Colorado to Texas!

Kambriella and I got to go on a road trip together last week!

The first of maybe many to come?? ;)

Yes, we wanted to go and have some fun, but our main objective was to help Kierra, Riley, and Easton with their move to Texas!!

With Riley's completion of dental school in Colorado, the army is now moving them to El Paso Texas where Riley will begin an internship with some extended training.

They are looking forward to the upcoming adventures!

Kambriella arrived at the airport in Denver on Wednesday night where Kierra's sister in laws held a small baby shower for her (for her little baby girl that is due October 1st!). We woke up early and drove all day long for about 11 hours before making it to El Paso!

Kierra and Riley's cute home they are renting seems to be just perfect for them, and I love that I got to be there to help them with the unpacking and getting organized, because now I can easily envision what they are really doing when we talk on the phone and they try to explain to me a little of what life is like in Texas!

Riley contacted the Elders quorum there, and we had a little band of angels show up to help us unload their things...Moroni, Joseph, Bryce, Brody, Amy Constans...just a few of the names of these living, walking, breathing angels...:)

Easton seems to LOVE his cute little back yard, and it was so fun to watch him in his new surroundings...what a little sweetie!

I love you Easton! 

After a couple of hard days of working and unpacking, we took a little drive to the army base where Riley will be working. The Fort Bliss dental clinic - and Dr. Johnson. ;)

Riley is attending a 3 week Officers training, and him and Kierra will not get to see each other the entire time he will be gone, so Kambriella and I took Easton for a little dinner date so that Kierra and Riley could have one last date before they had to leave.

Easton loved it, and he LOVES Aunt Kambriella!!!

She was the MVP of the trip, helping to keep Easton happy and safe while we all worked so hard in the house.

On Sunday morning before we came home we were able to attend their ward together.

They seem to have a good ward family that will take them in and love them and help them.

I love this sweet little family SO much!

Here we are at Kierra and Riley's house!

We made it on the plane by some small miracle (but don't ask me to tell you the whole story of how we almost DIDN'T make it home, because it is literally exhausting!)..

Kambriella loved flying and looking out the window.

We all took turns trying to help baby Easton make it through the flight...

But as much as Kierra is going to miss Riley for 3 weeks, we are excited to have her stay with the family while Riley is gone. There are SOOO many good things happening for our family, and I'm so grateful that Kierra will get to be there to celebrate them all with us!!!

The temple, birthdays, graduation, and Carew's wedding just to name a few...

We are grateful for the GOOD that surrounds us, and for this CRAZY, exciting journey that we are experiencing together!

I LOVE my family!!!

 

The Melchizedek Priesthood and the Temple

On Sunday, May 16th 2021, Dallin was ordained an Elder and was given the Melchizedek priesthood by his father, Clint James Trickett.

This was a very special day and as a mother I felt my heart swell with true and everlasting JOY.

But also, as I sit here now and write these things down, my heart is excited for today because it is the day that Dallin will be going to the temple to take out his own endowments!

We have taught Dallin the temple prep classes, and have been preparing him for this day his entire life!

He seems so ready, and it will be a very special day.

1) Receiving your own endowments is the next step on the path of eternal progression back to our Heavenly parents.

2) Our family hasn't been inside the temple in over 15 months because of the world wide pandemic, and going back there today will be such a sweet experience for all of us.

and 3).. We will be going with Dallin, and also, both of our other endowed children, Kierra and Carew. Plus, my mom and Clint's parents, Dallin's Uncle Kevin and Aunt Laura, and Carew's fiancé Kara.

It is literally going to be a room full of LOVE and I can't wait for it!

I love this eternal family of mine and I feel so blessed for all of the good that is happening in it right now. Thank you Heavenly Father for all of these priceless blessings.

Dr. Johnson ~ Captain Johnson

 Today is Riley's dental school graduation!

We are SO proud of you Riley!

Listening to everything that was said made me reflect on all that you have sacrificed over the last 4 years. You have definitely earned this amazing title.

Dr. Johnson!

Along with receiving your D.D.S., you also were advanced in your military rank!

