Continuing the Journey

 Continuing Our Journey with Mocha Teal

Where are we now, and where have we been?

After leaving the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park Campground, we pointed Gus south toward the Tennessee River. On Monday afternoon, July 6th, we rolled into Sherwood Acres, Josh's little piece of paradise along the Tennessee River.

The day started with one small problem—or maybe not so small.

Our generator wasn't working.

We were hoping that the weather would be on our side, and with about a seven-hour drive ahead of us, we hoped we could make it comfortably without needing it. Sometimes that's what RV life is all about: making the best of what you have and trusting that things will work out. However another lesson learned.

As always, Josh greeted us with a big smile and open arms. It felt good to pull into a place where you're not just another camper—you feel like family.

The plan was simple.

Stay put for a few days.

Wait for an important package to arrive.

And most importantly, reconnect with someone we hadn't seen in many years—our dear friends Greg Kelsoe and Piper.

2 alfa's mated and had a rialta

Little did we know that this stop would become one of the most important chapters of our journey with Mocha Teal.

Before I tell you about Greg and Piper, I need to share something a little more personal.

Around this time, I found myself wondering if adopting Mocha had been the right decision.

I wasn't questioning whether I loved her.

I absolutely did.

I was questioning whether I was the right person for her.

She had endless energy. She needed room to run, another dog to teach her the unwritten rules of being a Labrador, and maybe... just maybe... better humans than Susan and me.

I remember talking with Susan about all of it. I was frustrated. Tired. Wondering if I was failing this little chocolate whirlwind that depended on us for everything.

Susan listened quietly, and then she said something I'll never forget.

"You have never given up on anything."

That one sentence stopped me in my tracks.

She was right.

Throughout our lives we've faced mechanical failures, career challenges, family struggles, impossible repairs, and more than a few breakdowns along the side of the road. Every one of them seemed overwhelming at the time, but somehow we always found a way through.

So why was I thinking about giving up now?

The truth was, I wasn't really frustrated with Mocha.

I was frustrated because I hadn't yet learned how to help her become the dog she was capable of being.

There is a difference.

Mocha wasn't broken. Maybe loved Susan's chair

She wasn't stubborn. She can sleep with door open or closed.

She wasn't a bad puppy. She doesn't spend all of her time in jail.

She was simply being exactly what God created her to be—a young Labrador full of curiosity, enthusiasm, and enough energy to power a small city.

The one who needed to learn wasn't Mocha.

It was me.

That conversation with Susan changed everything.

Instead of wondering if we had made the wrong decision, I started asking a different question.

"What does Mocha need from me?"

As it turned out, the answer was about to arrive in the form of two old friends, a quiet place along the Tennessee River, and a few days that would change the course of our journey together.

Sometimes the road takes you exactly where you need to be—not because of the destination, but because of the lessons waiting there.

It was a much better question.

The answer began to unfold over the next several days.

Watching Greg work with Piper was a lesson in itself. There was no yelling, no forcing, and no frustration—just patience, consistency, and trust. Piper became a wonderful role model for Mocha, showing her how to settle down, observe, and simply enjoy being a dog.

Then came a few unforgettable firsts.

Mocha took her very first ride on a four-wheeler, sitting proudly as if she'd been doing it her whole life.

Not long after, thanks to our wonderful host Josh, she experienced her very first boat ride on the Tennessee River. At first she wasn't quite sure what to think, but before long she was taking in the sights, the breeze, and all the new smells that only life on the water can offer.

Thank you, Josh, for giving Mocha another adventure she'll never forget.

Today, July 11th, showed me something even more important.

I could actually see Mocha changing.

She met a beautiful Great Dane that had been trained as a therapy dog. Calm, gentle, and confident, the big dog became another quiet teacher without even trying.

She also met a friendly white Schnauzer named Opel Jean.

As I watched the interactions between Opel Jean, something finally clicked.

Mocha wasn't trying to dominate anyone.

She wasn't an alpha dog at all.

She was simply a submissive puppy looking for guidance from dogs that knew more than she did.

That realization changed the way I looked at her.

She didn't need someone to "control" her.

She needed someone to patiently teach her.

Looking back now, I realize that Sherwood Acres wasn't just another stop on our journey.

It became the place where I stopped trying to change Mocha...

...and started learning how to understand her.

Sometimes, the greatest lessons don't come from books, trainers, or YouTube videos.

Sometimes they come from old friends, new experiences, a peaceful river, and a little chocolate Labrador who has been teaching her humans all along.

Happy Journeys from all of us—until the next stop down the road.