Texas Snowman

This week was one of my company's National Conferences so I traveled to Dallas and was away from my family for two nights.  Well, that definitely qualified as an out-of-town business trip, so just like my daddy always did for my sister and me, I always like to bring back a little souvenir for my girls.  So, now it is a tradition and an expectation that mommy has a little something for them when I get home and this trip was no different.  Luckily the hotel I stayed in had a gift shop, so I didn't disappoint.

We all like a lot of things about Texas.  But the single biggest thing my girls miss (besides their friends) is the snow.  They loved sledding, building snowmen, and of course snow days off from school.  Here in Houston, we just don't have snow, so that has been a little sad for them this winter.  Well, I found the perfect gift.  A Texas Snowman snow globe.  It is basically a snowman without the snow (see picture below).  Both girls love snow globes, so I knew it would be a big hit.  And, I was right - they both loved it, especially Hannah.  Once she finally got the joke, she thought it was such a clever idea and spent the whole evening whirling it around.  She even carried it with her into the bathroom when she brushed her teeth before bed.

Well, I went to tuck her in and tell her good night and she hid under her covers.  I thought she was being silly at first and started tickling her and teasing her, until I realized her little red eyes had been crying.  I asked her what was wrong and she said that when she had taken the snow globe into the bathroom and set it on the counter it slid into the sink and broke.  She was obviously devastated.  I hugged her and told her how sorry I was that she didn't have the gift anymore and she said, "Mommy, I do miss the snowman but I was just so afraid to tell you I broke your gift, so that is why I cried."  I asked her why she would be afraid to tell me and she said, "Because you picked out the perfect gift and it came from your heart and I felt like when I broke the snow man I broke your heart."  Talk about a tear-jerker.  My heart swelled with love and pride for my little girl's sweet-natured soul and I told her that instead of breaking my heart she had made my it even happier and that I was so proud of her for being brave and telling me what happened.  These are the precious moments that life are all about.