annual christmas photo

christmas eve eve 2007 - vallejo, ca

another tradition! ever since we've owned a digital camera, we've taken an annual christmas photo.

usually, its taken at around midnight on christmas eve, after having spent the evening with mark's family and just before opening our presents to each other - which means that sometimes the photo sessions are cut short due to a combination of tiredness and anticipation!

this year's photo was taken two days before christmas....we wanted to take it at our home, and tomorrow we'll be heading back to chicago for the week!

so i'll take this opportunity to wish you a very merry christmas. may God richly bless you this holiday season.

love,

audrey

christmas eve 2006 - rogers park, chicago, il

sadly, our photos from 2003 - 2005, when we lived in evanston are permanently "stored" on a crashed hard drive. anyone know how these might be retreived? three years of photos is a lot to loose.

christmas eve 2002 - schaumburg, il

christmas eve 2001 - our first christmas married - des plaines, il

christmas day 2000 - newly engaged! photo taken at the cruz's home, chicago, il

isn't it fun to see how much we've changed (and grown up) over the years?

quality friday: christmas traditions

Christmas time is here
Families growing near
Oh that we could always see
Such spirit through the year







with christmas just around the corner (yay! hooray!), the week has brought with it a few christmas traditions for mark and i...

christmas trees

since we've been married, we have only ever purchased fresh christmas trees for our home. we love the smell of pine and the festivity that it adds to our home.

last year, our rogers park apartment didn't really have room for a tree so sadly, we didn't have one. and this year, since we'll be traveling to chicago for christmas, we briefly considered forgoing one again.

we quickly discovered, however, that although mid-50 degree weather doesn't make it feel like christmas outside, a tree, decorations and candles lit inside will do just the trick! off we went, found ourselves a fresh tree, and smiled at the cheer it brought to our home.

that, and the little ceramic tree with tiny colorful lights, that's pictured above. as a little boy, mark loved decorating this mini-tree, and although the bright star on top broke many years ago, and a few of lights have been lost over the years, we hope that some day our children will love doing just the same.

that very first gift

although i didn't realize it as a tradition until this year, i now recognize that opening the very first christmas gift in our home deserves its own place on the list.

you see, the earlier we finish christmas shopping (for each other, that is), the sooner this tradition surfaces. some years it finds its way into our homes on the morning of the 24th, just after all the gifts are wrapped. and on other years - like this one - it happens even sooner.

inevitably, my dear husband (who loves christmas and presents very much), will look at me with sweet and innocent eyes, and ask, "can we open just one?"

"please?", he asks. or worse, "i really want you to open one. i don't care if i do or not."

i've never been able to resist the pleading, so why start now? officially, its a tradition in our home - one that we celebrated on thursday this year.

and my gift? this lovely wristlet that i'd been wanting. thank you sweetie! more traditions will follow as we make our way to christmas day. until then, happy quality friday to you!

sweet home, chicago

last week brought me back home for a few days, and boy were they busy ones! i packed in as much "seeing people" as i possibly could, and here's a bit of a recap of the little taste of home that this quick trip brought!

• wednesday afternoon, my plane landed and i got to see snow on the ground!
• quickly headed to my parents, let myself in, tiptoed into the living room (not that it was a surprise, but still), and was greeted with squeals and hugs from my mom and dad. dad's first comment was "i'm having trouble getting to your blog...can you help me with that" :)
• daniel was home, too, and jonathan got home shortly afterwards, having just finished his last final (congrats, jonny!) - we all headed out to dinner, and enjoyed a scrumptious meal.
• brandon joined us for dessert, and after some light shopping in downtown evanston, mom and i headed over to see his NEW CONDO!!! it really is gorgeous. proud of you, brandon!

• thrusday, i headed in to work for the day, and then had a delicious dinner out with my work team.
• i left and got to my old high school just in time for my brother, daniel's, concert choir performance. they sounded amazing - great job, daniel!
• mark's dad, norman was there, too. and i got to see my choral conductor, mrs. brown, from my own concert choir days! as in, the teacher from the class where mark and i met almost thirteen years ago. i haven't seen her in over 10 years!
• afterwards, the family enjoyed a relaxing night at home - brandon's girlfriend, shruti, was also at the concert and hung out later with us.

