From the Mountains to the Beach

 Update 6/ 26

In just Twenty Days the actual adventure begins. 

But the process, planning and preparation is 

part of the fun and challenge.

The suitcases are out. 

Crafts and activities 

for 8 2-6 year olds 

and 15 6 -11 year olds 

have been gathered. 

Supplies are being purchased. 

The puzzle of packing within travel luggage limits

 is being put together.

For the ChurchNext Conference in Estes Park:

Karin and I have talked and planned over the phone. 

Two others have joined our preschool team 

and they will be teaching the lessons each morning.  

For the Ethne Conference in Greece:

I have a partner!  

Allison Schuster will help with the 15 grade school children.

 We have the curriculum 

"The Languages of God" 

for this conference and are excited to teach it.

Allison is planning to visit friends 

here in Az in a couple of weeks.

This will give us an opportunity to meet 

and do some planning together.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

God is working and things are coming together by His hands.

Continue to pray 

For all the children to have open hearts to hear what God has for them.

That the activities we have planned will be meaningful, 

a way for the children to express themselves 

and fun things to do as they make new friends.

Thank you for your love and support.

We are not the same

Even after just two weeks, we have changed and grown up.

 I, Andrew, Love to take showers.

 All three of us are doing great at swimming.

 Dad, Can I drive yet?  A fast motorcycle?

 Matching things is very easy for me. I even want my M&Ms to match.

 We share  and play great together.

 Being creative is what we do best

We do crafts, 

make up games,

 teach Nana how to play.

We have grown and changed.

Nana and Papa are excited to see how much we have grown,

and how much we will continue to change. 

They pray for us every day.

Isn't it amazing what little ones bring out in us; 

the qualities we thought we had 

learned or eliminated or kept in control?

Patience, calm, tone of voice, expectations, 

are all tested and stretched and often too far.

                                         

   Oh, that I could be more like Christ,  

always patient and calm, 

never reacting,

 always accepting

 and understanding.

These three little ones are our delight.

They offer lots of love and tenderness,

Laughter,

Fun,

Exploration,

Discovery

May they be my teacher.

OUR ADVENTURES CONTINUE

Is it possible to be so Blessed?

We Wonder.

THE COLLINS' 

ADVENTURES 

continue.

Rick stays on the 

learning curve at 

THIRD PLACE

Feeding, capturing, 

drought, flooding

new babies, new antlers,

and more.

Another trip to

Argentina 

to 'hunt' dove.

More like.... shoot and 

shoot as fast as you can.

As for me, I get to be part of two great opportunities to

work with children whose parents attend CRM Conferences.

One in Estes Park, Co working with preschool children, 

another in Athens, Greece working with grade school children.

 Travis and Christin

enjoying the first year of 

married life.

Christin balancing job and ministry 

Travis intentional about getting 

the community going and growing

with travel from Vancouver to Denver

with new challenges of heading all 

 of NewMinster .

Brad and Kristina

 Nathan and Andrew and Kayla

make a house full of activity, 

growing and changes

and days filled with laughter.

Brad and Kristina 

lead a team to Argentina the first two weeks of June.

Nana and Papa get to play with

Nathan and Andrew and Kayla

Swimming will be a daily event

And there will be lots of fort building, 

car racing, bubbles, balloons 

baking and more.  

SPRING HAPPENS RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES

Four seasons are not always visible or distinct.
In the desert  the changes are subtle, except for spring if there has been sufficient rain. Then dull green prickly cactus and trees display flowers and color, especially yellow with lots of pops of deep pink and soft purple.


At Third Place, it seemed that Spring just happened
right in front of our eyes. Leaving in December the ground was barren and brown. In March there was a
lush green grass everywhere. Not three days later the green was covered with a blanket of yellow.
                             

Robins, by the flocks flew in. They were everywhere pulling worm? from the ground.

One day, just at dusk, spotted through out the yellow and green, was a larger poppy like flower.  It was a one time showing, gone the next day.

A day drive up north to explore more little towns, the famous Blue Bells were just emerging. Their array not yet at its full potential but beautiful. 

Orange took over along the highway. Who spilled the paint bucket? 

The trees were so dry they left questions of  whether they were alive or dead. Then one day every branch looked fuzzy, covered with tiny little leaves.

Looking out over their tops across the meadow the brown was now light green. Within just a few days they were all filled out and thick.

CELEBRATING

Weddings are amazing Celebrations.

Travis and Christin's was one of the most beautiful in our family' story.

Beautiful in design, color, fashion and flowers.

But especially beautiful in the way it expressed them.

Surrounded by family and friends

Celebrating Relationships

Celebrating Them.

Celebrating Love and Life and New Beginnings.

Celebrating the Magic and the Joy.

Little Girls are just special.

Kayla, although follows her older brothers and tries to do

what they do, loves her dolls and her bows and her shoes

She is all girl. She pushes Baby Ema or Baby Alli

around the house in a stroller. Tucks them in their bed

and tenderly cares for them.

God placed a mother's heart inside little girls.