In loving memory of Kaya

It is really hard for me to type this message because of the sadness I feel, but I want to honor the memory of our beloved dog, Kaya. Last week, unexpectedly she passed away after almost 8 years. She was such a wonderful dog and was much more than our pet... she was a part of our family.

Gordon and I spent some time over the weekend sharing stories and fond memories we have of Kaya. She was my first dog and my only friend when I first moved to Des Moines. Gordon let her live with me for 6 months before he transferred here. We really bonded and she helped me cope with the loneliness. Gordon loved hunting with Kaya; she was a great bird dog and an excellent retriever, and she would literally hunt until she dropped. Being close to our family and hunting were the two things Kaya lived for.

In hindsight, I wish we would have had the opportunity to take her out to hunt more often.

Recently, Kirsten learned to say the word "Puppy"... it hurts when she says it and looks around and then points to where Kaya used to lay down.

Of course, she is too young to understand the loss, but we have many photos of them together that we can share with her when she is older. Drake is aware she is in Puppy Heaven, but we aren't sure if he fully understands either.

She was a cherished member of our family, and she wanted nothing but our love and attention.

For those of you that have had a dog like Kaya, you are fortunate enough to understand what true unconditional love feels like. She will always be in our hearts, and will be dearly missed.

We love you, Kaya!

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