Photo Friday

Look at this face!

This is the little creature that has been taking up all of our time lately.  Her name is Shoyu, and she is 10 weeks old.  I am totally smitten.  :)

Feliz Cumpleanos a mi Mama!

Today is my beautiful mother's birthday!  We have had a celebratory weekend, fitting for such an awesome lady.  I am SO happy we were able to be here to celebrate with her!  I normally miss her birthday because we can't fly in until the day before Christmas.

My Dad and Mom at the UT game this year

And today I am exactly half her age. That is kind of blowing my mind...the fact that she's now known me half her life, but she had an entire other life exactly the length of my current life before I was born.  Ha, confused yet?  Woah... Maybe I need more coffee.

Happy Birthday Ma!

My grandparents

Patricia and M.O. Shepard at the Dickson Country Club - it had to have been the 70's!

Come on A Surfari With Me...

It may seem backwards for two people who live in Hawaii to pay to go somewhere else to go surfing (something we can do for free in our own backyard).  But that's just what we did in the latest installment of "Ethan & Stacey flit around the world in search of architecture, culture, cheap flights, and friends."

Grateful

We are once again sitting in an airport waiting to board a flight that will take us off on a new adventure.
We made an unscheduled detour to Nashville two weeks ago to be with my family, and the word that keeps coming to my mind is grateful.

I am so grateful that we have this time in flux, and that we can change plans, re-route, and be somewhere in a moments' notice (relatively). This is not possible when tethered to a desk. Even though we'll be back at our desks soon enough, I am grateful for this chance to travel, learn a bit about the world, and for the chance to spend the last week of my grandpa's life by his side. I feel pretty blessed to have had such a kind, loving, and supportive grandfather, and am so grateful that I got to be with my family to toast him and his life!

Now...off to Nicaragua! Grandpa Shep would insist!

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Boca, Bar Mitzvahs...

To understand a Bar Mitzvah in Boca Raton, one has to first understand the familial bond forged when a culture is transplanted. My dad grew up in a tight-knit Jewish community in Brooklyn, NY. On his block and in his small apartment building, he grew up surrounded by family and friends; most of whom had recently emigrated from Eastern Europe. Like so many other families like mine, these relationships stood the test of time and, of course, the move to Florida.

I don’t know what number or how many times removed Michael and I are, but that technicality is moot. Put a bunch of Jews in a room and we are all family!

Arlene and Stacey

Let me set the stage for this experience: Imagine generations of strong traditionalism crossed with the flash of south Florida panache ala Will Smith’s “Welcome to Miami” video. . .

The brothers Levine

Jews + Hip Hop = “White Hot”

This was the theme of the Bar Mitzvah party thrown by our hosts, my cousins, the Myers! The party in the evening was awesome, to say the least. I vaguely remember having a Bar Mitzvah of my own, but I can tell you with absolutely clarity that I didn’t have simulcast video projections of the dance floor, I didn’t have fly girls, and I didn’t have a pimp ass white suit!

The Bar Mitzvah makes his paparazzi entrance!

Ethan and Steph gettin' down

 
Attention to detail is an understatement. I mean, my cousin has a white hot art deco inspired Logo! If Michael wanted to launch his own men’s clothing line or fragrance, his brand has been established!

Even though the party was awesome, let’s not forget that we were celebrating a coming of age (actually called “becoming a Bar Mitzvah”). Diligent study of the Torah and a personal commitment to tradition are a necessary step towards becoming a Bar Mitzvah. The party is the icing on the cake.