(This fictional Advent story begins on post dated Nov. 28)
In the morning Joseph greeted Mary with a smile. "How are you feeling?" Joseph inquired.
"Much better than last night. I was so tired yesterday. I'm glad I turned in early last night. I hope I did not appear rude to your friends."
"Of course you didn't. In fact Simon and his wife were very surprised that you have been able to travel for so many days. Simon says Joanna goes to bed early every night and she is not as far along as you. Come, they have prepared a breakfast for us before we leave."
Mary and Joseph enjoyed the simple breakfast prepared for them. Simon was obviously a very good friend to Joseph. Mary enjoyed listening to the two men talk. Mary only knew of Joseph's acquaintances in Nazareth, she realized that there was so much more to discover about her husband. That thought alone made her smile. As Mary looked at Joseph during the conversation, she again thought about them becoming a family very soon. It was hard not to think about that. Mary wondered if their life would remain relatively the same or if things would be completely different.
Simon walked outside with Joseph and Mary to say good bye. "I will miss you my friend. Please stop by on your way back home if you are able. Just think, next year when we celebrate Passover, we will all be parents. I look forward to our children playing with each other." Simon smiled proudly. "Mary, please know that you are family to me. You are always welcome to stay here. If the trip home is too much, you could stay with us until the child is born."
Mary smiled and said, "Thank you, Simon, for your kindness. I am grateful that Joseph is blessed with your friendship. I too, look forward to our children playing together one day, and I will pray that the Lord will send many blessings upon your family."
Joseph was in a very good mood as they began their journey towards Jerusalem. It was good to see Simon again, and Mary was looking much better after a night of rest. He hoped today would not be as difficult for Mary. Joseph noticed that there were definitely more travelers on the road as they got closer to Jerusalem, and most were traveling at a faster rate. He did his best to distract Mary with stories about his childhood in Bethlehem, but it was obvious that Mary's back was hurting again and she was growing tired.
As they went through the gates to Jerusalem, they were instantly overwhelmed with the sights and sounds of a bustling city. Even though Joseph knew the city well, it was difficult to maneuver the streets crowded with people. Joseph remembered Simon's warnings of thieves and chose a path that was not as direct, but somewhat less crowded. He had hoped they would be able to sit and rest awhile once they got to Jerusalem, but he no longer felt this was a wise decision. They made a small stop to buy some bread and fruit and decided to continue until they were through the city. They found a quieter spot just outside Jerusalem to eat lunch and allow Mary some time to relax her aching back. As she went to stand up, she had a strange tightness travel from her back to her abdomen. Joseph noticed Mary place her hands on her stomach.
His eyes grew wide, "Is everything alright?"
