GCh. Acadia Presence of Mind 12/30/2008- 6/2/2022

 Cassia was my favorite.  If I could have cloned her, I would have.  She was a fabulous show dog, and won many accolades which made me proud, but mostly she was a great pet.  Easy to live with, and a lover of people, puppies, life...  She was beautiful both in body and spirit.  She was exactly what I wanted in a sheltie.

In 2017 when Mike and I were moving to Idaho, I was contacted by a fabulous couple that already had a sheltie from us and was looking for another- an adult.  I didn't think I could part with Cassia, but I also knew that we were moving, so everyone's life was going to be up-ended, and we were bringing quite a few dogs with us on our journey. If Cassia was going to move anyway,  I knew that Nancy and Dale were a great place to land.  I was confident they were going to love Cassia as much as I did, so I let her go with them.  

I missed her a lot, but they sent me great pictures and wonderful stories and I knew that Cassia was spreading her love to a new circle of people, and they in turn were responding with more love.  

On June 2 they contacted me to say that Cassia had departed this world and they were heart-broken.  Me too.  I will continue to look for her in her off-spring and be thankful for her time in my life.  She added a lot. 

A poem from Nancy:

Cassia 

Grand Champion in the ring 

Grand Champion in our hearts

It has taken too many days to write this tribute 

Because our tears were too fresh 

And our love for Cassia... ever present

 And Cassia was, and is, an example 

Of perfection 

Joy... love... fun... beauty... our pup 

She stayed by our side 

Nana in Peter Pan 

And yet she was independence personified 

We are, today, so lucky

 To have Cassia’s daughter at our side

 Keeper... a keeper... a piece of Cassia 

When you lose a dog 

The world tilts 

And steals a bit of your soul

 Cassia... you were more than a “bit” 

You shared our lives You stole our hearts... forever