We ended early today. It’s been a long week and we’re all tired and drained, and yet noone has lost their sense of humor. It’s a great bunch of people they have here. These are people who have been pulled in from all around the world, who have been flying to different spots around the country since early January, and have weeks more to go before they can finally be home again. They’ve been tasked with the rather weighty job of figuring out how to turn this piece of rather complicated software into a package that works perfectly with their systems….and in the meantime they are making business decisions, trying to streamline their processes, and all with very little knowledge of the product or how it works.

It’s snowing outside, too. When I looked up through the window, all I saw are trees and snow – gently falling snow. Oh, it’s supposed to get much, much worse – they’re predicting a storm that might shut down the airports tonight. But in the meantime it’s beautiful. I miss snow. I miss watching it fall through windows. I miss walking across snow and listening to it crunch under my boots. I miss waking up in the morning after a snowfall and looking outside to that perfect, brilliant white carpet, and the utterly amazing silence that seems to accompany newly fallen snow. Christmas just isn’t the same when it’s not white. Winter is never quite winter when you don’t see snowmen in front yards, or kids in snowsuits with hoods pulled tight and mittens dangling from cords strung through their sleeves.

On the way to the car it was like we were all back in elementary school. It’s been too many years since I’ve been outside in snow like that. Four of us stomped around, heads upturned, snowflakes dusting our hair and faces. We were giggling as we brushed off the windows and lights on the car. We didn’t stop grinning the whole ride to the hotel, peering out the windows, oohing. We decided tomorrow if it’s not too bad we might get together – those of us who will still be in town – and build a snowman. Or something. There’s no way we can pass up on this chance.

Maybe it seems silly to those of you who get to live in snow. But there’s something so magical about snow when you never get that chance. I keep looking out the window. It’s beautiful out there. Simply beautiful.

If only I had thought to bring some gloves with me…