A Winter Wish Come True
As told by team member Nicole

After a recent snowstorm, Louella asked me to open her blinds so she could see the snow. I turned out her lights and stood with her at her window. She mentioned to me that she wished she could feel snow again. I told her that she could, and I would take her outside to catch snowflakes the next time it snowed.

She didn't think it was possible for her to go outside but I assured her that it was. I can tell you I've never been happier to see it snow than I was last night! I checked the forecast before I left for work and it still said snow, so I packed a jacket, ear muffs, gloves and a scarf for Lou.

I walked into her room before supper when it had started snowing. She looked at me and said, "I get to go out into the snow!" She was so excited she told quite a few people at supper. After she finished eating I bundled her up and took her outside. We stayed outside for several minutes catching snowflakes and taking pictures.

As soon as we got inside she said, "I can't believe you did that!" I said "Did you like it?" and she said, grinning from ear to ear, "I loved it!" She said she loved the snowflakes landing on her nose! As we went back to her room, Lou was smiling the biggest I've ever seen. I would do it over again a million times to see her smile like that. Lou shared "At first I thought we could keep it our secret, but what's the fun in that? I want people to know!"

Later, she called me in her room when Charlie, her husband, was there so we could show him the pictures and share her story. I said goodbye to her at the end of my shift last night and we did our Eskimo kisses that we do every night. She closed her eyes and she was still smiling.