Thankful to Those Around This Table

I was so excited to have the honor of hosting Thanksgiving this year. I love big family gatherings and I got more than a bargain with 15 of us around our dining room table...and three cards tables lined up at end.  The result was a dinner table that stretched from the dining room to the other end of our living room.  It was cozy, but we all fit.

Once table was set and our guests seated, everyone was anxious to dig into the turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and all the other Thanksgiving foods they look forward to enjoying at this annual feast.  But first I asked everyone to say what they were thankful for.  Oliver was one of the first to answer the question.  Because of this picture I had found earlier that week among a pile of artwork he brought home from preschool, I anxiously awaited his answer. 

"I'm thankful for Dad," he began, then paused, but finally finished with, "and Mom."  Whew!  Glad I made the cut!

Soren happened to be next and his answer was the same.  This shouldn't be a surprise since he copies everything Oliver says, but I at least have him officially on the record (with 14 witnesses) as being thankful for good old mom. 

As my turn approached, I looked around the table and saw what I was thankful for looking back at me.  I'm thankful for those who help me take care of my children.  For Marcel, who took a chance on our family and left his home to help us with our kids, for Uncle Andy and "Papa Danielle" who babysit on a moment's notice, for Liula who continues to be a part of our lives even though she's not our nanny anymore, and Grandma Nan and Grandpa Dan who are our back-up childcare and whose three-week commitment to taking care of Oliver and Soren means we aren't going to be schlepping them with us to China.