Thinking of Mary

This is my favorite time of year. I decorating my house, baking goodies, and shopping for the "perfect presents" for my loved ones. I especially appreciate the chance I get to think a little more of my Savior and His birth.
For the first time last year, I spent much of my time thinking of Mary. I was 61/2 months pregnant! Getting up and down was a struggle, sitting for three hours in church was unbearable, and having a tiny little baby kicking my blatter every hour in the middle of the night drove me absolutely insane. Then.. I started to think of Mary. I thought of what it would have been like to be pregnant in that time, without all of the modern conveniences that I had. Then, I thought of how she rode on a donkey to Bethlehem. Geese, I complained about driving 30 min the car! I thought of the discouraging it must have been to find no room to stay in and then how uncomfortable it must had been to first of all give birth in a stable among animals, dirt and hay on the ground!!(with no epidural) It was then that I (tried) to stop my complaining. Not only did it humble me, but I was given a new appreciation for Mary and for the sacrifices that she made to bring Christ to this earth. How grateful I am to her for taking on that overwhelming responsibility to raise the Son of God. I'm not sure exactly while Christ was born in such humble circumstances, I'm sure that there is doctrine on it somewhere. But, I think that maybe some of that had to do with the example of sacrifice that Mary could be to her son Christ, so that eventually he would be able to make the ultimate sacrifice.
This Christmas my thoughts have again turned to the sweet mother of Christ as I now have my own son. I wonder what her life was like as she took care of her sweet baby, teaching him and loving him as he grew to a boy and then to man. But, my eyes feel with tears and my heart sadness when I think what it might have been like to her, seeing her son on that cross. Christ sacrificed his life for each and everyone of his. Our Father in Heaven gave his only begotten Son for each of us. I have always had a strong testimony of this. But, I haven't always realized how Mary must have felt. This was her baby, her little boy, her son.
So, this Christmas season I have a renewed love and appreciation for Mary and for the sacrifices she made in her love to bring the Christ Child to the earth and then to watch Him and then to understand that he was to be Resurrected for my sins, for all of our sins!