Goodbyes

Two weeks ago we lost a good friend and great dog - ChenXing Morningstar. It's hard to say goodbye. We still really miss her. But it's good to remember and reflect on the time we had together.

Chen was the most unlikely looking boxer-golden retriever mix you could ask for. Although her mom was a classic golden retriever, Chen's coat was super dark and everybody always assumed she was a black lab. In the sunlight, though, you could see her beautiful golden undercoat. 

ChenXing's best feature by far were her ears. She kept her super soft puppy ears even as she grew into adulthood.

Chen's needs were simple and few - as much food as possible, as much swimming as possible, as little exercise as possible, as much cuddling as possible. She was Ben's very best bud and a good friend to us all. She wasn't a particularly bright girl, and she got nervous around strangers, but once she knew you she'd be your friend forever. She loved the water, she put up with Ben constantly wrestling with and lounging on her, she had the biggest paws, and did we mention those soft, soft ears?

Two weeks ago she was feeling lethargic during the day and then at around 8 pm started being having obvious troubles. Ben and I threw on shoes, Ben picked her up (no small feat - she was a big girl!) and we rushed to the animal hospital. She died in his arms just as we arrived. 

We'll never know exactly what happened to her - it may have been a tumor that burst or that was pushing on her heart, maybe an intestinal blockage, maybe just a heart attack. We are grateful that she wasn't in pain when she died and that she spent her last moments in the arms of the person she loved best. She was only five years old. We lost her far too early.

ChenXing means Morningstar in Chinese. She wore it well.