Beautiful October

There's no doubt this is my favorite month of the year. The picture above was a shot I took last fall on the Connecticut River that divides Vermont and New Hampshire. Last fall, I was pretty sure I'd be spending a lot of time on that river, with my son going off to college there.

But, things have a way of changing.

The Connecticut River, along with a lot of the rest of Vermont, looks a lot different now, after some of the most severe flooding in the state's history. Today, I'm not sure I'd be able to find the same riverbank I took the picture of.

And, my son's direction has changed too.

A few months after this picture was taken, he came home and entered one of the most difficult years of his life. Pain, illness and healing have taken up the last 12 months for him. It has been a test of sorts. For all of us.

But, this Sunday, he will start a new adventure when he leaves again for another school, this time, much closer to home.

Beautiful October is full of surprises for our family. I wonder where the road leads next?