Captain Johnson!

And although we were not able to be there in person, I felt just as happy, and just as grateful for you, even from another part of the country!

The pride I felt was the same, the joy I felt was the same, and the admiration I felt was the same...

...and when I saw that your sweet wife was able to be there with you on this special day (when the pandemic might have made it otherwise), my heart swelled with so much love for both of you!

Congratulations Riley!!!

We LOVE you!!!

A BEAUTIFUL Mother's Day

Mother's Day was a special day this year for many reasons.

-We held Relief Society IN PERSON outside at my secretary, Lauren Carruth's house for the first time since the pandemic!!!

-The young women joined us which meant that Kambriella got to be with me too!!!

It was the most gorgeous day, and I felt like Heavenly Father was telling us all how much He loved us by giving us that special gift too.

I honestly felt like I was in the Sacred Grove. The ground we stood on felt holy and sacred...the birds were singing and the trees were still, and the sun was shining and it was just so BEAUTIFUL.

Along with our message that hopefully helped the sisters to SEE the Good in themselves and to see how BEAUTIFUL they really are!

We emailed out a few links for the sisters to watch before Sunday came about how they see themselves, and then with our bold BEAUTIFUL banner, we sent the message that they ARE BEAUTIFUL!

It was a perfect first lesson back, and I feel so blessed to once again be working with some of the most amazing sisters in our ward.

They are beautiful angels to me!

After discussing some positive and uplifting things with the lesson, we had a mirror set up for the sisters to see themselves as God see's them...We also gave all of the sisters a little compact mirror that says "See the Good" with a homemade cookie for a treat!

We had a wonderful little army of helpers serving and helping us with our set up and take down.

I love these boys. :)

I also took 3 naps that day! (That was my gift to myself;) and I enjoyed chocolate dipped strawberries with a home cooked meal. What more could a mother ask for ?? :)

We also got to see Clint's family and have some fun together earlier that week...

But our favorite thing by far was Jim and Gerry's game of Rock, Paper, Scissors "face plant style!"

It was hilarious!!

I love them so much too. They are wonderful grandparents to our children.

Grandpa may or may not be the favorite too...

We will never tell! ;)

 

Family Focus Week!

Guess what cute little baby came to visit me for a week??

You guessed it!!

Easton Joseph Johnson!!

What a cute little man, and oh how much he loves his Aunts Kesslyn and Kambriella!

We had a great time hanging out together, but the time went by WAY TOO FAST.

He is such a sweet little boy and is always so happy. Kierra and Riley are such good parents to him too.

We played pickle ball, tennis, spike ball, (and even a little volleyball for Riley!)

We had a barbeque on Sunday while they were here, and even finished up our temple prep classes that we had been teaching to Dallin, Tiffany, and Colby since the beginning of the year.

We served our neighborhood by putting together a "taco truck" to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and we had a good 150 or more people show up too!

We invited EVERYONE to come, and they did!

Just from the faces that I remember seeing going through the food line, there were around 44 different families that came, and 11 of those 44 were either inactive or nonmember families!

It was SO good to see so many people wanting to get out and be together.

I believe we have started a neighborhood tradition that is not going to go away!!!

We invited the missionaries to join us, and they even helped serve food some of the time.

Stephanie and Maggi were just 2 of our good friends that were happy to be there!

April, Cheryl, and Taylor...

Elder St. Gelais and Elder Ritchel

Easton also enjoyed chilling on my bed watching Bubble Guppies while he was here. :)

Kierra was in charge of and also threw Kara a bridal shower while she was here! "Let's taco 'bout love" was the theme. 

She did such a good job, and Kara got some really nice gifts too!

She is such a beautiful girl inside and out, and I am so grateful she is going to be a part of my family!

She is so good for Carew.

She makes him so happy, and I love how they bring out the best in each other...that's one way you know you are right for each other, when you bring out the BEST in each other!

Having family there and celebrating everything good during our family focus week was amazing, 
and having Kierra's family here made it that much better.

We are definitely a blessed family and I feel so grateful for all the good that is in my life!