One of my favorite home videos is our first Thanksgiving in Minnesota.
We had just recently moved into our new house and it was the first time my parents had ever been away from their families for the holiday. This being the case, this was the first Thanksgiving meal my mother had ever cooked on her own. My dad pans the camera out the window to reveal new fallen snow (or maybe old fallen- it was always snowing there). The house is quiet except for the noises of my mom in the kitchen. My dad then zooms in on the time on the microwave clock- very late at night. He continues to scan the house- first my mom at the stove, laughing, and then onto 2 year old me, passed out on the couch. He makes note that Meghan is up in her crib. The 15-minute video is basically my parents laughing at the fact that they have yet to eat their Thanksgiving meal and that I tried hard to stay awake for it but couldn't. My dad, being supportive, encourages my mom's cooking skills in between the laughter. She is 31 at the time.
At 20, eleven years younger than my mom at the time of her first Thanksgiving away from home, I found myself in a just as humorous and enjoyable experience. My little cooking skills were forced full speed ahead, as I somehow managed to cook, from scratch, two apple pies, a turkey, mashed potatos, and stuffing (our guests/other roommates further contributed to the "eclectic" meal). We literally began cooking 24 hours ahead of time, because our small Prague kitchen and lack of dishware would not have made for a smooth Turkey Day preparation if done the day of. This 24-hour prep period quickly became one of my most memorable abroad experiences, as it provided a time of heavy laughter, the singing to various versions of "O Holy Night," added cooking experience, and oh-so-cheesy roommate bonding.
Though not quite nearing midnight, the 25 of us did sit down to eat later than expected- about 8pm. I don't think my smile left my face the entire evening, as I couldn't help but feel proud of what we had accomplished. I love hosting people in my home and watching everyone enjoying themselves made it that much greater. It is so easy to forget the true meaning behind holidays sometimes- buried beneath the commercialism that has built upon and around them. But in our small Prague apartment that night, thousands of miles away from the familiarity of home, and in the company of people who were not-long-ago complete strangers, I was once again reminded of why we give thanks. I was all the more appreciative for what is waiting for me when I return home in a few weeks, and all the more appreciative of what God has allowed me to experience while abroad.
