Oct. 12, 2008
Prayer Request
I am writing asking for prayer for a little girl in my Kid's Church class that I started to teach last Sunday.
 Her name is Kinley and she was taken to the doctor last Wednesday cause she was having headaches, throwing up and her eyes were bulging. The doctor did and MRI and her parents were told to bring her back on Friday, which they did. The results were that Kinley has an aggressive tumor which is inoperable and the doctors say she is terminal and she was given 2-3 days to live. She was transfered to a hospital in Birmingham where the doctors plan on beginning chemo on her on Monday or Tuesday to try and prolong her life for a week or two more. I know that some of you would think, "why try and prolong her life?" If this was your child, wouldn't you want to try and keep her alive, even if it is for one more day? Every day that Kinley lives, is one more day that the Christians can pray for God to do a miracle. Today, (Sat) Kinley was taken into surgery where the doctors drilled holes in her head and stomach to drain spinal fluid that has built up. This morning in Kid's Church I'm going to have the children make special "get well" cards for Kinley and on Monday, Jordan, Sarah and I will bring them to her at the hospital. So, I beg each of you to pray for Kinley and if at all possible to pass this prayer request along to others. Thank you all so much.
Josephine
Sep. 14, 2008
Today Should Be A Happy Day
Today would of been my 34th Wedding Anniversary. Today Elgin and I would of, should of been celebrating 34 years together. Instead of celebrating, I'm mourning my day. Most of you know that Elgin was killed on May 11, 2008, (Mother's Day) when a 21 year old drunk driver hit him head on while he was making a delivery of offshore oilfield equipment in Louisiana. Both trucks burst into flames and both bodies were burnt beyond recognition. I thought I'd do my entry today in memory and honor of the love that Elgin and I shared and how we first met. Although some of you already know our "love story", I still would like to share about how God put us together.
We first met in the second grade.
Our teacher's name was Mrs. Edna Palmer. She was an elderly widow. She was very prim and proper, tall and slender. She always wore a sweater. (Just like Mr. Rogers, but hers was gray) I can remember she use to use one of those things that you put a piece of chalk in, so her fingers wouldn't get chalk dust on them. She even had her students wash the chalk boards for her so she wouldn't get her hands dirty. You're probably wondering why I'm saying so much about Mrs. Palmer. Well, I said those things so I could lead up to something that she would do in her class. She had this chart that hung on the classroom wall, which was used to help her students work on their daily hygiene. Each students name was written on the chart, where little stickers would be placed next to each name determining how "cleaned up" they were. The stickers consisted of a little bar of ivory soap, (which meant that you were sparkling clean) or a yellow sticker, (which meant that either your clothes, face, hands, fingernails, or shoes weren't the cleanest) or a red sticker (which meant that you should go back home and get cleaned up and then come back to school.) Well, each morning Mrs. Palmer would have Cindy Authement and myself go around to each student and check them over and determine which sticker they would get on their chart for the day. Well, each day when we would get to Elgin's desk, I would pray that he would come to school "cleaned up" so I could give him a little Ivory Soap sticker. But, Elgin being Elgin, it just never happened. Each day as we got to him he would put out his hands with a grin from ear to ear, to show us just how dirty his fingernails were. And each day of that second grade year we rewarded him with either a yellow or red sticker. Most of the time it was red. That's when my little second grade heart first started to notice Elgin. Each day he would do something that would make me laugh. He use to say, "Peak a Boo, where are you? I'm in the garbage can." I know that isn't even funny, much less does it even make sense, but it would make me laugh, and he knew that it would make me laugh, so he would say it to me each day. Well, at the end of that school year he was sent to another school and I would not see him again until we were in the eighth grade
when my best friend would start liking him and introduce us. Well, you got it right; NOW, my little eighth grade heart fell for him all over again. Well, pretty soon he was out of the picture again. UNTIL a few years later when my oldest brother began to see this girl by the name of Claudia, and they began planning their wedding. Well, only God could have worked things out the way that He did. Elgin and Claudia were first cousins, (their dads were brothers and they lived next door to each other.) So, who do you think were paired up to serve in the wedding together? Yup, you got it right, Me and Elgin!
