To help with the thaw, you may want to set it on the counter for the first two hours or so and THEN put it in the fridge. It gets the thaw going but there is no danger of it getting too warm and causing food poisoning. I've tried thawing large items by going staight into the fridge vs. getting it going on the counter first, and putting it on the counter for one or two hours made a huge difference in thaw time.
Also if you keep your fridge on the lowest setting, you may want to bump the thermostat up a bit. Due to weight/size issues most people have to put things on the bottom shelf, the coldest part of the fridge. If it's too cold, it could take way more time to thaw than what you have to work with. Obviously keep your fridge at a safe temp, but you may want to make it a bit warmer than usual.
Right now, start going over your dishes, do you have enough plates, silverware, stemware, etc? Do you have enough serving bowls and serving spoons. Gravy boat(s)? Trivets? Do you want to order a centerpiece (or if you're crafty, make one). If you want to have candles on the table, do you HAVE candles/candle holders? Do you have enough chairs? Tablecloth and napikins, do you have enough? Do they need to be ironed? Do you need to make space in the front closet for coats? Do you have enough kleenex, paper towels, toilet paper? Do you need a cork screw/bottle opener/can opener. Do you have coolers for drinks? Do you need to make/buy ice for the coolers? Do the coolers need to be washed out? And DON'T assume on any of this stuff, go and check to make sure you know where everything is located at AND that it is in working order. Especially if it's something you don't use much and is "put away somewhere". You want time to find things that are lost, repair or replace things that you didn't know where broken, and clean things out that need cleaning out.
Also, decide if you want your guests to bring any side dishes and if so, who gets to bring what. If you plan on sending leftovers home with people, stock up on disposable plastic containers.
Plan your menu (keep in mind any food aversions or allergies of your guests - count on at least one person not liking pumpkin so make sure to have a non-pumpkin desert) and and start making up a shoping list. When you're menu is set, start wit the time you want to serve your meal and start working backwards to figure when things need to go in the oven, and from there when you need to start putting ingrediants together. Look at what temp things need to cook at and decide what temp to use if there are different cooking temps for different dishes, and adjust cooking time accordingly. Then print off a time table for T-day, you can use it as a check list to make sure you didn't forget to do anything. You may not follow it exactly, but it's a good outline.
The weekend before, do a big clean of your house, that way all you need to do is light cleaning/picking up the night before.
The day or two before, go over you menu and double check your fridge/pantry to make sure you have all ingrediants. Go online and findout which grocery store (if any) will be open T-day morning, just in case.
The day before, do as much food prep as you can. Chop all veggies that can be choped, toast your bread for dressing/stuffing, bake your pies, I even pre-messure things like butter so I can just plop the right amount in as needed the next day. Also if you need to, get the folding chairs out, put the leaves in the table (or set up a folding table. or both!). Make sure the table linens are washed/pressed, make sure you have enough clean kitchen towels. Some people like to set the table the day before. I don't care to for some reason, beside it gives me something to give guests to do to "help" when they ask if they can help me with anything. In my family at least, when we ask our hosts if we can help, we really want to and feel bad if we can't pitch in! So I leave that little chore for them.
Really organization is the key. And the more you can do ahead of time, the less you have to do the day of.
Are you having people bring anything? If so, be pretty specific what you need-tell them a "pumpkin pie", not just a dessert, etc.
it's up to ME to host Thanksgiving, my FIRST too!! 
And I'm 54!!!
