Beau and I have always been dog people. Most of our married life, we've had two dogs, and occasionally three. Over the years, Timothy, Emily, Kirby, Ghost, Marshall, Hannah, and Sophie all became beloved members of our family.

By the end of 2024, we were down to one dog. Cozette was approaching her 15th birthday, and for the first time in decades, we found ourselves wondering whether we were ready to close this chapter of our lives. After much discussion, we decided Cozette would be our last dog.

Then came Sage.

On the morning of December 29, 2024, I was walking Cozette near a wooded field in our neighborhood when I heard a loud whimper. Moments later, a tiny black puppy burst from the trees and came running straight toward me. Crying and clearly frightened, she reached me, and I scooped her into my arms.

The neighborhood quickly rallied around our unexpected visitor. Melinda Coker spread the word on social media, another couple searched the area, and later that afternoon Derrith Bondurant drove me to the veterinarian and loaned me a playpen. It truly became a community effort.

Despite everyone's best efforts, no owner was found.

Meanwhile, the little puppy was settling comfortably into our home, and our hearts. Even Cozette seemed taken with her. Before long, we knew she was staying. We named her Sage, a name that fittingly means "one who possesses wisdom."

From the beginning, Sage and Cozette became fast friends. While Cozette loved chasing balls, Sage quickly revealed a different talent: catching flying discs. She leapt through the air with remarkable athleticism, eagerly returning each throw for another round. Before long, our family had settled into a joyful new routine centered around our energetic newcomer.

People often ask what breed Sage is. The best answer I can give is that she's a "field dog." After all, she simply came running out of a field one December morning.

But Sage is more than that. She has added years to Cozette's life, and probably to mine as well. Her endless energy keeps us all moving, whether we're throwing flying discs in the yard or simply enjoying more time outdoors together. What began as an unexpected interruption to our plans became a gift to our entire family.

As the saying goes, "When we make plans, God laughs." Just when we had decided our family was complete, Sage appeared and proved otherwise.

It turns out we needed one more dog after all.