Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

This is such a cool place and I would love to go back here some day as there are many other aspects of this National Park to explore at higher elevations. Even the part of the park we experienced is varied depending on the time of year you visit. I read that in August, the dunes are ablaze in yellow as sunflowers bloom in areas due to later summer rains...in early spring, there is a creek to play in that has since dried up...but we did see evidence of it-pieces of wood and rocks were obviously carried by the creek current. There are even certain insects perfectly adapted to the unusual climate changes there which exist no where else...Very cool!!

The view from the distance...until you are up close, it is impossible to realize how huge these dunes are! Actuaslly, they are the largest in North America :)

Our Liberian girls getting their heads ready to be around sand!! It is quite the challenge to get sand out of their 'do's'!

Click on this picture...Grace is in the foreground and the others are progressively on their way up the dune!

Another shot...this is of Philip,Odesco, and Mercy when they made it to the top.

You'll want to click on this one to enlarge it too...it gives some perspective to the size of these mounds!

The view on one of the ridges as we ascended~

Daddy and Jim coaching (and hydrating!) two weary climbers!

My view just feet from the 'summit'...you can see the how the wind whips the sand around? This is when I was stopping every few yards to empty my shoes of burning hot sand with hopes of getting to the top :) The others(Jenkins, Jim,Grace, Mark, Curtis, and Luke were just over the top and out of view on a ridge, taking in the panoramic view). Soon after I snapped this photo, my hubby came to rescue me and helped me make it up:)

Sweet victory after the fun run down!

As we were walking back to our vans, the clouds made this cool design on the sand~

Living large ...a hotel and real food at 10p.m.!!

The 'girl' room...SLUMBER PARTY!!!

I have been trying unsuccessfully to post a picture of Odesco and Jenkins sound asleep on the pullout sofa at the hotel. I snapped it because sometimes it just hits me how different their lives are now...5 years ago, they were still at Acres of Hope in Liberia (and barely knew each other ) while our 2 families were all anxiously awaiting their homecoming .. what amazing grace to consider all He has done :)!