What an honor and privilege it is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of two people who have come to mean so much to me. I am blessed to be married to their wonderful son. We call them "Pop and Mom" and their grandchildren call them "Pop and Grandma". This page is dedicated to who they are and how much they mean to the entire family and to their friends. I will start off by telling you a little about each one and what makes them so dear to our hearts...

Let me start off with Pop. (L.P. Burleigh, Jr.)... When I first met Pop, I was dating his son (my husband), and it was at a high school football game. My first impression of him was kind of funny. My husband introduced us and Pop very kindly spoke to me. The first thing I thought was how fast he talked! You see, we live in south Louisiana which is Cajunland! Some have more of a Cajun-style of speech than others. Pop was this way! I was very embarrassed to have to ask my future husband what his Dad told me. I finally got used to his fast way of speaking and learned to speak just as fast as him!

As the years went by, I grew to admire this man more and more. The way he is with his family is something to long for and to admire. I had never met anyone as dedicated to his family as he is. Everything he worked for was due to his commitment to his family. He always will do without something so his family can have more.

Pop loves to work in the yard and is a great gardener. Each year we all look forward to Pop's garden of vegetables. Pop is retired now and most days he gets up early and heads out to the yard where he works until the sun goes down.  Pop is far from being a lazy man. He sets a good example to the children of today who are growing up to rely more on the conveniences we have today.

One of the most beautiful moments in our lives was when Pop accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into his heart. Pop was not serving the Lord for many years, yet by his example he taught us all how to love our heavenly Father. We knew of our heavenly Father's unconditional love for us by the example of our earthly father. Now Pop loves the Lord with all of his heart and is presently a deacon in his church. And the church could not have picked a more finer man than he to do the job.

Pop has been the family's rock to lean on in hard times. He has been the one to hold the family together when the times of crises came. Pop always seems to grant mercy to those of whom the rest of us may feel does not deserve mercy. He has a beautiful heart to share with others.

There was a time when my husband and I were having  problems and we were separated. I had turned my back on God and was angry at God for various happenings in my life. The entire time my husband and I were separated, Pop was the one who reached out to me with God's heart and brought this poor lost sheep home. It was his unconditional love for me when I was so undeserving of it that showed me just how much God loved me. He never gave up on me just as our heavenly Father never gives up on us. Once again... Pop gave the example of a father's love.

He has been there time and time again for all of us. When I see him with the grandkids, my heart is overwhelmed once more. I have no doubt that Pop will lay down his life for his family. He is a wonderful Christian man, husband, father, grandfather, and friend to all. I am blessed beyond measure to be part of such a beautiful family.

I thank you, Pop for who you are and I rejoice with you as you celebrate your 50th anniversary. May we all reach the goals in our marriages as you and Mom have and may we never forget the legacy of unconditional Christian love you have set before us.

When I first met Mom, I was drawn to her quiet, humble spirit. She seemed so gentle and so willing to listen and offer her shoulder to anyone who needed. I remember the first thing I ate that she cooked. We Cajuns call it "smothered chicken". That was the best chicken dish I had ever eaten in my life! Then with that, she served potato salad. It was not "just" potato salad. It was the best potato salad! To this day, that is still my favorite foods she cooks.

In the early years of my marriage to her son, I did not know the Lord nor had any interest in serving Him. But, I noticed how she went to church faithfully on Sunday and on Wednesday. She seemed to have such a commitment to that and I knew there was something "different" about her. She loved the Lord. That was something I had not seen in my years growing up. I learned what "religion" was, but I had never met anyone who had a real relationship with Jesus. I learned much later it was her love for the Lord that had her so devoted to worshiping Him as often as she could.

As a mother, you can go to her with anything and she will listen to you and give you Godly advice. There have been many times I have had a heavy heart and she ministered to me in her beautiful understanding way. Through all of my many moods, my ups and downs, she has come through for me on many occasions. When I felt alone and defeated, she has ministered hope to me. When I needed time away to get things done she has taken care of my children for me.  She is there for us all when we need no matter what the circumstance or how big the crises. She gives us all unconditional love and sacrifices her own time to help those in need. She is truly a servant of the Lord!

One of the most admirable traits about her is the way she is with her grandkids.  Some people leave their children with babysitters or leave their children with grandma to go on appointments or whatever the need. But many sitters will find a way to pacify the children while they do what they need to do. Well, Mom is quite extraordinary, in that she does not do that. Her heart of love for the grandkids is displayed by the way she spends quality time entertaining them herself.  She will sit and play with them and because of that, she has created such a bond with her grandkids.

Mom has been there for all of us. She has helped us to see what Jesus' death on the Cross really means to us. Just like Jesus, she gives her life and lays it down for all of us.  She will take any kind of suffering and pain and never complain. Just like Jesus, she is a humble vessel for the Lord to use.

I thank you, Mom with all my heart for being a wonderful mother to me. I am honored to share in your 50th anniversary. May we never forget the wonderful example of Jesus' unselfish love through your example of unselfish love.

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