So next week, both Tai Shan and Mei Lan are headed to China. The two biggest sources of my beloved panda porn are boarding a plane bound for Chengdu. I’ve been reading all day about the big shin-dig they’re holding for Tai Shan in D.C. tomorrow, but I’ve kind of wondered why people want to celebrate. I’ve known all along that both panda stays would be temporary (all offspring of loaned pandas have to go to China — that’s the deal), but I’m still sad. Especially about Tai Shan. The kids and I went to D.C. to see him when he was a baby. Tanner wasn’t even a teenager yet. It was our first big family vacation. We’ve been many places since, but this was the first time I could actually provide them with an experience like that — and I was so proud. We went to the Cherry Blossom Festival at the height of the season, took in every monument, explored every square inch of the zoo, learned the Metro System. But it all started with that baby bear. So much has changed since then. And not just with Tai Shan’s age, size and zip code. My boys are growing up. In two years, my nest will be empty. Family vacations are becoming more and more precious. But nothing will ever compare to our trip to see Tai Shan.