This is Misty, formally known as Misty Mountain of the Blue Sky. She was born in Missouri on December 17, 1983 with the sweetest of faces and dispositions. This is Rise's (her mom's) favorite picture of her, as Misty "looked like a little lion- so proud, strong, and sitting tall!" Misty's family was a military one, so she got to travel lots and have many new adventures. Her funniest adventure took place the day the family moved into a new home, with a swimming pool, in Southern California. Unfortunately, they had to wait five long weeks before being able to move in, so Misty had to be boarded. 

Rise said, "The minute the moving van departed, my daughter and I jumped in my car and raced to get Misty. She was beside herself with excitement. We pulled up to the front door, got out, and hurried her to the back yard, where my husband and youngest son were waiting to greet our lovely red-gold furr-ball of love! Misty greeted them with the same enthusiasm as she had my daughter and I. Then she proceeded to notice this cool, azure water amidst a very big Bathtub! One paw extended itself to test this curious new thing; then another. Of course, at that point, 60+ pounds of Golden 'eased' into the pool. It was like a film in slow-motion, for in my mind's eye Misty turned her face toward me as she was sliding into the pool, and her eyes were as big as saucer's. I could almost hear her say, 'Holy Cow, Mom, what is this, and what's happening?' In my heart, I knew that as a retriever, her instincts would take over, and she would swim, but the overly-protective side of me came out, and I physically pulled her out before she had time to enjoy this new pastime, which she would later learn was kind of fun."

Sadly, but after a long and truly wonderful life, Misty died on July 2, 1998. Rise tells us that "the family learned from her as she did us, which makes it so hard now that she is gone." This picture was the final one in Misty's Album, taken the morning that she died, at 14½ years of age. But Rise says, "Thank you Misty for being our girl for almost 15 years. Mom, Dad, Tom, Robin & Greg will never forget you!"