I took over one thousand photos while Mike and I were on vacation. I picked these photos to share as I think they show our sense of adventure and trying new things, we are relaxed and enjoying each other’s company. The last photo shown I took as we headed through the beautiful fall foliage of Vermont and New York. I like the photo as you can’t really tell where the road will lead. We definitely took the road less traveled as we were the only car on the road for many miles. 

The fifth photo I took on the footbridge in Ogunquit Maine. Mike was game and ventured up on the bridge with me. This trip had the potential to bring much stress as it was a little outside of Mike’s comfort zone. But he handled it like a champ. We met my family in Maine and enjoyed two days with them. Mike and I stayed an extra day in Maine. We went to Freeport and visited LL Bean. Mike loved the history displays at bean as well as buying some slippers for himself for the winter. It was great to see Mike enjoying himself and spending money on himself too. He does not do that often. The third photo is Mike at a restaurant we found in Freeport.  

The second and third photos are special to me. My family, Mike and me walked down a portion of the Marginal Way and sat on the benches just watching the ocean. The waves crashed against the rocks and we could hear the smaller rocks get tumbled together as the waves went back out to sea. We sat there for about half an hour. 

The photo of the bench I took as a tribute to my Dad. He introduced our family to Ogunquit over thirty years ago. My dad was not able to walk far with some health issues but he was always able to make it to these benches. I miss him and so wish he could have met Mike. My brother in law shared some stories about my dad with Mike. 

The first photo  is Mike with Red at Jon and Maria’s. Mike at times has some social anxiety but you would hardly know it based upon this trip. It gave me much hope and to see the change in Mike over the past eighteen months has been amazing. We both have changed for better. With Mike I am finally free to be myself.