• friday brought another busy day at work, which i got to break up with a wonderful lunch with my dear friend, lindsay. i really do miss her.
• after work, i stopped by my friend precious' home, for a quick visit with her, and to meet her beautiful twins! jakob and jaimie are beautiful, and i'm so happy for this wonderful family.
• after picking up some wine, i met melissa for dinner at a local favorite (seriously, they make good everything), and even ran into our friends mandy and don, who were having dinner there, too!
• we got to spend the rest of the evening enjoying melissa's beautifully decorated pine scented home and some catch-up bff time. and i finally got to see her spain photos:)

• and saturday morning, i woke up for an early flight home. snow was falling, beautifully covering the ground, and it felt like christmas to me. ahhh.

i can't wait to head back next week. it'll be fun for mark and i to be there together this time, and we're looking forward to a wonderfully busy week. save some snow for him, okay?

quality friday: afternoon breaks

some days desperately call for a little something extra to break up the monotony or busy-ness of the day.

back when i worked in an office [i know, i'm saying that like it was ages ago], i would enjoy a lunch-hour run with my workout buddies, as a way to clear my head and rejuvenate for the afternoon ahead. it worked wonders, and now that i work from home, you'd think that these types of breaks would be easier to take. in fact, they're not.

when i'm on the road, there are definitely days when my lunches are either highly condensed or completely non-existent. on the days i'm working from home i either find myself forget about lunch, or i spend the hour checking my personal e-mail, friend's blogs, or other such stationary activities. sadly, at the end of the day, i look back and realize that i've just spent 8+ hours sitting on my couch with my computer on my lap and a phone to my ear, having done almost no physical activity at all.

not only do i end up feeling sluggish, lethargic, and just plain gross, but my back and neck have also started to ache from my poor posture.

this week, i finally determined that i was going to make an effort to do something active, something enjoyable or at least something that didn't involve a computer on my lunch hour. on tuesday, it was a trip to the bank and a walk around the grocery store to pick up ingredients for dinner. on wednesday, a run on the treadmill while watching martha make fudge [and have i mentioned that my knee no longer hurts when i run?!?!?!]. on thursday, some pilates and stretches at home, because the rain was coming down something fierce.

and friday break certainly topped off the week!

i took the day off so that i could enjoy mark's end-of-semester vocal recital [he did a fantastic job, by the way!!], and we got to his campus about an hour before the performance, leaving me with a little time to wander about. i found this lovely spot, cracked open my book, and basked in the sunshine on my face and the warmth of the mid-60 degree day, enjoying the gorgeous clouds that the rain left behind, fluffy in the bright blue sky.

it was perfect and refreshing, as all afternoon breaks should be.

what do you do to break up your day? to relax after a busy morning? or to clear your mind and prepare yourself to take on the afternoon? i'd love to hear from you!

homesick

something about being far away from home (home being chicago, of course) as the holiday season began, started to get me down last week.

my week of vacation, during which i was finally able to slow down and relax a little, was followed by a week of very little travel for work. nice as it was, it also left my mind free to finally realize just how much i miss my seeing, and being with, my friends and family.

you see, for a while after we moved, i was finding myself back in chicago every few weeks, so the experience of moving 2,000 miles away was just a little bit cushioned. following this "transition" came almost 2 months of no trips back. and with it, a noticeable lapse in communication with folks back home (and i fully admit that i am as much to blame as anyone), no more marathon to train for, the reality of not being able to get together with anyone easily, missing out on things i wanted to be a part of, and then, our first holiday in california.

i started to feel very, very, far, far away. and the sadness hit like a ton of bricks.

i've never lived away from home before. i went to college 15 minutes from my parents house, and since we've been married, mark and i have never lived more than an hour away from the people that we care about most. so this has been a first for me, and all-of-a-sudden, all at once, the reality of distance set in.

