palterblog

Old friends are so important. They help us to remember - where we came from and perhaps where we are going.

What a difference a couple of decades makes…

All that planning and preparation, months of practicing and it was all over in the blink of an eye. Maddy was remarkably poised, Leigh-Anne was proud and I was beaming.

Photography for the event was ably handled by Jessica on whose blog site you can find sample pictures from the Tuesday afternoon rehearsal and the Sunday evening party.

In the end, I was not prepared for the pure joy I felt throughout the weekend. I was so proud of Maddy’s accomplishments and I was so happy to see her reveling in the attention. Then, it occurred to me that Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s are not just signifying a child’s passage into adulthood, but a parent’s passage to the next stage of parenthood - grandparenthood, perhaps. Hard to imagine, sitting there watching a 14-year-old chant from the Torah. But then again, I did not imagine 7 years ago when Maddy came into my life that I would be sitting behind her on the bimah while she chanted Torah at her Bat Mitzvah.

Life is full if surprises. And this one was one of the sweetest.

The month of May was a momentous one for the Palter family. Leigh-Anne finally received formal recognition of her amazing achievement in obtaining her Masters degree in Business Administration.

It was a beautiful spring day on the campus. I love this picture of Leigh-Anne and her classmate and fellow troublemaker James Miller - both because it captures them in their gowns against the classic backdrop of the Queen’s campus and, in the bottom right corner, there’s little Benny peeking in.

Successful completion of an executive MBA is not only an individual accomplishment, but a reflection of a team’s intense struggles and mutual support over a grueling 15 month period. Leigh-Anne was fortunate to have teammates (pictured below) of exceptional character and commitment. They owe their MBAs, in part, to each other.

Partnerships of all kinds contribute to the success of the MBA. James had Mark (among others). Leigh-Anne had Jay (along with Maddy, Ben and Ella, Linda, Hal, Karen, Mhel, Paul, etc.).

In the end, what’s a party without balloons. James helped Benny and Ella “liberate” some party favours.

The end of a long and fulfilling day.

Congratulations to my beautiful and intelligent wife, Leigh-Anne. Your accomplishment is truly awesome!

The other day, I asked Ella who was her best friend at school. “Ben,” she said.

Ben was a lion. Ella was an elephant.

When Ben arrived at the doors, he’d say: “Trick or treating.” I corrected him at the next couple of doors. Then, he turned to me and said: “It’s ‘Trick or Treat’, not ‘Trick or Treating’, right Dad?”

Here they are sampling the loot!

Today was the eighth day. Today was the bris, the brit milah, the big snip — the ceremonial circumcision of Ben. I slept poorly last night, both anxious about the day’s events and reflecting on their profound relevance to my life.

Parents and grandparents blessing Ben and Ella

Maddy and Ella (left)and Grandpa Hal and Jay tending to Ben (right)

By the time of the event, I was a father bursting with pride and joy. My precious little boy was well-mannered and brave as he underwent the procedure. And my sweet little girl was calm and serene as the community welcomed her.

I cannot remember a better week in my life. Everything has changed and will change more. I am so in love with those babies.

Here is a little video piece of us coming home from the hospital earlier this week. It is entitled: We’ll Take Two.