Every now and then, a photo pops up in our camera roll that stops us in our tracks. One of those “Oh man… remember that day?” kind of pictures.

And this one? This one’s a classic.

There they are—Julius and Jax. Side by side. Brothers in crime. Partners in noise. Feathered chaos gremlin meets four-legged gremlin-in-training. This was back when we first landed in Texas, still settling into our new place, trying to unpack boxes while pretending we had a clue what we were doing. And while we were busy figuring out how to build IKEA furniture and navigate Texas traffic, these two were thriving. Julius was perched proudly on his playstand, crest slightly raised, looking like he was already scouting the neighborhood for potential conquest. Jax, meanwhile, was lounging underneath, tail wagging, tongue out, with the clear expression of, “I have no idea what’s going on, but I love it.”

They didn’t know the house. They didn’t know the town. But they knew each other—and that’s all they needed. Julius would talk (okay, shout) at Jax from across the room, and Jax would wag his tail like Julius just offered him a steak. Sometimes Julius would toss a toy off his perch, and Jax would proudly “retrieve” it, like they’d invented their own chaotic game of fetch. They were loud. They were ridiculous. They were a two-species sitcom we never asked for but desperately needed. And sure, that first week in Texas was full of stress—setting up utilities, learning where the best tacos were, trying to remember what “feels like 108°” actually feels like. But through it all, we had this hilarious duo reminding us to laugh, take a breath, and maybe not leave the toilet paper where Jax could get it. Looking back now, that photo is more than just a throwback. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come—and how no matter where we land, if we’ve got each other (and a healthy supply of almonds and chew toys), we’ll be just fine. Here’s to Julius, Jax, and the beginning of our Texas chapter.

May your feathers stay fluffed, your tails stay wagging, and your chaos always be just controlled enough to make life fun.

(Also may Julius never figure out how to open the front door again. That was a whole other adventure.)