This time ten years ago, we’d never have guessed that someday we would all gobble Greek yogurt and hashtag everything.

This time two years ago, we didn’t know Bubbles or Riley or Chewbacca-mask lady.

This time last year, some of our favorite people were just getting ready to get down.

By “people,” of course, I mean “cats,” and by “get down,” of course, I mean “get born.”

Yes, kittens; it’s been a year — fifty-two weeks, twelve full moons, 260 Tonight Shows — since Archer and the Artists were born.

In the extremely unlikely event that you’ve forgotten almond-colored astonishment Archer, let his AwesomeAdopters remind you:

“I wanted to send along some pictures of Archer as he celebrates his first birthday!

“Attached are some pictures taken over the last week or so. Also attached is a picture from last July when we brought Archer home.

“As you can see, he has grown quite a bit. His favorite place is still the box we made for him that looks out of the laundry room window. He just loves sitting up there and looking out, especially now that the windows are back open for the season. He loves napping there with the breeze blowing on him. When he is not napping, he loves to watch the birds fly above or the chipmunks playing below.

“His second favorite place is lying in the afternoon sun in front of the storm door. From this location, he can watch the cars go by and people walking their dogs. In the evening, he loves chasing the bugs once the front porch light goes on.

“When someone first comes into the house, Archer is initially on the shy side. He actually slides open the door in the laundry room so he can hide in the closet! After a few minutes, though, he comes out to mingle with visitors.

“We don’t need an alarm clock in this house. Like clockwork, every morning between 4:30 – 5:00, there is Archer, meowing for breakfast.

“Archer was just about 3 lbs. when we took him home late last July, and he now tops the scale at 13 lbs. on the nose. We are careful not to overfeed him, but our vet has said he is an OK size — he is just a big cat.

“He is very independent, and as of yet is not much of a lap cat…but we’re working on that.

“Archer is currently getting ready to make a move with us as we downsize. We’re going to set him up near a new window, which he will hopefully enjoy. He was a good guy with all the people coming and going as we were in the process of selling our house. We didn’t want to take any chances with him running out (he is very adventurous) while the house was being shown, so we got him a nice kitty condo cage. Funny thing is, even now that all the coming and going has stopped, he likes to sleep in there from time to time with the door open.

“We’ll send some more pictures later this summer. Once we are all settled at some point down the road, we hope to get him a playmate!”

We’ll be ready — and the right Archer Ally will be one blessed beastie.

Celebrating the big 0-1 along with Archer are a little trio you may remember as Les Artistes: Georgia, Picasso and Frida.

While the first two creative kittens were healthy, “normal” (as if such a term bore any meaning re: cats), and adopted together, little Frida was never expected to see those twelve full moons go by.

When a weeks-old Frida was diagnosed with a catastrophic congenital heart defect, we honestly would have been grateful to be guaranteed a mere four months with her. We took many pictures (a la the thumbnail above), cried many tears, prayed many prayers.

But twelve months later, our all-growed-up calico miracle shows no signs of slowing down.

Fostered, then flunked-out-of-fostering and adopted by staff member Jessica T., Frida is by all accounts a wonder of a one-year-old. Jessica and Mr. Jessica have loved the life into Frida, and her days and heart both bubble over with delight. If you didn’t know Frida had a troubled ticker, you’d never know.

Which just goes to show: when it comes to cats, and life, and the future, you never know.

As it happens, that’s a good thing.

And so, as the universe enters Year 2 of adoring Archer, Frida, Picasso and Georgia, bring on the good things that we can’t yet imagine.

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