i started to notice that i didn't have much energy to do anything. after a day of sitting at the computer, all i wanted to do was take a nap. and with mark working some nights, i was especially lonely. i found myself in tears one night, wondering things like does anyone even miss us? and can't we just pick up and go home? thankfully, i have a wonderful and supportive husband who held me as i cried, and even cried with me (until we were both laughing:), reminding me that these feelings are normal.

and the next day, i spent a few hours re-connecting with my dearest, oldest friend.

and then i got an e-mail from my mom that reminded me that i'm at the top of her list.

and the next day, we got a call from our friend, and church choir director from home, just to see how things were going with us.

and then my brother, brandon, called and we spent a long time catching up and planning for Christmas.

and to top it all off, i also found out, that work will be bringing me back to chicago even sooner than our planned Christmas trip!

and so, i feel a million times better.

isn't God good? He knows exactly what we need, exactly when we need it, and He always, always, ALWAYS provides.

quality friday: broadway, baby

orpheum theater - photo from theaters of san francisco

since we've moved, we've tried to make it our mission to take in all that we can of our new surroundings. of course, that can sometimes be difficult with my work travel schedule, and mark's equally busy school and work combination, but when we have the chance to do something unique or fun we certainly attempt to.

last weekend, mark happened to flip on the tv, and our cable company was listing an advertisement for a great deal on theater tickets to see the color purple, presented here in san francisco (and all around the country) by a popular chicago icon, no less! we quickly looked online, and found that the deal was only for 2 weeks, with the first show option that following tuesday.

knowing that i had a day trip to seattle planned for wednesday, and thus that i could pretty much guarantee i'd be in town on tuesday night, we jumped at the chance and purchased tickets for 4 days out.

tuesday night, we had fun getting dressed up and heading to the historic orpheum theater to see this wonderful show. the music was a beautiful mixture of jazz, gospel and blues, the story inspiring, and i'll certainly have to watch the movie sometime soon, at mark's recommendation.

if its at a theater near you, take the opportunity to enjoy this story of hope and testament to the healing power of love.

the view of city hall we saw from union square tuesday night

and a lovely thanksgiving weekend, it was.

thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.

it captures the essence of family, to me. time spent together, the aromas and flavors of wonderful comforting foods, and all without the commercialism and pressures of gift-giving that christmas can sometimes become. it really is the perfect time to give thanks.

growing up, i enjoyed this one time each year that my mom's family would gather together. i remember the food was always delicious, lovingly prepared, and more than filling. but it was the company that made the day special - i loved the time with my cousins, aunts and uncles - playing games, catching up on the events of our lives, and cherishing each other.

when mark and i started dating, i remember him coming over for thanksgiving dessert to meet the family, and at then end of the night, my aunt pattie told me that he was "a keeper"! and after we were married, i'll never forget the year i spent 48 hours taking the greyhound home from a trip to visit my nanay who had just suffered a stroke, arriving on thanksgiving morning just in time for a huge celebration at mark's parent's home. it was the last time i saw my grandma before she died. and it was also the last thanksgiving that mark's mom was here with us.

just last year, we finally decided that we were going to stop "splitting" the day between both families. we spent thanksgiving day with mark's family (enjoying a meal at maggiano's), and invited mine over for homemade Greek food on saturday, and planned to reverse the time in years to come. looking back, who would have guessed that this year we'd be 2000 miles away?

when mark's dad and sister decided that they were going to travel to visit us for the weekend, we were thrilled! not only would we have family with us for thanksgiving, but we were also looking forward to having guests for the long weekend, and this being leslie's first trip to visit us in san francisco, we wanted it to be extra special. and it was.

thanksgiving weekend, 2007

thanksgiving day was spent cooking the perfect [both in size and in quality!] meal of turkey, gravy, carol's (mark's mom) famous dressing, homemade cranberry sauce, rolls and spinach gratin. once we were all positively stuffed, we settled in for naps or for a viewing of the princess bride.

