My husband is from a large family (seventeen kids is large, right?). Each year it is tradition for someone to host a summer gathering and for someone else to host a Christmas gathering. Usually you call dibs for the next year’s gathering while attending one – which is what I did in 1996. “We’ll host all of you in December of 1997!” I eagerly agreed.
And then was blessed to learn that we were expecting our third child, New Years 1998.
To make matters worse, I had some very specific ideas of what my party would be like. There would be turkey, honey baked ham and roast. Scratch mashed potatoes, no bulk buy dinner rolls for my guests. And plenty of seating.
Realizing I would be cleaning and decorating and preparing for overnight guests, cooking and serving and cleaning some more, all less than a month from my due date gave me pause. Could I really pull it off?
It was my oldest sister who made the statement, “Do you think all of your sisters-in-law would let you do all the work when you are that pregnant?” I realized she was right. This would probably be the easiest party I’d ever thrown.
Mid-December rolled around and we hosted 58 people for a ‘sit down’ dinner, though obviously not everyone sat at a table. The meal went off without a hitch and like my sister said, my sisters-in-law were champions in the “You just sit and take it easy - we got this” department. Twenty-two guests spent the night in our house. It was truly a lovely time. My son was born late – January 8th – so in the end there was never really much for me to worry about.

Kai Strand writes fiction for kids and teens. Her debut novel, The Weaver, was a finalist in the 2012 EPIC eBook Awards. She is a (very lucky) wife and the mother of four amazing kids. The most common sound in her household is laughter. The second most common is, "Do your dishes!" She and her family hike, geocache, and canoe in beautiful Central Oregon, where they call home.
To find out more about Kai’s books, download companion documents, find links to her published short stories and discover all the places to find Kai both virtually and in person, visit her website: www.kaistrand.com. She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to send her an email or visit her facebook page, Kai Strand, Author.
5 comments:
WOW! 17 kids?! Seriously?? That wasn't a gathering, it was a convention!! I'm impressed at that memory!
And Sharon, I'm SO blessed to be included in that big, loving family!
Great story kai. A real Hallmark special. Happy Holidays to your gang.
Thanks, Susan.
Hi Kai,
I'm late posting, but a lot happened this week. I can't imagine that much family! We had 26 at our Thanksgiving and that was the largest family gathering for me. What a houseful of blessings.
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