Ready For the Call

In between all of our fun adventures, particularly between Easter and a trip to Mexico, Dallin also got everything done in order to turn in his mission papers!

In particular, he cut his long hair (which shows you how excited he really is to go on his mission!), and we took pictures of him in his handsome suit.

Ever since Dallin was a little boy he has wanted to serve a mission, and I can hardly believe that the time has finally come.

He has been preparing for his whole life, and began the papers process at the beginning of the year actually.

Wisdom teeth, doctor and dentist appointments, mission prep and temple prep classes, interviews, and all of the sections and sections of paperwork that has to be completed...but most importantly, he has been working on becoming a strong, happy, resilient, faithful, and obedient young man that the Lord can count on.

As Dallin clicked "submit" - I felt the next level of excitement and anticipation begin. I am going to miss this boy, but am also so proud of what he is doing.

We are expecting his call to arrive in the next week or so...so soon we will see where the Lord needs Dallin to "prune in the vineyard."

Harry Potter and the Animal Kingdom

Well, I'm finally posting the last few pictures of Dallin's senior trip to Florida with his cousins!

Harry Potter world at Universal Studios has to be one of my favorites! (Along with the butter-beer ice-cream! :)

Riding the train from one side of the park to the other makes it feel like you are really there...

I felt lucky and even a little special to be one of the "sisters" to be there. ;)

And honestly, Dallin is the best "companion." I couldn't help but think about his upcoming mission call and how whoever has him for a companion will be SO lucky!

Hogsmeade looks so realistic!

Doesn't it? :)

I know by far, that one of the best times was when we got to sit down together to enjoy some yummy food and take off our masks! We ate at the 3 Broomsticks Café which was delicious!

We of course went on all of the Harry Potter rides...

..and of course with Cohen. ;)

But by far, the favorite ride there was the new Hagrid's Side-Car ride!

It was a thrilling roller coaster ride full of high speed accelerations, twists and turns, and unexpected surprises around every turn!!!

Including these beautiful and very realistic looking unicorns at the end of the ride!!!

(I won't ruin the rest of the surprises for you.:)

We definitely had fun just talking and laughing while we waited in lines, and we thoroughly enjoyed Universal!

We also enjoyed a day at Disney's Animal Kingdom where our favorite part is the world of Pandora!

We went on both of the rides in Pandora, but our favorite by far is the Flight of Passage where you get to ride on a Banshee! It feels so realistic and fills all of your senses...we even got to go on it twice!

We enjoyed a safari tour of some beautiful animals...

...and watched the habits of some of them too (like this gorilla going pee...:)

We sat on a cool floor (which was actually a nice break from the heat and standing) while they tried to repair the Jurassic Park ride.

We ate delicious food from the café in Pandora as well...

…like loompa's (kind of like a crepe) and this gigantic colossal pretzel!

I really enjoyed watching all of the family interact the entire time...

We grew in love...

…we enjoyed some of our very favorite things with some of our very favorite people...

...and ended up closer than we were before we left.

(Which is right back home where we started, and right where we want to be. :)

Thanks for the fun memories Dallin!

Daily Reminders

In the midst of everything awesome and crazy in our lives right now, I continue to see God's hand in my life daily. Especially when my youngest little sweetie draws pictures of Him for me. :)

Isn't this the sweetest thing ever??

Kesslyn sits down to color or draw everyday, and the other day I got the biggest smile when she came in the room with her picture of Jesus  and asked me how to spell "Jesus Christ."

I just love her tender little innocents, and the way she drew Jesus' beard. :)

Here she also drew a picture of her kneeling down by her bed to pray.

I'm telling you, I live amongst angels, and I love it. :). 

 

Turbulence

 

   Just last week I was on an airplane flying home when the pilot came over the intercom and advised everyone to stay in their seats with their seatbelts securely  fastened because there were some “heavy winds” up ahead.

   I sat there in my seat with my eyes closed just trying to be still as all of the bumping and shaking of the turbulence was beginning to make me feel sick.

   My mind wandered in a million different directions while I also prayed for the turbulence to end. Finally, after what felt like forever, I opened my eyes and glanced out the window to see the most surprisingly beautiful view of the clouds and the sky. Dallin and I both smiled at each other in awe of what we were seeing! In an instant (with the turbulence still shaking the plane) the Spirit spoke to me in my mind, saying:

“You have to go through the turbulence in order to make your way back home.”

I learned a few things in that moment.

1)      Just like the turbulence on a plane, we have to go right through the trials of life in order to return back to our heavenly home. There was no going around the wind; we had to fly right through it.

2)      EVERYONE on that plane felt the turbulence. Not one of us “flying home” will make it back without feeling the bumping and jarring of the trials of life.  (And we may even wonder if the turbulence will ever end!)

3)      Even though the turbulence or trials may feel like it’s going on forever, we need to be sure to OPEN OUR EYES and SEE THE GOOD that is before us, and the people who love us and are there to help us through.

4)      Are we “securely fastened” to our Savior Jesus Christ? If we are, we will make it to our final destination safely.

   There are so many lessons to be learned as I continue to ponder on this, but I was grateful for this experience that I went through in order for the spirit to teach me, and testify to me of these important things. I love that during that bumpy ride home, the beautiful view out that airplane window brought a rush of the spirit that testified to me of God’s love for me, and that He is aware of me.

   2 Corinthians 4: 17-18 says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

   I testify that Jesus Christ is our Pilot. Not only will He lead us safely home, but He will be with us through every single bumpy and beautiful cloud.

Love your friend and fellow passenger,

Susette Trickett

A Special Day in Florida

The Sabbath Day in Florida was a very special day.

Although the rest of the people we were with on our trip were having another day at the parks, Dallin, me, and Grandpa Trickett took a different approach and tried to make this special day still "special."

We drove to the Orlando temple to see the beautiful House of the Lord.

Even though the gates were closed, we still felt the special spirit of it there and took some pictures to remember it by. There were beautiful flowers as usual and that familiar sacred feeling that is always found at the temple.

We loved it. :)

We also stopped at our friends house to say hello! This is Bonnie and Nolan Merritt who are my next door neighbors in Utah, but who are temporarily living in Florida for work. They are awesome people, and Nolan reminds me of my brother Kelly. :)

Bonnie and Nolan gave us some chairs, umbrellas, and a cooler with water in it and told us where to go to find a private and beautiful beach.

This was a very beautiful and peaceful place to spend some precious time together.

We did Come Follow Me in the car with Grandpa, and had a conversation with him that to me was priceless.

Especially because any time you get one on one time with Grandpa, it's special. :)

He told us stories and shared his testimony, and we were all so happy to have a day to sit and rest and to be off of our feet. :)

I am always so grateful for the Sabbath Day and the refuge it is from the hustle and bustle of every other day.

We joined our ward's sacrament meeting over zoom, but the technology was having some difficulty and we couldn't really hear what was being said. But that's ok, because we were together and we had a wonderful day. 

Dallin and I sat for a long time in the sand talking about life while Grandpa took a much needed nap in the chair. :) We talked about some of his future goals and plans, and mostly about his upcoming mission...

(which we await his assignment as we speak!)

We relaxed, collected seashells, and drew in the sand...

...and on the way back we actually drove right through the little town of Christmas! :)

And since we had to eat, we went to a restaurant for dinner called Black Rock (my friend Bonnie's favorite).

The food was delicious, but the company was the best. :)

I'm so grateful for the Sabbath day that we spent together in Florida, just Grandpa, Dallin, and me. :)