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 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