Pictured from left to right
Phil, Mom, Marizza, and James
James Before Marizza
From his Mother's Eye's
I had my first baby, James, on Feb 26, 1976. A cold wintry morning trip to the hospital that feels like yesterday. James, or Jimmy, as he was called till he was 18 or so, was a beautiful baby. I'm not saying this because I am his Mother. He was beautiful! Jimmy would amuse himself in his crib with his toys or just lay in his crib and coo. He was such a joy as an infant. As he grew older he was still a joy but a little harder to keep up with as he climbed everything that he could. He had no fear of anything. So that made it a bit more of a challenge for me as well. He would get out of his bed at 3 in the morning and help himself to the fridge or would try to go outside. Thank goodness for door chains and baby fences. Although he could climb a baby fence by the time he was 1.
The summer before kindergarten Jimmy joined the Virginia Beach Swim Team. He didn't know how to swim when he joined but that didn't stop him. He learned to swim very quickly and was the youngest member on his team. Jimmy won several swimming events in his age group that summer.
When we lived in Hampton, Va. Jimmy got a baby sister named Rachel. No brother could love a sister more than Jimmy. He loved taking her for walks in her stroller, giving her bottles, even changing her diapers. He couldn't seem to do enough for her. Rachel was his favorite plaything. That's until she learned to walk and talk... Then that's when things changed! His cute little baby sister had turned into a BRAT!
When he was 9 we moved to Texas for 2 years. We were out in the country and surrounded by country living. My parents lived next door and ran a hatchery for chickens, ducks and geese. Jimmy quickly made friends with one of the chickens and made a pet of him. Jimmy and Henry (the chicken) would go for bike rides and Henry would follow Jimmy everywhere. Jimmy got a good dose of what country living was all about and loved it.
The next move was to Newfoundland. Jimmy spent his 11th birthday in the Nova Scotia Ferry Terminal, waiting on the ferry over to Newfoundland. This was a new experience for us all. Jimmy loved the long and slow ferry ride over. He kept pointing out the tiny window into the dark ice laden water saying, there's a polar bear!!! Of course it was only another piece of ice. In Newfoundland Jimmy had one of his worst teachers (Mr. Fitz) and one of his best teachers (Mr. Velez). Jimmy was in the Boy Scouts of America in Newfoundland. Their troop was the first US troop invited to the Canadian Scout Jamboree. Jimmy has wonderful memories of that great trip. Jimmy also loved snow sledding as snow was available at least 6 months out of the year. I do remember the tale of Jimmy sledding down a hill and not making the turn, only to find himself on the main road with a car quickly bearing down on him. When Jimmy opened his eyes, who did he find??? His dad! Of all people to have that happen in front of... I don't know who was more scared, Jim or Jimmy. Although we do laugh about it now!
Then there was the phone call I got on Christmas Eve morning... Jim called to make sure the kids were in the house. I said they were because I had just heard them downstairs a few minutes prior to his phone call. Jim had just been told that two kids had been walking on a semi frozen pond and that security had pulled them off before the ice broke. I went downstairs to find the kids walking in the door with the dog.... Jimmy's explanation was, "I told Rachel to tell me if she heard anything cracking and they would go back." Needless to say we had a tear filled discussion about frozen ponds! Newfoundland was full of good times, snow, wind, fog, blueberries, WinterFest, moose, the Arms Camp, stars, beautiful woodlands, the silver mine and great friends for us all.
The next move was to Kingsland, Ga. This was the place of change for us all. The kids weren't babies anymore. Jimmy was almost 14 and Rachel was 7. Jimmy had started to get that teenage attitude with a vengeance. He didn't like school and dropped out in the 10th grade. I felt heartbroken, as I knew he was extremely smart but he couldn't be forced to learn. This time it was hard for all the family. Almost 2 years later Jimmy went back to school and very worked hard to get his GED in time so that he would be allowed to walk with his fellow class mates in his High School Graduation. That was a very proud moment!!
In February of 1997, James met Marizza online. He knew he loved her from the beginning. But he was going through major trying times for himself. James had a rough time when Jim and I divorced. For the first time in his life he was ALONE. His Dad and Rachel were in Macon, GA, where Jim was a teacher. I was in Syracuse, NY. It seemed James went from job to job with one bad experience after another. In February of 1998, James asked to come to NY to live with Phil and myself till he could get on his feet. Phil agreed to James staying here till Aug 1st. James moved in and started working soon after.
One day I came in and I could see James at the computer and noticed he was upset. When I asked what was wrong, he told me that he and Marizza had just broke up. He fell into my arms as if he had just lost his will to live. I couldn't fix it this time. I was helpless. My son's heart was broke and all I could do was hold him... A few days later I went to GA to visit Rachel and I received a phone call and it was James. He was on his way to Florida to get Marizza and bring her back to NY. He was once again whole.
This isn't where this story ends, its only the beginning. But this is where James without Marizza ends.
Written by Mary Evelyn Rachel (James' Mother)
Pictured from left to right
Phil, Mom, Marizza, and James
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