Petfinder.com is a great site and that is where my girlfriend found our daughter Lucy. She is a terrier mix and makes a great companion for our Schnauzer Oscar. We actually got her from the Schnauzer rescue because she supposedly had Schnauzer in her but I am not sure of that. It doesn’t matter anyway.
I would go with a rescue 100%. It is a much more gratifying feeling knowing that we saved our kids from being put to sleep. I can't imagine why they were on the street to begin with because they are both house trained, loyal, and sweet.
Another big advantage with a rescue is price. Most agencies will only want to recover what they have in the animal. Most of the times it’s not much and even if it seems like a lot it’s nothing compared to going to a puppy mill.
When going through pet finder be certain that you have your stuff together. They may ask for references, ask which vet you will take them to, and will probably want to tour your home. You may think you are about to adopt a child, well you are it just isn’t totally human
Be careful on the breed you are looking for. For example while many people suggest a Jack Russell Terrier, which may be an excellent breed, this might not be the dog for YOU. They can be VERY hyper animals and if you are gone most of the day this may be a problem. You know your lifestyle and know how much time you have to devote to your new pet. Get something that falls in line with that. Anything else and you might not be happy with your choice.
For instance I knew that I needed to find an older dog because I couldn’t devote the time it takes to train a puppy. Both my g/f and I work and are gone for 9-10 hours at a time. An older dog was the perfect solution for us and Schnauzers do not require plenty of physical activity.
Since I referred to my kids so many times in this thread it was only fair that I post a picture for you too

The same pic that is in the Autopian pets… Let’s see ‘em thread
Good luck Josh!
OH and one more thing. I am glad you didn't fall for the Nigerian scam, you would have lost money.