Disclaimer: All I own is the idea
Summary: I heard the song Mary did you Know and I started thinking about this. What if her baby boy was born a baby girl? How would things have been different?
The labor was unbearable. She was giving birth in a little barn because all the rooms at the inn were booked up.
"Just one more push," her husband said holding her hand, "He's almost out. I can see His head."
She gave one more push and the baby came out. The baby was perfect. Unlike most babies this one was born breathing. There was only one thing that was alarming. The baby was a girl.
"Is something wrong," Mary asked her husband in alarm.
He shook his head.
"Not wrong my dear. It is just… surprising to say the least"
"What is surprising," she asked.
"Well the baby…" he handed the baby to his wife.
"You had best see for yourself," he said
She studied the infant in her arms. The baby was beautiful with eyes of liquid love and hair that could have been spun from the finest silk. The baby didn't make a cry and was actually born smiling. She couldn't see what was a surprise until she looked lower. The baby was by no means a boy. Mary had delivered a beautiful baby girl.
"The baby is a girl," she whispered.
"Now you can see why I was so surprised," he said, "But there is no doubt that She is the one spoken of. Take a look at Her skin. It is like ivory—white as the snow falling on a winter's day"
They both knew that they loved their Daughter as much as they did before they knew that She was a Girl but what should they name her. Her mother kept her warm while Joseph went to the temple and prayed vigilantly until he was given the answer. They were to name their little Daughter Sara Marie.
"I love that name," Mary told her husband when he brought the name to his wife.
Sara was obviously special and there was no doubt of that when she was growing up.
Girls were not allowed to go to school in those days yet Sara was more wise then Solomon. She was loyal as a friend. Whenever a friend of Hers had a need She would rush to help them out. She was able to break things down for people so that they would understand easily. One day she was at the point of exhaustion and Her baby brother was sick so she, at the tender age of 5 years old healed him. They grew up to be best friends. It happened one day that when she was 10 and Joshua was five years old he was on his way home from school when he saw a bunch of bullies picking on Sara.
"HEY," he yelled out in a tiny but large voice, "Don't pick on my sister"
"Who are you to tell us what to do," A boy asked menacingly.
"I'm my sister's brother," Joshua said, "That's who I am and you're not going to pick on my sister or you'll answer to me"
They laughed so hard they wet themselves. They had to let Sara go because they were laughing so hard that they couldn't control themselves.
"We'll get you one day," the oldest of the bullies said.
Sara thanked Her brother and walked him home. Their mother was quite concerned when she heard of the incident. Did it mean the day was soon to be coming?
"The day will be coming one day momma," She said, "But it is not any time soon. There is still much to be done."
That night Joshua's beloved dog died. He was distraught. Sara came up to her brother. She put an arm around him. "What's wrong kiddo," She asked him.
"Daisy went bye-bye," Joshua said in tears.
Sara smiled gently.
"Here," she said, "Give her to me"
Joshua handed the dog to his sister. She stroked her fur and said a prayer over the dog. Daisy began to bark like she never went away. The look on Joshua's face was one of exuberated delight.
"Thank you Sawa," he said.
Sara marveled at Her little brother.
In some ways he was so mature and in other ways he was… well a child. It would have been hard for Joshua. Sara was a lot more advanced then Joshua was and she was Her parent's first child. But Her parents were intelligent enough to know that Sara was special and most children develop a lot less quickly then Sara did. They didn't have unreasonable expectations of Joshua. They praised him when he did what he was supposed to do. He would be lightly scolded when he did something he shouldn't do but it ended there. They never compared him to his Sister. Their mother was now pregnant again. Joshua hoped it was a little boy. Sara didn't care as long as the baby was healthy. Their mother said she didn't care but she was secretly hoping for a girl. Their father also was saying he doesn't care but secretly HE was hoping for another boy. Joshua's birth was easy whereas Sara's birth was hard. Their father did not want their mother suffering.
Elizabeth was born that night. Two and ½ minutes later her younger brother Alexander came out. Sara took both babies in Her arms and blessed them. She whispered "I love you" to the first child and to the second.
"Sawa," Joshua said, "Can I hol' one of them"
"Of course," Sara said handing Elizabeth over to her brother. Joshua saw what Sara was doing and copied her. It was the most precious thing, their parents had seen . Mary looked at her family and was amazed. Each one of her four children were a huge blessing. They were each special in a different way. Joseph squeezed his wife's hand.
"I'm so proud of you," he said, "You did so well"