In January of 2000 My mom and I took 4 hour drive down to Encino to look for a new boxer. I had just lost my first boxer, Harley, on Christmas eve in 1999. I saw this 9 month old puppy who was full of live and lots of love to give and she literally brought tears to my eyes when she would kiss my face. I told my mom I wanted her.

I rode in the back seat of our truck all the way home with this new boxer who came with the name MOCHA, laying on my lap like she was a toy poodle. It was an instant love at first sight.

That night when we got home I went out with a few of my friends and MOCHA was right there at the door ready to go, I couldn't resist so I put her leash on and she jumped into my truck and did the laying in my lap thing until I got to my friends house. Mocha was literally attached to me she would bark if I left her alone and growl when someone would come near me. From the first night on she slept in my bed at my feet. When you have a full grown boxer and a 5'7" person in a twin size bed there isn't much room.

Mocha was a great dog my mom and dad always told me that she was my kid and that she was their grandkid, I think that worked in their favor because when ever a guy I was dating heard I had a kid they ran for the hills.

She was the type of dog to know when I pulled in the driveway because when I walked in the front door she would attack me with all of her love that she could ever give to one person. She was the type of dog who knew when you were mad because she would be right there to comfort you, she knew when I was sad because she was always right there giving you kisses, she was the most rambunctious hyper loving protective dog I have ever owned, I love her more than anyone will ever know.

Mocha was so loved by myself, my mom and dad she had her own bed in every room, her own toys that she would literally kill all of her "babies" till they had no stuffing and no squeak left, but she still played with her 'limp' babies.

I remember September 11, 2001 when my dad woke me up to tell me to watch TV. I turned the TV on to see the most horrific sight I think I will ever see. I sat and watched TV all day and mocha was right there with me while I cried because I never thought this would happen in America. Mocha had her own personality, she would be sad when everyone around her was sad and she would be the life of the party when we were all having a blast.

Exactly a year later I was getting ready to go to training for the police academy at 0500 hours. Mocha got up out of bed to see me off like every other day and she just stood in front of the door and would not move so I could leave. I asked her what was wrong and she just whimpered and I bent down told her mommy loved her and would see her when I would get home later that night.

I got a call from my mom at about 1945 hours (7:45 pm), I was over at one of the cadet houses studying for an upcoming test. My mom asked where I was and I told her and she told me don't come home. I knew something was wrong but I couldn't quite figure it out. I asked her why and she started crying, she finally said mocha died. I don't think I ever felt so empty in my entire life, she was always there when I needed a little extra love and now she wont be there.

Mocha was my life and she is and will always be the best daughter a mom could ever ask for.

My dad buried her next to the big ole' oak tree in our front yard. Its hard every night when I come home from training expecting her to be right there when I walk in the front door and she's not. I hate looking at her babies knowing that they wont get played with.

The night she passed away I couldn't sleep, I walked down stairs and grabbed one of her babies, it was the last one I saw her play with, I walked back to my room and crawled into my empty and what had seemed like huge twin bed. I laid there in my bed crying holding her toy but I remembered that I'll never be alone and neither will she. I have more memories with her riding in my truck around town, playing with all of our other dogs, chasing the birds that frequented our back yard and the best was watching her eat flies.

I still think of her every day and I look at her pictures that still sit on my dresser all of the time and I realize the last year and 9 months was the best.

Mocha was 2 years and 9 months old when she passed away and she will be missed by her mommy and her grand parents very much. I hope you enjoy some of the best pictures I have of her.