friday we took off for some light shopping, lunch of the best burgers california has to offer, and then an afternoon of napa valley wine tasting! we came home and enjoyed an evening of grilled seafood and bacon-wrapped fillets, cheese and more wine:)

saturday, we rounded out the weekend with two trips into san francisco! we drove in over the golden gate bridge, marvelled at the palace of fine arts, had lunch at pier 39, curved down lombard street, stopped for a wade in the ocean, and toured the presidio before heading home to get gussied up for a night of jazz and fine dining.

thanks for joining us for a memorable thanksgiving, norman and leslie! we love you!

madonna estate's reserve tasting room - where mark's favorite was the dolcetto, norman's the cabernet sauvignon, leslie's the muscat canelli, and my favorite the gewürztraminer

enjoying château service at domaine carneros, where we sampled flights of sparkling wine (the Le Rêve was pheNOMenal), pinot noir (mark was dying to leave with the famous gate), smoked salmon and an amazing cheese tray

leslie was determined to touch the ocean...but didn't expect it to be as COLD as it was when it lapped over her feet!

the four of us, thoroughly enjoying the ambiance, cuisine and jazz trio at BIX. i must recommend the following menu items - truffle cheese and sweet onion "croques", tuna tartare, smoked trout salad, grilled hill ranch pork chops, and the american kobe "bavette" steak. the only dissappointment, in my opinion, were the specialty drinks. why make a cosmo with rum, or a gimlet with vodka, when the originals are wonderful the way they are?

its beginning to feel a lot like christmas

christmas concerts...

let me tell you how proud i was to be sitting in the audience listening to my husband perform!

...flurries in the air...

i can't believe how dirty my camera lens was! still, i love this photo of us - isn't mark handsome in his tux?

...even the desserts had a light dusting!

this weekend brought mark's choral concerts on friday and saturday nights. when he mentioned that he needed to bring treats for intermissions, i quickly jumped (again) at the chance to bake.

for those of you who enjoy rich (and i mean rich), chocolate-y desserts, try this brownie recipe. its perfect for every season, any occasion.

*************************************************
outrageous brownies

from the barefoot contessa cookbook

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs (i used 7 large eggs, instead)
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts (optional - i left these out, since mark doesn't enjoy nuts in his brownies)

preheat oven to 350 degrees. butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet. [ i used a 11 x 15-inch baking dish for thicker brownies, and increased the cooking time by ~ 10 minutes. to butter the dish, i recommend using the foil wrappers from sticks of butter. these work perfectly, and can be saved for future use by folding and storing in your refrigerator in a plastic baggie.]

melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water.


allow to cool slightly. in a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. stir in the warm chocolate mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

in a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. add to the cooled chocolate mixture.

toss the walnuts (optional) and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. pour into the baking sheet.

bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do Not Overbake! allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate (very important for them to be cold when cutting!), and cut.

dust with powdered sugar and serve on a party platter, as picture above, or my favorite way to enjoy these delicious treats is to re-heat and serve with french vanilla ice-cream.

quality friday: warm and fuzzies

i consider myself a relatively creative person. through the years, i've enjoyed projects that involve sewing, knitting, crocheting - and crafting in general - and have loved wrapping myself up in the process of creating. from choosing the materials to work with, to deciding what pattern or layout to use, i've poured myself into each project and have been known to spend spend hours-on-end working on this or that.

that's why when we've moved into new apartments in the past, i've usually enjoyed the opportunity to sew curtains for our windows or make dinner napkins to match our decor. and for years, christmas gifts of hats, scarves, blankets and purses have been lovingly made for my family and friends. i've crocheted many a baby blanket for the beautiful bundles of joy that grace my friend's lives, and have made items [mittens and scarves were my specialty] for the crafty angels, a group from our church in chicago, to be donated to those in need - both in our community and around the globe. and i've also found scrapbooks and photo albums to make wonderful gifts for loved ones on special occasions, such as 30th birthdays and bridal showers.

so, then, why have my creative juices dried up, as of late?

i'm sure i can find a million reasons [and even more excuses] for why this has been the case, but the bottom line is that i'm fed up!

