwith 10 magic keys,
each a different color.
Aroundherwould be doors, and
Mikaknewthat the keys were
there to open those matching, colored doors.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In each dream,Mikawould find manyhappy,
wonderful surprises behind the locked doors...
except for one.
There were 11 doors, but only 10 keys.
Mikawondered
howshewould get into that last room.
There wasn't even a knob on the door.
Every timeshewould start to search for
the missing key,shewould wake up.
Oh well! MaybeYuko,SyokoandRyou
could helpher.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Inherdreams,Mikaliked to startwith
the blue key that unlocked the blue door.
The blue room looked asif it held a billion
bouncing balloons.
There were balloons of differentshapes, colors
and sizes, andMikahad fun
walkingthrough them. There was one
balloon that had to be the biggest,
bluestballoonshehad ever seen.
This was so much fun,Mikaraced
on to the next door !



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thesecond door opened up to a white
room with lots and lots of birthday cakes.
There were tiny cakes and gigantic cakes
and cakes just big enough forMikato eat
all byherself.
Some cakes were huge, but there was one
snowywhite cake behind the white door
that had 7 huge layers.
It was a cakeforMika.
Shewanted to showall these
beautiful cakes toYuko,SyokoandRyou.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

WhenMikaopened the cherry red
door,shealmost fell backward!
What a fun dream! In front ofherwas
a monstrous mountain of melting ice cream.
There were cherries, nuts, whipped cream
and syrup running down thesides.
Mikathought it would be so much funto
slide down this kind of mountain.
What a delightful, delicious timeshewould have !



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **

Mikagiggled whensheopened the
orange door to the clown room.
Insideshefound forty funny clowns,
most of them with brightorange hair.
There were fat clowns and thin clowns,
short clowns andtall clowns,
happy clowns and sad clowns.
Some clowns did tricks whileother
silly clowns just clowned around.
In this orange room,Mikalaughed
untilshecould laugh nomore.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * *

The green room had so many presents
thatMikahad trouble opening the door.
Shewondered if any of the gifts
were fromYuko,SyokoandRyou.
Shewas hoping that one ofthose
boxes would have something very nice
shecould play with on her birthday.
Maybe it was the gigantic green gift box!
Shouldsheopen it?
No,shemust hurry to the next door.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **

Mikajumped up and down whenshe
opened the glittering gold door and found
a goldenroom full of rides forherbirthday party.
In themiddle of the room was a beautiful
gold merry-go-round.
Surrounding it,Mikacould see the ponies
with their golden saddles, atrain
ride and even a small ferris wheel !



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Apink door opened up into a candy room.
Mikawasamazed at all the candy.
Shefound suckers, gumdrops,lollipops,
peppermint sticks, hard candies, soft candies
and all kindsof chocolate candies.
There was also the biggest, bubbliest bunch of
pink bubble gum thatshehad ever seen.
Mikaknew thatshewould have to sharethis
candy withYuko,SyokoandRyou
orshewould have abig tummyache.



* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * *

Behind the brown door were many,
many huggableanimals.
Mikawanted to hold and squeeze the soft,
cuddly brown teddy bears, as well as
the cats, dogs, monkeys anddinosaurs.
Some of the other animals, like the giraffe, were
taller thanMika.
Others were so small they would fit inherhand.
Ifsheput all theseanimals inherroom,
shemightnot be able to findherbed.
Wow, that would be neat!



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** *

WhenMikaopened the yellow
door,shefound a yellow room
filled with games fit for a king.
Mikasaw pin the tail on the donkey,
a fishingpond, balloons for water fights, jacks,
musical chairs, drop the clothespinin the bottle,
bobbing for yellow apples, hopscotch and ring toss.
Mikaknew exactly which games
shewould play first in the yellow room.



** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Using the shiny silver key,Mikaopened
the silver door and saw colorful streamers
decorating every inch of the tenth room.
Shealsofound everything elsesheneeded for
herbirthday party.
Here were the plates, cups, napkins,forks and spoons.
Forherguests, there were stacksand
stacks of silver whistles, silver bells, horns,
blowers, birthdayhats and other party favors.
Sheknew thatshewas ready forher
birthday partywhenshesaw the squirt guns !



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **

Mikafoundherselfinfront of the last door
that had no key.
Sheleanedagainst the door to peek
through the keyhole and, asshedid,
the door silently opened.
Shelooked
inside.
The rainbow-colored room was
readyfor a birthday party with
something from each of the other ten
rooms, butMikawas puzzled.
Something was missing! How coulda
birthday party be fun if you were all alone?
Shebecame very sad.



* * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * *

Suddenly many voices sang out
''Surprise!'' and''Happy Birthday!" at
the same time.MikaYasima
blinkedhereyes andimmediately
stopped daydreaming.Sheturned around
and sawYuko,SyokoandRyou.
This washerbest birthdaysurprise of all !
Nowsheknew that having familyand
friends was much more important than
all the presents and decorationsor
even the cake. Oh, it was fun to be
6 and have a birthday celebration !



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **

Happy Birthday !Mika Yasima

Where Icelebrated my birthday:
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My favorite gift:
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What I liked most about
this birthday:
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People who were with me to
celebrate mybirthday:
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