The First Snow

Lily woke up to a bright, sunny winter morning. She jumped out of bed and ran to the window, hoping to see snow covering the yard. But instead of a white winter wonderland, all she saw was the same dull brown grass and bare trees. Lily sighed. She had been waiting all month for the first snowfall, checking the weather report every day. But so far, no snow.

"Morning, sleepyhead!" said Mom, poking her head in Lily's room. "Excited about your birthday party this weekend?"

Lily nodded half-heartedly. She was turning eight in just two days. Her mom had planned a big party with all her friends - they would paint ceramics and have a pizza party and sleepover after. It sounded fun, but all Lily could think about was her birthday wish - snow. The one thing she wanted more than anything.

"Maybe if I wish hard enough, it'll snow for my birthday," said Lily.

"Well, you never know!" said Mom. "Now, let's get some breakfast and then we need to run to the store. We still need to pick up a few things for your party!"

After breakfast, Lily bundled up in her puffy green coat, mittens, hat, and boots. She trudged slowly behind Mom to the car, dragging her feet through the crunchy dead leaves, the cold winter wind nipping at her nose. She looked up hopefully at the steel gray sky, willing it to burst forth with fluffy white flakes. But still nothing.

At the store, Lily moped down each aisle as Mom picked up colored paper plates and napkins, goody bags, and decorations. When they got to the bakery section, her mood suddenly brightened.

"Oooh! Can we get that one?!" Lily squealed, pointing to the white and blue ice castle birthday cake on display.

"Of course, sweetie," said Mom. "It'll look perfect with the Frozen theme!"

They brought the cake up to the register along with all the other party supplies. Mike, Lily's favorite cashier, rang them up.

"Got a big party planned, huh?" he asked Lily with a smile.

"Yup, I'm gonna be eight," said Lily. "And I really, really want it to snow!"

"Well, you're in luck!" said Mike. "I just read that there's a big winter storm heading our way tonight - we're expecting several inches!"

"Really?!" exclaimed Lily joyfully. She leapt in the air, nearly upending the entire display of candy bars.

"It's about time!" laughed Mom. "She's been wishing so hard for snow all month!"

Lily danced around the register while Mike and her mom chatted about the upcoming storm. Finally, arms loaded with bags, they headed back out into the parking lot. Lily noticed that the sky had darkened considerably, even in the short time they had been inside. Big gray snow clouds now hung heavily above. Her heart raced with excitement. Maybe her birthday wish would come true after all!

By the time they got home, tiny white flakes had started spiraling down from the slate gray sky. Lily bolted from the car and spun around, sticking her tongue out to catch the feathery flakes. She squealed as they landed on her face, icy pinpricks of cold.

Over the next few hours, the flurries steadily gained momentum until they whirled heavily around the house. Lily pressed her nose against the living room window, her breath fogging up the glass as she watched the snow begin coating the yard. The brown grass disappeared under a sugary white blanket. The bare trees became frosted with white crystals.

She awoke early the next morning, her birthday! She jumped out of bed again and this time when she ran to the window, she saw exactly what she had been wishing for. Everything was covered in nearly a foot of fluffy white snow! It was like waking up in a winter wonderland!

"It snowed, it snowed!" Lily yelled, bolting down the hallway to tell her mom the good news.

They bundled up again and headed outside. Lily frolicked happily in the yard, scuffing her boots and leaving fresh tracks in the crisp snow. Mom helped her build a giant snowman, complete with stick arms, charcoal eyes and a carrot nose.

When Lily's friends arrived that afternoon, they had a huge snowball fight in teams. Snow flew wildly through the air and giggles echoed down the street. They made snow angels by lying down and sweeping their arms and legs. Lily's angel was perfect, with beautiful wings and a nice round head. She even found some twigs and leaves to decorate it.

After pizza, the girls came back outside with pans of warm water dyed with food coloring. They dripped the colored water carefully into the fresh snow, watching in awe as vibrant bursts of color blossomed through the icy whiteness. They created colorful abstract art and patterns across the whole yard.

As the winter sun began to set, sending brilliant strokes of pink and orange across the sky, the girls headed in for hot cocoa and Lily's birthday cake. They gathered around as her mom lit the candles shaped into a glittery blue "8". Lily closed her eyes tight as her friends sang "Happy Birthday!"

She made a wish - for many more snowy days ahead this winter. Then she took a big breath and blew out all her candles in one try. Her friends whooped and hollered.

That night, bellies full of sweets and hearts warm from friendship, Lily snuggled into her sleeping bag next to her best friends. Her mom kissed her forehead as she turned out the lights.

"Best birthday ever!" Lily whispered into the dark room. She gazed out the window at the gently falling snow, watching the flakes dance under the moonlight. Her eyes grew heavy as she drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face. This was a birthday she would always remember - her first snowy birthday, thanks to a wish that came true.