It's 1947. Teresita is 17 years old. During summer, the whole family goes to Fuenterrabia, in the north of Spain, to spend the holidays at the seaside on a stretch of coastline not far from the French border. Teresita felt quite at home in that village: she loved to go out fishing squids with the fishermen, playing tennis, taking part in the traditional basque dances in the village square.

Yet she did not neglect her concern for others. She took active part in the jumble sales for the missions, going to the various shops in order to get all her requirements.

Obviously she attracted the boys all drawn by her beauty, her joy and her elegant dresses. They used to laugh joke and sing all together, still many of them admitted they could not go beyond healthy friendship with her, because they saw in Teresita something undefinable commanding respect; perhaps they sensed that her dreams went beyond all those a girl of her age usually dreams of .. or wishes for..

As a matter of fact, Maria Teresa had finally made up her mind to take the great step of entering the Novitiate of the Carmelites of Charity. It was a decision nobody was yet aware of: it would take many unawares.

Summer ended: school year stated again. At the end of October, something extraordinary happened: she took part in the "Missionary Youth Meeting" organized by the Carmelites at Tarragona.

About 400 young people came to this town from all over Spain: the Madrid group was led by Maria Teresa herself. Hers turned out to be as usual an active and enthusiastic participation. The topic of the Tarragona meeting was the "China Missions". Teresita already sensitive to such topics, was won over by the missionary ideal so much, that it became one of the main reasons which made her chose religious life - the dream of taking part personally in the work of the missions.

Meanwhile she had already "adopted at distance" a boy from the missions by sending him some help for his education.

During her novitiate explicitly she would express her desire : "It is obvious, it is very clear my vocation is to be a missionary". But as it happened to St.Therese of Lisieux - who was ready to leave France to go to Vietnam and live as a Carmelite there - sickness prevented her from making her dream come true at least on earth.

Maria Teresa at the age of eighteen.

On November 21st, 1947, she decided to communicate her decision to her aunt, Sister Carmel, living in the Novitiate at Carabanchel. The aunt realized that her niece was serious about it. still she tried to make her think more deeply about it:
- "You are too young!" - she told her - "You should wait at least till you are twenty, like aunt Irene and I did..."
- "Aunty, I am afraid you don't understand me - Teresita answered - I have really made up my mind. I have been thinking about it for long time... Father Muzquiz also is of the same mind. It up to me to announce it to my family, in the best way I can: Agreed?"

Father Muzquiz advised her - As Teresita had a special devotion to Our Lady, Father Muzquiz suggested she announce her decision to the family on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th. But on this too Teresita had her own well defined plan: she chose to give the news only after the Epiphany, thus showing a great sensibility, so that the Christmas season could be spent peacefully.

On December 20th, the school girls met in the Chapel to pray together before leaving for the Christmas holidays. It was here, a schoolmate of hers, Adelaide Munoz, noticed Teresita's silent tears... Teresita obviously was feeling already the heavy burden of the coming separation from her family, from her friends and from her schoolmates... But it was just for a moment: very soon, plucking up her courage, she was again her normal cheerful self.

A few days later, on Christmas Eve, she wrote one her last "naughty" letters to her friend Marisa: speaking about the new car her father had bought: "It is very nice, light-green with lots of lovely gadgets and air conditioned: only the radio is missing..." She also related how she attended a party: "Maruja Parrella - (you know her) yesterday gave a party for her 18th birthday: They allowed me to go, even though it ended at half past two in the morning... I had a really good time: We dressed up like adults: I was wearing a long dark velvet gown... and the most amusing thing: I wore high-heeled shoes!!!

But at the end of the letter she added "Please pray for my intentions, I'll be very grateful to you". Her friend did not know yet what Teresita was referring to, neither could she have guessed it, by the carefree tone of her letter...

We are now at the end of the Christmas season, January 8th. As decided, Teresita gave her father the "big news"... her father understood... he knew his daughter, he knew that if she had decided to take this step, it was because she was quite sure about it. still he tried to make her reflect a little more about it.

- "Teresita darling, do you realize what you are doing? You are surely a lively girl: you are so keen on parties..."
- "Such things don't satisfy me at all, daddy"
- "Do you realize that as a religious you will have to live a life of great sacrifice".
- "I know, daddy, but that's exactly what I am looking for".

She also told her father the date she had chosen to enter the Novitiate on February 23rd... Her father was a little taken aback and when he asked the reason for this particular date, Teresita answered in a simple way, opening the fingers of her hands... "Because look here, daddy: two and three make five... MARIA."

Obviously the news immediately spread among parents, friends and school-mates; it was a great surprise for everybody. Opinions were different of course; some said it was the fervour of a young girl, others regretted that a girl so beautiful so smart and so intelligent as Maria Teresa should enter a convent, thus renouncing a future which would have definitely been very bright.
Some went beyond surprise; they reflected and thought about it... they said she certainly would be an excellent nun...

February 23rd is approaching. Teresita had always been fond of snow, which usually falls in Madrid during winter. Both the vast East Square and the school court-yard were the ideal places where to play at throwing snow balls; Teresita, escaping vigilance, used to lay down over a blanket of snow to the amusement of all the by-standers.

The wish of snow for February 23rd... [Amelia Ippolito]

THE DAY was approaching! Her friend Consuelo rang her up: "Are you happy?"
- "Happy you say? I am very happy!! Of course, I tell you, Consuelo, It would be a happier day if Our Lady would grant me a little wish".
- "Which one? which one? Tell me."
- "That on February 23rd it may snow!! I wish everything to be snow-white on that day."

This wish resembles the one expressed in France long before by Therese of Lisieux for the day of her religious profession. Like Therese of Lisieux, Teresita Gonzalez-Quevedo obtained her wish.

The day before her departure on February 22nd, her friend Amparo greeted her and greatly admired the very refined dress Teresita was wearing... She seemed surprised at such an elegance. Teresita understood and smiled... "You know, Amparin, I like wearing elegant clothes... but as soon as I enter the novitiate, all this will be over! I want to be a saint, you know, not just a mediocre lump!"

Later on, Consuelo rang her up; "Tere, I called you again to wish you 'good bye'" - "Adios, Consola! See what a beautiful night. There might be nothing of what I wished... So, no snow after all!

As for Therese of Lisieux so also on this occasion, the unforeseeable happened. During the night there was a heavy snow fall covering the whole town in white. On the morning of February 23rd Teresita was very happy and thanked God for that delicate touch of His in her regard. Was it pure coincidence? Well, it was her day! The fact is that everything was completely snow-white as she had wished...

Teresita had still another trick up her sleeves: to spare the mother the last pain of separation, she persuaded her father and brother Luis to hurry up with her to the Novitiate of Carabanchel, after staging an 'artificial' delay, leaving her mother to wait for her to go to mass!

The Mother Superior - Sister Maria Teresa Rodrigues - welcomed her to the novitiate and without knowing of Teresita's wish, she said; "I wonder whether Teresita has asked God for snow as St.Therese of the Child Jesus did." Teresita just replied: "I really love snow..."