While on a family camping trip this week, our best friend Mocha died.  It is the month of her 16th birthday.  Mocha has been with Miguel for most of her life, and with me for about 10 years.  Our families will miss her dearly.  The timing of Mocha's passing was actually quite beautiful in that most everyone who's life she touched was with her - which happens only once a year - on THIS camping trip.  The majority of the camping 'crew' had left and we had 2 nights remaining, so it was a quiet night with Mary, Phil, Diane, Julio, Linnea, Miguel Lucy and all the other dogs.  Mocha wasn't feeling well, not eating for a couple days, and that night she couldn't get comfortable and just walked around, whimpering at times while we sat by the campfire trying to think of ways to ease her pain.  Miguel stayed up with her throughout the night and Julio took over at about 5am.  She passed around 7am while Julio was holding her.  She was among people that love her so much.  Of course, we thought of all the things we 'should' have or 'could' have done that might have saved her, but even in her old age, she was able to leave a beautiful bond between all of us and a memory to treasure.

Linnea and I found a perfect size stick in the woods and Miguel threw it into the lake so Lucy could retrieve it.  Lucy carried the stick up to Mocha's grave and we all gathered around to cry and share memories of what we loved about Mocha.  I found a ball that was in the soil dug out for her grave and tossed it aside - as she never liked balls anyway.  Julio played a beautiful song on his flute and gave her a perfectly grilled piece of steak.  My mom gave her a rock - as she loved getting rocks and splashes out of the water.  When she was all covered up, we each placed a rock above her gravesite and walked away to the music.  Her grave overlooks the mountains and Elk Lake - a perfect place to be for the rest of eternity.

Dear Mocha, we have shed many tears remembering how much we loved you and your spirit.  You are greatly missed, and we treasure our memories splashing, running, feeding(!), being guarded by, and playing with you - thank you for giving us so much joy for so many years.   You are forever in our hearts.

Love,
Heather