So, the very best thing about my husband, other than the 100 incredible things about him,  is his family. The Kiker clan is far flung, widely read, wildly successful and very close. In an admirable move that every family in the world should follow, they reserve the week of Thanksgiving every year for a clan gathering, and it became my favorite week of the year the very first week I went to it. Future posts will be about specific members of the family, but this one is a general thank you to the whole mass that make up a loving, gentle and wonderful highlight of my every year since 2007 (with the one exception of 2011, when Eleanor was born on Nov. 23, a bit too close to Thanksgiving to travel …).

Speaking of that very first time, way back in 2007 … well, I was five months pregnant, and Jason and I were getting married and buying a house the week after Thanksgiving, on Dec. 8. In one of life’s wonderful twists, Jason had spent the previous Thanksgiving, as a 36 year old, telling everyone near and far that he would ‘never get married and never have children.’

This is just Clyde and Suzanne and their offspring … before Jason and I had any of our three and before Greg and Mindy had their last one. Additionally, Clyde is one of five kids, all of whose families still participate in one way or another …

Oh how his cousins, brothers and aunts teased him! His parents were too happy with our meeting and falling in love to tease, but they did allow as to how life takes its unexpected turns …

My mom had just been widowed, and having lost her beloved Lou she agreed to join me on my first Kiker Thanksgiving. It was in Fla., and we spent much of the time huddled in the community center near where we had rented a house, trying to get an internet connection and negotiating mortgage rates and move-in dates.

The hostess of the year, David and Gayle, Jason’s cousins, were the hosts. There were probably 60 people there, and Jason and I made rolls and my mom and I made our beloved hominy and cheese. Those were two drops in a positive ocean of food, love and fellowship served on Thanksgiving day.

In addition to the day of, Suzanne bought me all of my favorite toiletries to have in the rental house, Jason’s family hosted a joint baby and wedding shower and gave us tons of gifts, and every single person was warm, kind and funny. It was the world’s best vacation, complete with walks on the beach and a bouncy house on Thanksgiving Day.

The love my husband showers on me and our children every day is distilled and amplified during the week of Thanksgiving, whether it is in Florida, Connecticut, North Carolina or some point in between. I am so grateful for the Kikers and their tender embrace — thank you for being such a wonderful, real, family.