{gratitude}

It began with the idea of something bigger.  With no clear vision other than less being more. Less in the sense of fancy frills and big buying.  More in the sense of together and time spent. We wanted memories.  A whole string of them to wrap around our hearts.  Year worthy with captures that remind us of why we're all in this big ole world.

For it's not for the big bucks and the traveling.  Our lives aren't counted for credit with the money in our bank accounts or the titles behind our names. Our breathes, in & out, are for sharing.

Those breathes can't be bought.  They can't be returned or exchanged for something more grandiose. These breathes are what we call our time here.  From start to finish. And starting something?  Well, it's the very best way to know you'll finish.  Thus, Cobble Gobble was born.

Our purpose was to bring together the people we love.  And this year marks the 12th time Kenny and I have opened our home to homemade dishes & the humans we call ours.  For teamwork. For together. This world is meant for touch.  For connecting and reminding one another that life is really about those moments we string.

The construction paper leaf tags with Sharpie penned names are the very ones from the first Cobble Gobble twelve years ago.  Each year, they're doctored and re-strung.

Time.It moves us.  Faster than we wish.  Slower, we cry out for time to heal.  To slow down and settle.  And this day in our family is our little way of pausing the clock for just a bit only so we can gather up goodness to help us in this big life race.

It's a time for hugs.  Long ones that lift.  For kisses on cheeks and chiming in of silly too.  It's for play.  And indulging.  Not just in the delicious found there on our plates, but in the endearing our hearts long to do.

Doctored and re-strung.  Yes, very.  Less leaves us with more.  It wraps us with memories that move our hearts not just to remember, but to remind us all a little more not to neglect.

For life is meant for together.  For letting out the love that withholds us.  For sharing and sending it back with the ones we see each year.  Because each year together is one more memory strung.

It's worthy of less.

And wraps us all with more.

Gratitude.Doctored & re-strung. These breathes are meant for sharing.  And this big ole world is better because we do.

From our family to yours, Happy Cobble Gobble! We wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving.

An Instagram invitation for you. For these 6 remaining November days, I am having a #thanksliving celebration. How do you participate? Simply capture an image that reminds you of gratefulness, tell about it and then hashtag it with #novembervignette It is my hope to pile up a wonderful collection of good & gratitude as we settle into these last days of this month.