Our story started the way all great love stories do: with a parrot and a road trip. It didn’t look like much at the time, but it became everything.

It began when Caleb asked Katie if she wanted to take in a parrot that needed a home. The answer was obviously no; she definitely didn’t need another bird. But fate has a sense of humor. Just a few months later, we were on our first road trip together (with one chiweenie packed along for the ride), heading to Alabama… and we came back with that same chiweenie and a new parrot. The rest, as they say, is history.

When a relationship between two bird people happens to bloom, it’s pretty serious (check our photos for proof of just how seriously we take being parronts).

Together, we’ve built a bond full of laughter, mutual care, support, and a shared sense of purpose. It’s rooted in compassion, a drive to leave things better than we found them, and a deep belief in humanity and the power of love to make the world a kinder place.

In the spirit of that choice, Caleb is taking Katie’s last name, Shuttle. After a lifetime of carrying names given by circumstance, this one is chosen with love, with intention, and with a sense of home. It’s not just a name. It’s ours.

In New England, surrounded by the place and people that feel like home, we’ve chosen to commit to one another. This promise is more than a private vow; it’s a commitment to live with compassion, to nurture joy, and to keep working toward a more loving world. Our story is not only about each other, but about choosing to show up together for humanity, for community, and for the future we hope to help create.