Well, the wedding day happened and when my brother and his new bride came home from their honeymoon, they walked into Claudia's mom's house to find Elgin on the telephone. Claudia asked him who he was talking to and her mouth dropped open when he answered her that it was me. I was 16 at the time and “My Cajun Man” was 17. Eleven months later “My Cajun Man” asked me to marry him.
Four months later at the ripe old age of 17 we were married.
We began our family, when one year and two days later Sandy was born, she began her family with her marriage to Mitchell Hebert and they have 3 children, Mitchell Jr. who is 13, Heather is 11 and Hannah is 7 
Our Son, Elgin Paul was born two years later, he and his wife Rene' have 6 children together, Elgin Paul Jr. is 11, David is 9, Austin is 7, Alice Grace is 5, Chase is 5 and Christan is 3. 
Celeste came four years later and she is married to Ryan Rodrigue and they have not begun their family as of yet,
Jordan would arrive six years after,
 and then our Sarah would complete our family two years later.
 This is the last picture taken of the whole family together, all nineteen of us.
This is Elgin and Me for our oldest daughters wedding,
This was the last picture taken of Me and Elgin in April.
This is one of the last pictures I took of Elgin on my birthday. He was killed 9 days later.
Elgin and my special song had been, “I Got You Babe”, by Sonny and Cher. This song pretty much told of our young lives together. Today my special song is, "How Great Is My God". We were so blessed by God. I consider myself one of the most Blessed women. I've been Blessed to have been married all of these years to one of the most wonderful men that The Lord ever created and I Thank Him and give Him Praise for allowing me to be...Mrs. Elgin Lirette Jr.
Aug. 8, 2008
Trying to Get Back to Normal
Hey Ya’ll,
A lot has been happening around here lately. First let me begin by saying that my girls and I have truly been blessed with a visit from another homeschooling family that my Sarah met on HSB. Heather and her Mom, (Linda) traveled over 1300 miles from Laramie, Wyoming to spend Sarah’s birthday with us. What a treat to have them spend a week with us. It was good for me to have Linda here. She spent the week making me laugh. It was a sad time in the Lirette home when they left.
My girls and I have been working like some mules to get our gardening done. We pulled up all of the plants that quit producing and replanted more. Hopefully we’ll get another crop before the weather turns cold. Even though we lost our Lima and green beans to the drought, we were still able to harvest a bit. Every Wednesday and Saturday we harvest as much as we can, then load it in the backend of the van and haul it with us to church. After church my girls open up the back end of the van and our dear friends from church get to purchase fresh produce. I know that a lot of them do it cause they know that they’re helping our family out. Right now I don't know what we'd do without them. They have been totally awesome. God, how I love my church family.
My girls and I have started to clean a couple of buildings. One of the buildings has 10 offices and 2 bathrooms. It’s a way for us to bring some finances in our home and still get to stay together. It’s good honest work and it’s something that we know how to do. People have been awesome helping out my girls and I. God has blessed us beyond what we deserve.
A couple of weeks ago, an article appeared in the local paper down in Louisiana where we use to live, which is also where Elgin was killed. After reading the article I became sooooo furious. The article said that a 20 year old drunk driver had killed a man and his wife one year earlier and the judge had sentenced the boy to 10 years in jail. BUT, he would only have to actually serve 2 ½ years. So, after serving only 2 ½ years in jail, he will be able to get out and go free. He will be able to go out and get drunk again and kill someone else’s loved one. That means that if the boy who killed my husband would of lived, he would only have had to serve 2 ½ years for taking Elgin’s life. I know I sound unforgiving. I honestly don’t hold any hatred for the boy who killed Elgin. It’s just that if this boy would have killed a dog or a cat, he would have gotten the same amount of time. I think I’m just angry at the system.
