To The Home of Dixie Cajun - Today Should Be A Happy Day

To The Home of Dixie Cajun

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,

Picture097-1-1.jpg picture by dixiefiddler

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.

• Post A Comment! • Send to a Friend!

Comments

Sep. 14, 2008 - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Posted by SuperAngel

I am so sad that Mr. L can't be with you, but what a wonderful testament to you!
I will be praying all day for you as you try to go on with your day without Mr. L.

You have a gorgeous and sweet family both inside and out and you are truly blessed!
HUGS! Love you, Mrs. L!
Manda
http://superangelsblog.com