Our First Thanksgiving

So Violet's first Thanksgiving was a bit of a bust. Poor girl has been so sick for the last several days. She didn't even make it to the table on Thursday. And maybe it was because of this that I felt this year's holiday was a bit... off.

 Pretty much sums up Violet's Thanksgiving.

Don't get me wrong, we had a lovely day. It's just that, my idea of Thanksgiving has always involved getting to enjoy the feast without worrying about how it got to the table. Someone else has always cooked the bird, someone else has always decorated the table. We show up, heap compliments on the chef, enjoy the bounty, take a lazy walk, watch football drowsily in front of the tv before rousing ourselves to plate up turkey sandwiches.

 Our salt and pepper family, together for the holidays! (The mom and dad are mine, the kids belong to my mom, they reunite every year.)

This year, Matt and I wanted to host. After all, we are a new family, we have this house, it's about time we let the others just show up and enjoy. And I loved that both our families made the trip up and gathered around our table, complimented Matt's turkey, took the traditional walk. But when you've seen the entire process through from start to finish, a little bit of the magic wears off. You have to handle the raw, rubbery turkey before it gets to its golden perfection. You have to swipe off the layers of dust that have gathered on the shelves, dig through closets to find those linen napkins and napkins rings never used although you've owned them since your wedding. You stress about tablescapes. You see the imperfections that no one else will notice, but you will. By the time you get the house clean, the table set, the dishes organized, the food ready, you're almost too tired to even enjoy it. And there's always the danger that the real reason for the entire production, the opportunity to stop and give thanks, will slip by like the overlooked bowl of cranberries that were bought with such good intentions but never managed to make it to the table.

On top of that, Violet has been sick all week. All. Week. My visions of being super productive and getting all these things done and enjoying my week off from work have been in shambles since Monday afternoon. And even then, I thought for sure she'd be better for her first Thanksgiving. But no dice. We've been to the doctor twice, endured nebulizer breathing treatments, and haven't had a full night's sleep all week (and when I say we, I mean everyone in the family). I've turned into a human kleenex for all Violet's snot and tears.

Still, we managed to make yesterday a nice day. Matt's first turkey turned out fabulous, despite stressing over when to put it in the oven, when it take it out, worrying it wouldn't get done on time and then worrying it would finish cooking too soon. We managed to find room in the oven for everything. Everyone brought their showcase dishes, from my mom's famous sweet potato casserole to my mother-in-law's corn pudding. I debuted my new two dollar (Target clearance) gravy boat, which received numerous compliments, of which I'm fairy certain sixty percent were sincere. The weather was perfect for our stroll around the neighborhood with Violet. More importantly, we got to enjoy time together as a family. All in all, I'd chalk it up as a success, and would even consider hosting again. Provided my child isn't sick this time!

Scenes from around the table:

 My father-in-law and cousin-in-law, obviously overwhelmed at the beauty of my two dollar gravy boat.

 I had Matt lean back so I could get the festive fall leaves in the background, but the effect somehow didn't translate the way I thought it would. Sorry!

 My parents and me.

Once everyone left, Violet took an exhausted two-hour nap, during which we snuck in a breathing treatment. She woke up in a better mood and even got her first taste of Thanksgiving, my mom's homemade sweet potato casserole. Then she surprised both of us by sleeping in her bed the whole night long, only coughing a few times. I think (dare I say it) she might finally be on the upswing.

And she's done. Ending the day the same way she started.

But despite all the drama, I'm still thankful. I'm grateful we had the opportunity to open our home, after so many years of being welcomed in others. It's nice to give back. I'm so glad our families live close enough that we can all gather together; I'm glad my parents and Matt's parents are friends and can share the day with us (because eating two turkey dinners in one day just isn't that appealing anymore). I am thankful for the opportunity to take on so many different roles in my life, from wife and hostess to mom. Each comes with its own challenge, but each pushes me to be a better person. And now that I think about it... maybe this Thanksgiving wasn't as off as I thought it was!