Speaking of “the system.” I have now had to hire a lawyer to help me to get Elgin’s death benefits from Workman’s Compensation. I have a letter from W. C. telling me that my girls and I will get a check EVERY week, Guess What? They are only sending us one every TWO weeks. If we would get the checks every week, it would be enough to pay all of our bills, give our tithe and have $10.00 left over, and whatever we make cleaning the offices would be used for groceries and gas. We’re also, having to fight Social Security. That is such a long story that it would take me to long to go through it. All I ask is that you please pray that my girls and I would have “favor” with Social Security and Workman’s Compensation.
We’ve been trying to get back to a normal life. But, how does one get back to normal when, “your right arm has been torn off” or “your heart has been ripped out of your chest.” How does one go on with a normal life when the “heart” of the family has been stolen away from those who would give anything to get him to come back home to us. I can honestly say that I have actually begged God to please send Elgin back home to me. If I could, I would go straight up to heaven and rip him out of God’s arms and bring him back down to earth to be with me. I know that I sound soooo selfish. Well, I guess I am. No, I know I am. Unless you’ve lost your love, you can not understand the depth of ones grief. The other day I was going through a huge pile of papers that Elgin had kept in our bedroom closet and while going through these papers I asked God to help me to not pass up anything that was of importance. Well, all of a sudden a folded paper caught my eye, so I unfolded it and it was a “love letter” from Elgin. Isn’t that just like God to allow me to find this priceless treasure. I would like to share it with you. It reads….
Dear Josephine,
I thank God for giving you to me and keeping us together for all of these wonderful years. I thank you for putting up with me all these years. I thank you for looking and taking care of our children and me. I love you with all my heart. I pray that you have a very nice day. Love you always, Elgin
That was how Elgin was; I would often get up in the morning and would find “love notes” taped on the bathroom mirror. He would do that also for our girls. I’m having a hard time trying to decide when would be “the right time” to pack up Elgin’s clothes and personal items. All of his things are still hanging on his side of the closet and folded in the dresser drawers. His suitcase is still packed from when he was working down the bayou and is in the corner of our bedroom. I tried to unpack it one time, I unzipped it and opened the cover and saw his clothes and couldn’t do it. I just re-zipped it and put it back in the corner and it has been there ever since. Oh God, How I miss “My Man”. I told my girls one day, that I would rather live in the poor house and have their Daddy home with us, than to live without him and have all the riches on earth. I want to say, “thank you” to each one of you who have lifted my family up in prayer. We deeply appreciate you.
Love to you and yours,
Josephine & Family
Jul. 30, 2008
Another Family Having To Deal With A Death
Hi Everybody,
Just writing to let everyone know that another homeschooling family has lost their Daddy. Another dear woman has had to bury her love, her best friend, her life. Please keep this family in your prayers, I know that they are having to deal with a LOT of pain. You can read more about the Times Family by going to my dear friend Kim's blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/Buckeyeblog
Sorry I haven't written in a while, I'm having some difficult days lately. Hopefully I'll feel up to writing again soon.
Josephine
Jul. 17, 2008
Happy Birthday Sabby
Hello Everyone,
As you can tell by the title of my entry, Today is my Babies Birthday. Today, Sarah (aka--dixiefiddler, Sabby, Saronie Baby, Pocahonie) is 18 years old. My how does the time fly. It seems like she was just born yesterday. Oh the joy on her Daddy's face when the nurse placed Sarah in his arms. She was a blessing as a baby and she is even more of a blessing to me now. She is not only beautiful, but is very talented. She plays the violin and has won numerous awards and our family is very proud of her. Sarah is one of the kindest, most honest and loving young ladies around. She loves her family and we all adore her. She is the "baby" of the family, but is such a young lady. She does not get in a hurry for nobody or nothing and once Sarah becomes your friend, you have a friend for life. She still kisses her "Mommy" before going to bed each night and God has put in her heart such a love for children that she would like 15 of them when she gets married. Her sister, Jordan is her best friend and they always said that they're going to have to marry brothers or best friends, cause they are going to live next door to each other when they get married, actually they said that their houses are going to have to be connected. I'm sure that I could go on and on about my baby, but I'll have to stop right here for now. I do thank each one you for your prayers, this is Sarah's first birthday without her Daddy, I truly believe that The Lord will allow her Daddy to send down a kiss just for her on her birthday. So, until later.
Josephine
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