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Yesterday was T^4 (Three Terrific Things Thursday). I missed it. Again. I'll just blame it on Erica since she missed it too and I tend to use her as my metronome for this.

But I still think it's important. So, a day late, here it is.

1. I'll get to spend the entire month of August with my wife. That alone is a real feat for us lately. But, to make it even better, I get to spend five whole weeks with my wife outside of Texas.

   Three of the Five weeks will be spent in Syracuse. The remaining two weeks will be spent in Canada. I'm even going to get to go visit my mom, my aunt, and my grandma one weekend. And, aside from the days I must spend working, our time will be spent doing things we enjoy, because we enjoy them, with no one else getting in the way. I intend to spend a lot of time taking photographs. And, while in Canada, I may even get to go on an overnight canoeing or camping trip with Mel. Wooo!

   Special thanks to Stacey and Alan and Kristy and Kal for making sure that our kitties stay safe and cared for while we're away.

2. This weekend is my birthday. Sunday to be precise. While I don't particularly care to grow old, any excuse I can use to see my friends is worth it in my book.

   Tonight we're going out to Dinner with Mike. Saturday afternoon, if we don't get rained out, we'll be spending time with friends at a park in Mansfield. Sunday I get to spend time with my family. More than likely I'll spend one or both mornings photographing something somewhere (let me know if you're interested in coming along). Mixed in there somewhere, I'm sure I'll see more of the people I love and care about.

3. I'm so grateful for the small sparks of meaning that come with the conversations I have with friends from time to time. The most recent spark involved the understanding that, sometimes, appearing weak and vulnerable around friends is not the way to strengthen that friendship or get what I want out of it. Sometimes, confidence and a hint of aggression is what is needed.