Pregnant During Advent

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I discovered Advent is a special time for pregnant women when two of my pregnancies were during this season. I really did identify with the pregnant Mary. For one thing I was relieved I did not go to the hospital, huge, uncomfortable and ready to deliver on the back of a donkey! I try to be grateful for big mercies. One Advent baby was born on Christmas Eve and the second, my youngest child, on Jan. 7, still in the Christmas season.
We had just moved to our new farm with a larger house since I was expecting our ninth child. The oldest children attended a small Catholic school with 10 grades from junior kindergarten to grade 8.
One day in December, the  priest led an Advent reflection in the gym and asked the children,
“Who is waiting for  the birth of a new brother or sister this Advent?”
Five hands went up.
“Oh, my isn’t this wonderful”, the priest exclaimed, “So many of you are joining in with Mary, waiting for the birth of a baby!”
Then a voice yelled out, “No Father, those are all Juneau kids with their hands raised!”
 Mary must have experience what all mothers experience the moment Jesus was born, but I imagine her joy was even more profound as all the 
angels rejoiced around them. continue

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