PandAmonium

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{Ailuropoda melanoleuca}  Giant Pandas.

{source}

Growing up I liked these black and white bears.  They're cute, cuddly-looking, fierce creatures.  Also, who doesn't love a bambo-a-tarian?  It totally helps the environment.

So when Thai Shan the panda was born the day Mike and I visited the National Zoo for the first time ever since moving to DC, I was ecstatic.  I knew baby pandas are the size of a butter stick, so it made sense that the cub's nickname was such.

Mike and I continued to visit Thai Shan when we found ourselves at the zoo.  I swear that bear hardly made it outside.  Still, we saw it, waved at it, and pretended to talk to it (or maybe we really talked to it, but we're totally sane).

Then the fateful day came to send Thai Shan back to China.  Did you know ALL pandas are on loan from China?  That's a strange deal if you really stop to think about it.  New York City's not asking for any rats back.  I guess rats aren't as adorable.
Maybe it's an adorable-factor.
The fact that they are endangered doesn't help extend their stay.

Back on topic...
So Fed-Ex gets the box ready for Thai Shan, China gets excited to up their panda numbers, and DC prepares the farewell.
Simultaneously Mike prepared his proposal to ask me to spend our lives together!
 
What ensued after Mike popped The Question, I call PandAmonium.
Panda'monium because the amount of panda stuff that found it's way into our home was astounding.

Don't get me wrong, I like the bears.
And my youngest niece will be dressed as a baby panda at our wedding (cute, cute, cute!).

But here's a fraction of our collection:

1.  Personalized panda mugs, a gift from the National Zoo in celebration of our engagement. (They also gave us a bottle of champagne!  Not too shabby, eh?)

2.  Pandora Panda charm! My mom bought this for me for my bracelet.  I love this one.  It's sweet and cute and carries such special meaning.

3.  Matching panda shirts, a gift from Mike's dad and stepmom.

4.  A stuffed panda, also from the National Zoo.  Penny Lane tried to get in the shot.  I love that my cat is black and white like a panda.

Do you have any collections that sprung themselves on you?


{All photos by: Yours Truly, Me}