snowing

it's been snowing and icing all morning. being that i normally dress like an eskimo or a villager from mongolia, i dig this weather. i do afterall look good in furry hats and i prefer wearing boots instead of heels.

the windows in my office have been all coated white from frost. delicate, lacey snow flakes have blanketed my view. it is so pretty and as i sit and gaze out my window, i find myself just watching the snow fall. totally not being productive.

i remember when my cousins immigrated here from 'nam. they were young. probably around 2 years old or so. i remember being all excited to meet them as we drove to the airport to pick them up. being in america was all shiny and new to them. they quickly adjusted, but some things remained completely foreign to them.

their first winter here was one of my favorite memories.

it was december and it was the first snowfall. we all woke up to a sheet of pure white covering the yard, cars, the trees had icicles, the windows opaque with condensation. there were some footprints from dogs walking by, passerbys.

my parents were downstairs making hot jasmine tea with kumquats. i remember waking up to the sweet smell and then retracting my feet back into my warm blanket as i touched the cold floor to get up.

i put on my slippers and i was going to go wake my little cousins. but i could hear them. they were not yelling. no high pitch screams that toddlers can be prone to doing. instead as i walked downstairs and entered the living room, our front door was wide open. the cold air gust blowing into our little house. i was about to yell and ask what was going on. my thought was cut short. i see my two little cousins in their pajamas in the doorway. they are looking outside at the snow. their dark almond eyes wide with amazement. i was confused. were they pointing at something? a fox? a mormon soliciting door to door? cujo? what?

slowly, i approached my two cousins. both still pointing and their eyes wide, the brows furrowed in deep thought.

they hear my footsteps and look at me and whisper, "chi, in america. sugar falls."

i laughed.

my cousins jump up and down and yelp, "sugar! look at the sugar!"

my little cousins were so precious. they couldn't believe that in america, sugar falls from the skies.

then they ran out to eat some.

their barefeet cold.

their eyes wide from surprise as they picked up the cold "sugar."

not sugar, but one of the "sweetest" memories of winter that i have.