Neverending Summer

Jim loved the warmth and sunshine of summer. When he was a kid you rarely found him in the house, as if the days weren't long enough and the summer too short. He like Julie, walked early, barely spending any time crawling. He found his legs and took off at a run. I can still see him peeling out (no pun intended) on that yellow banana-shaped riding toy that he just loved as a little guy. He must have had the strongest legs a 2 year old could have because he could make it up the hill in front of our house as quick as he made it down. He was an awesome skateboarder,too, although that did drive me nuts. He was obsessed with it and I always worried that he was going to get hurt. Anyway, I do digress...I just wanted to say that as the summer starts to wind down and kids head back to school I think of Jim and his resistance to summer's end. His dream...to become a beach bum. I guess that's where he is today, running in the sand, enjoying the warmth and sunshine of a neverending summer. Joanne, Jim's MOM

Butterflies in Jim's Garden

Jim's garden continues to bloom. It is so beautiful. I took a couple pictures of a butterfly on the butterfly bush in the garden. Enjoy. Joanne (Jim's MOM)

Blue skies

The blue skies of this weekend remind me of Jim and his beautiful blue eyes. Blue, his favorite color....mine, too, come to think of it. I miss Jim so very much. Today as I was driving home from Ann Arbor and I looked out at the blue skies, I shook my fist, screamed and cried, I just want him back .... I want to know who killed him....I want, I want, I want. I am impatient with God for not answering my questions.

Joanne
Jim's MOM

Guardian Angel

We name our children after people we love, admire, someone from the family tree, or simply a name that we like. Parents often disagree, but once the child is named, it seems as if their name could have been no other.

Jim was not named after anyone. Jim's father said, "If it's a boy, we'll name him Hank!" I hope I'm not offending any Hanks out there, but I quickly said, "NO!" Then one day we were standing in what would later becomes Jim's room and his dad said, "I like the name Jim". So Jim it was! We knew that we needed to give Jim the proper name of James, but from the beginning he was: Jimmy, Jimbo, JimBob, and by late elementary school, he was pretty much just Jim. Among his friends in high school he was Jim and JimmyB.

Jim loved his name. He liked to write it out using his finger in the sand, the snow, the dewy wet car window and in the 'not quite set cement'....especially if he were told not to!

So it gives me joy when others want to remember and honor Jim by using his name in some way. Parker James and William James, Jim Bowerman is your guardian angel....

With love and remembrance today and always,
Joanne (Jim's MOM)

A New Spring

Jim's memorial garden is all in bloom. Life moves on despite what happens around us. I thought I would share a few pictures of the garden with those of you who check in occasionally. Nothing new to report...still trying to get answers.

Mother's Day

The day I became your mom, Jim, was a wonderful day for me. I remember so many great moments of our time together. You were such a sweet child and so dog-gone cute! I sure do miss you. Love, MOM

Anniversary

It's been two years. I miss you so much, Jim. I think about you all the time and today because it is the 2 year anniversary of your death, I cry even harder. Julie and I continue to seek justice for you. We will not give up. Love, MOM