Ever since we moved back to Georgia in 2003, my mom has had a dream of having the big holiday dinners at her house. After I graduated from high school and moved out, my parents moved into a tiny townhouse that was cramped with even just the two of them and their two cats. Having 12 people gathering for a huge Thanksgiving dinner would’ve been impossible. This summer, they finally moved out of that tiny suburban townhouse and into their forever home in the country. It took all these years, but my mom finally got to have her big Thanksgiving dinner with all three of her children (plus spouses), her two grandsons, and her granddaughter and grandson-in-law. Though it was the first time in years that we were all able to be together like that, it felt like a well oiled machine. My brother made sure we all stayed up to date on the Detroit Lions game. We all cooked together, my sister even using the same colander our mother has had since my siblings were little.

It was definitely a full house and certainly exhausting, but I know it was a dream come true for her. And if I’m being perfectly honest, it was for me too.