palterblog

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!