On August 5, 2009, the most beautiful angel the world has ever seen left this earth to cross the Rainbow Bridge. This angel's name was Beauregard Phire.  

Beauregard was a very cute, very gentle, and very loving little Lhasa Apso who spent many years with us, ultimately teaching us the most important and basic of lessons that life has to offer.  He taught us how to truly celebrate our lives, as well as the lives of others.  He taught us the importance of living life with love and compassion in our hearts.  Likewise, Beauregard never met a stranger -- never failing to introduce himself and extend a greeting to anyone that he met.  He taught us how to make friends (a lesson that is often taken for granted by us less-than-sophisticated humans).  Beauregard was truly our source of inspiration; and from this inspiration came his most cherished nickname: "Sweetness and Light."

Sadly, Beauregard -- like all companion animals -- got old.  At the age of fifteen, he went home to a place where the pain no longer plagued him; a place where the doggie treats manifest themselves with abundance, and where the belly rubs and ear scratches are free for the taking.  Beauregard's advanced age ultimately made it more, and more difficult for HIM to care for US.  He held on for as long as he could -- waiting for the time when his beloved charges could continue on in his absence.  

Beauregard knew, however, that his job caring for us would not end with his passing.  So, before leaving this earth, he set out to orchestrate the Universe in such a way as to lead us to a place where our tortured hearts could begin to heal.  That place was Georgia Animal Rescue & Defence (GARD).  

The decision to find another dog (just one short month after the passing of our sweet Beau had occurred) was a very difficult one, indeed.  We were plagued with questions, such as: "Will he forgive us for looking at another animal?  Have we waited enough time?  Can we really give our love and attention to another animal in need, when our hearts and minds are still on our loss?"  These questions led to more questions, and more still; until finally it dawned on us that Beau's magic was working its wonders right before our very eyes.  When we came across the GARD website, it was not our hands doing the internet navigating...it was Beau's paws.  He led us to our source of healing.

While at GARD, we fell in love with not just one dog, but two -- being the soft-hearted saps we are.  Sadie Mae (a gorgeous little Miniature Pinscher mix) and Ember (a regal little Labrador mix) both went home with us that day.

Both girls are now an intricate part of our lives here in downtown Savannah.  Having never had real leash training before, the girls proved somewhat challenging in this area at first.  Yet, it was quite obvious that they were more than willing to learn how to walk on leashes; and in two days time, both girls have mastered "stay," "sit," "come," and a handful of other simple commands.

Sadie Mae, despite the obvious Southern name she has, is truly a city-girl at heart.  Her interest in all things in downtown Savannah tickles us.  The horse-drawn carriages, the loud buses, the hundreds of people clogging the sidewalks each day is nothing but inspiration for her, and peaks her curiosity at every turn.  At first, Ember was a bit skittish of all the noise, excitement and hustle-and-bustle of city life.  Now, however, even she is curious, adventurous, and loving the downtown lifestyle, just as much as Sadie.  

Both girls get to run and play together; they simply love the exhilaration of jogging with us each day; they enjoy meeting all the neighbors and their dogs; and most importantly, they love their new home.  And what dog wouldn't love it, especially with all the toys, a big comfy sofa on which to chill out, and a big fluffy bed on which to wrestle?

Yet, despite all the blessing and luxuries that they have at their disposal, WE are the ones that are blessed to have them in our lives.  We didn't pick these girls.  They were picked for us by our dearly departed Beauregard.  He knew we needed to move on.  And he made sure to send us the best girls for the job!

To the team at GARD: thank you for what you do.  You might not realize it now, but your job on this earth is more than just rescuing companion animals like Sadie Mae and Ember.  Your job is actually a small part of a much grander plan.  The work you do showers this planet with sparks of light and compassion.  And we humans need to take lessons from what you do, and apply it to our own daily lives.  Never lose the faith, the drive, or the passion to do what you do.  If it weren't for caring people like you, we might not have had the chance to meet our new girls, who are helping us to heal more, and more every day.