The First Thanksgiving

Ahh, Thanksgiving ... my 2nd favorite holiday of the year.  From the food and family to the football, I just love every second of it.
Elvis and I got married in 2007 and our parents graciously allowed us to host Thanksgiving that year.  The food was - of course - delicious (Elvis is an outstanding chef!), and everyone was a good sport, but honestly the best way to describe the whole affair was "crowded."  Our 1-bedroom apartment just was not designed to accomodate 7 people comfortably.
So, for the next three years we dutifully went back and forth between my parents' house and my in-laws' house for holidays.  Elvis and I are both very close to our families, so even though it was inconvenient and kind of expensive we'd spend Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Eve with his folks, and then get up early the next morning to make the trip to my parents'. 
Last year when I announced my pregnancy, I also announced that we would be hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas again this year.  No ifs, ands or buts.  No way were we going to subject our baby to all those trips.  As much as we love having 2 days to celebrate our 2 favorite holidays, it was just time for a change.  So, back in September (that's right!  I plan ahead!) I began drawing up plans for how to arrange furniture.  I took "inventory" of all our cookware, serving pieces, and fall decor.  No way was Henry's first Thanksgiving going to be remembered as "the year we had to eat in shifts" or some stupid thing.  Nope.  I rounded up 7 seats and arranged them thoughtfully in the living room.  I thanked God that I had 8 place settings, which meant that we could all eat off our beautiful wedding china.  And then the call came: my grandparents (who ALWAYS go to Houston to spend the holidays with my favorite aunt and her family) will be in town this year, and have no plans.  Aunt Bunny is renovating her kitchen, so there'll be no elaborate Thanksgiving feast this year.  So, it was back to the drawing board.  Now I have to find room for 2 more seats around the table, and - worst of all - I'm ONE place setting short. 
So, even though we may indeed have to eat in shifts, we'll all be together, warm and cozy in our home.  We'll all eat a delicious meal, enjoy some good football, some of us will doze comfortably after eating too much, and - most importantly - Henry will spend his first Thanksgiving surrounded by the 9 people who love him most in all the world.  If that's not something to be thankful for, I just don't know what is.