When Brianna Hagood’s husband, Tyler, surprised her with a weekend getaway for her birthday, they were both excited about the chance to relax for a bit. On their way there, they stopped at a McDonald’s drive-through for some food, and that’s when Hagood noticed a dog with no collar wandering around the parking lot.

“I looked at Tyler and said, ‘BABE!’” Hagood told The Dodo. “He looked and me and said, ‘No, honey, let’s just go to the beach.’ As he continued to the window, I slightly raised my voice in excitement, remembering, ‘I can save that dog if I want to because it’s my birthday!’ The cashier opening the window looked shocked at first, then looked at Tyler and said, ‘She should save that dog. It’s her birthday and it’s been here all morning!’ That was all the encouragement I needed.”

Hagood hopped out of the car and headed to where the dog was. He walked right up to her, wagging his tail. They sat together in the parking lot, and there was no doubt in Hagood’s mind that the dog was coming with her.

“Tyler got our food and pulled out of the drive-through and parked the car next to where I was sitting with the goodest boy,” Hagood said. “I opened the car door and asked if he wanted to come in, and before I finished asking, he had jumped in my car and was sitting down … There was never a decision for me. When I got out of my car, I knew I was not leaving this pup on the side of the road.”

The couple asked around at the different businesses next to the McDonald’s, and everyone said the same thing. The dog had wandered up that morning and no one seemed to know where he came from or who he belonged to. On their way to the hotel, the couple stopped at a vet clinic to see if the dog was microchipped. He wasn’t, so their next stop was Walmart to get him all of the supplies he’d need to join them on their beach weekend. They’d originally been planning on bringing their new puppy with them, so they’d already booked a dog-friendly room at the hotel, which made Hagood feel like it was meant to be.

As they got settled into the room, their new dog friend settled in alongside them. He was incredibly well-behaved and seemed to know exactly what to do. Hagood fell more in love with him with every minute that passed and, even though it hadn’t been his idea of the perfect weekend, so did her husband.

“While I was brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed, I heard Tyler playing with him,” Hagood said. “When I walked out of the bathroom, Tyler had invited the pup onto the bed and he was snuggling with him … Although this may not have been his ideal weekend, he knew it was mine, and he knew I would not have had a good time if I was worried about a pup.”

The couple both enjoyed snuggling with the dog all night, and the next day he joined them for the birthday festivities, including a boat ride. The entire day, he acted as if he’d known the couple his whole life — and then they found his family.

His family commented on a post Hagood had made, so the couple drove to their house on their way home to drop the dog off. They found out his name was Blu, and he’d escaped his family’s yard while they were at work. Hagood was heartbroken saying goodbye to her new furry best friend, but she was happy she’d been able to reunite him with his family. Hagood and her husband headed home after an eventful weekend — but the story wasn’t over yet.

That week, Blu’s family got in touch again. They realized things weren’t working for him, and as hard as it was, they asked if the couple would be willing to adopt him. Blu’s parents had seen how much he had bonded with them, and it didn’t take long for them to agree.

“Blu came to our home on Thursday, and he fits right in,” Hagood said. “He stays right by my hip at all times … He is the bestest boy, and we love him.”

The entire weekend, Hagood kept having this feeling that she was meant to find Blu, and it turns out she was right.