My cousin got engaged the weekend we arrived home for the Thanksgiving visit. When Meg and my little sister heard, they went out to the store and bought multiple wedding magazines. At Thanksgiving the girls sat around the table and passed the magazines around. Each person picking out their dream wedding—even though I like to think Meg already had hers… At first it was the “kids”, but soon my mom and the aunts and eventually even Granny joined. Everyone interested to hear what Jamie was going to have in her wedding…

I imagine this is how Mary must have felt, dreaming with her mom. Of course there were no magazines, but every girl has an imagination (Plus they were not planning for a few hours, but the Jewish celebration lasted a week!). Then the Angel arrived, “Do not be afraid…” or “Stop planning that Big wedding…”