Cali

She is gone.
She fought so hard but in the end cancer won.
Our hearts are broken.

Cancer should not define her.  She raced until she was 4 1/2  and came in to our home as a foster.  We always said she walked in, jumped on the couch and said "About damn time". She crawled in to Jason's lap and was always happiest there. 
These were when she was 'just a foster'...

 On August 4, 2007 we made it official (on our wedding anniversary) and named her Cali for California (where we got married)
She loved to play hard

 

And snuggle hard

And man..was she beautiful

 

Those eyes..

 Sometimes less beautiful...

 She was well traveled. 
From the Smokey Mountains in Gatlinburg, TN:

 To frolicking in the waves in Myrtle beach, SC (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 times)

  To visiting wineries in Ithaca, NY

She had the east coast tied up.  She visiting countless wineries in Virginia usually in her Daddy's lap.

and there was no place she'd rather be..

 She loved life. 
And to add to her amazing resume, she became Delta Society therapy dog certified and went to the VA hospital and boys homes for four years.  Her first visit to the VA Hospital I had a friend take a photo by the statue honoring women and dogs for their service in the armed forces.

When she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma..we were devastated.  The year was documented well in this video celebrating her one year ampuversary in January of this year.



Since January, she started having problems and was diagnosed with T Cell Lymphoma.  She battled through several chemotherapy treatments and an experimental monoclonal antibody treatment. I honestly think this kept the Lymphoma at bay.  The cancers took their toll.  But she honestly didn't start to 'show' the effect until about a month ago.

In the end, it was osteosarcoma that won, reoccurring in her rear leg a few weeks ago.  23 months post amputation, 9 months post T cell lymphoma diagnosis , 12 years and 9 months old.  She was a brave, wonderful, loving, happy, confident, strong, sweet, beautiful, loyal, snuggly, funny, perfect little tart.  Who we will miss very much.  

Cali (JNB Baby Beth)  3/17/03-12/6/15