Our First Thanksgiving

Though it is not the first Thanksgiving my husband, Brandon, and I have spent together; it is officially our first holiday season as Mr. & Mrs. This was a strange realization for me because Brandon and I got married right after the holidays earlier this year. This year will be a bit different for reasons all newlyweds can relate to. It is the time for the big question that follows the "I do"s... Who's family do we spend Thanksgiving with? For many couples this can be a knock-down, drag out, hissy fit throwing, full-blown battle of the stubbornness.

I was completely prepared for this bloodbath when Brandon poked his head into the bedroom one morning and asked me if I would consider making the 500 mile drive to Boone, North Carolina with his parents and little sister to spend Thanksgiving at his grandparents' house. This was not an unreasonable request of me considering that Brandon's family is "Leave it to Beaver" compared to mine.

Now, don't get me wrong, I have an immensely loving supportive family, but we're a little spread out. My parents are no longer together and of the 4 of us that live in the state of Maryland, we all live in different houses. My younger brother, Jon, spends Thanksgiving with his friend, whose mother is apparently the queen of cooking for an army of twenty-something guys. My father spends Thanksgiving with friends from his church, and my mother spent last Thanksgiving with Brandon and me at my soon-to-be-in-laws' house.

So with the idea of abandoning my mother to run off with my husband to the mountains with his family, leaving Mom at home with a frozen South Beach dinner and her remote, I was gearing up for battle. "How could he ask me to leave my poor mother at home by herself on Thanksgiving?", I thought to myself.

But, to my extremely relieved surprise, only a minimal altercation ensued. I agreed to talk it over with my mother before I agreed to the proposed arrangement. This was not exactly how Brandon wanted the conversation to end; he was hoping for a simple "yeah sure" and let's move on (as are all men, yes?). Anyway, so with a little huffing and puffing on both sides he agreed to let me think about it.

Turned out, Mom was totally cool with the idea of sitting at home with a frozen South Beach dinner and her remote on this, the ultimate gluttonous holiday. (You see, my mother is the so completely adaptive, she's a really awesome lady) So ultimately everything worked out for all parties involved with no bloodshed!

Now I just have to figure out how to survive the weekend with the in-laws...

So, now, after being a wife for nearly a year; it is time for me, in the spirit of the season, to reflect on what I am most thankful for this past year.

Of course I'm thankful for my husband. The man has stood by me against all odds and held my hand through that incredibly challenging first year. I love him more every single day and though sometimes he drives me absolutely insane, I have him to thank for many of the wonderful things in my life and the person I am today.

I'm thankful for my mom. Our relationship has seen harder times than most and she's my best friend and my role model.

I'm thankful for my brother, who teaches me patience, kindness, sensitivity, and what it's like to not worry about what other people think and just HAVE FUN!

I'm thankful for the home that I have created with Brandon and that it really feels like home.

I am thankful for my health... enough said.

I am thankful for my dog, Max, who has more personality than most people and is always there when I need someone to talk to who won't say a word.

I am thankful for my warm bed that, when I curl up at night under my down comforter, makes me realize how much the small pleasures really matter

I am thankful that there is good in this world if you just take the time to look for it. It's not all violence and tragedy.

And finally, I am thankful that God loves me and that He gave me this wonderful life that I have the privilege to write about.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!! And don't forget to stop and really be thankful.