projects - like re-lining my wicker laundry basket [so the clothes don't snag], or making curtains for the living room [so the neighbors can't see in]- have made fleeting appearances in my thoughts, but never seem to find their way to fruition. or to state it more accurately, they've never even been started.

its time for a change.

which is why this quality friday post is dedicated to the knitting needles and crochet hooks that i've pulled out of hiding and have actually started to USE this week. i've uncovered a few old projects that are begging to be completed, and have even made my way to my favorite crafts store for some new supplies. the photo above is one of the knitting projects that i started many moons ago, and i've got another one sitting next to me right now, that can't be shown because its recipient just might read this entry:)

PLUS, and i'm on vacation next week [hooray, HOORAY!], so the timing couldn't be more perfect. i've got lots of warm an fuzzy things on my adjenda [and maybe a few practical ones, too], and hope that i'll have some completed projects to share with you soon.

happy quality friday - hope you have a wonderful and creative week ahead of you!

the flavors, sights and sounds of the mission

on sunday, i spent the afternoon enjoying wonderful company and this cool san francisco neighborhood.

my freshman-year college roommate, shannon, was passing through san francisco on her way to a conference in boston [from her home in new zealand!], so she, vlada and i met up to do some exploring in san francisco. and to catch up, of course! shannon's high school friend kate, who also lives in the bay area, and vlada friend sean [now a friend of mark and mine as well!] who lives in the mission, also joined along on the adventure.

sean, vlada, kate and i - stuffed to the brim and walking off our super burritos. mine was a carne asada and pollo combination, with black bean and all the fixin's. mmmm, mmmm good.

these drawers in s.f.'s only pirate supply store, are filled with goodies from sea salt to eye patches

and the shop next door [wish i could remember its name] has a display of orchids next to coolest old wooden wheelchair.

stem, an uber-cute floral boutique, also sells gifts, housewares, candles, stationary.....
...and children's clothing and accessories.

freshman year roomies, enjoying aMAZEing icecream. shannon's tried the sam's sundae [chocolate ice cream, bergamot olive oil, maldon sea salt, and fresh whipped cream], and enjoyed its unique and intense flavors, and i loved my salted caramel and pumpkin combination.

[and on a side note, as we were outside enjoying these treats, we witnessed a crazy car accident....a car full of girls smashed into a parked car at a "T" intersection, and proceeded to jump out of the car, leave it sitting in the middle of traffic blocking 2 lanes, and RAN FROM THE SCENE! thankfully no one was hurt. crazy!]

and here are just a few of the murals that this area is so famous for:

i have to say, i really enjoy this area - its diverse and interesting with a wide variety of food, shops and sights. its not in the least touristy, and has the feel of a "real" san francisco neighborhood.

so, readers, what are your favorite neighborhoods in your favorite cities? and why do you like them?

seafood extravaganza

this was the feast that mark prepared for us on saturday night, when i returned home from a few days in los angeles!




mark recently made friends with the owner of a local seafood market, and was so excited to try their many recommendations, that he decided to create a seafood-sampler meal. the menu included grilled oysters topped with a garlic butter sauce, two types of fish, and lobster [the owner liked mark so much, that he threw in a lobster for free!]. it was quite a treat, and a wonderful way to welcome me home.

i was reminded, again, of how amazing it is to have a husband that loves to cook. he manages to make fantastic meals with what appears to take no effort at all - a skill that i will never quite understand and will likely never possess. all i have to do is sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor.

i'm a lucky girl, i tell you!

fit for a....kid

ever lose track of what you're doing for just a moment? and that moment is just the amount of time needed to make all the difference?

i blatantly disregarding the "hand wash cold", figuring that cold water on the delicate cycle would suffice. but i intended to pay attention to the "dry flat" on the label. critical instructions for 100% merino wool, i was reminded when i opened the dryer.

sad thing is that i've done this before. twice.

so unless i shrink 6 inches, i'm hoping that my favorite travel sweater - lightweight but warm, perfect for an airplane - will be loved by some 10-year-old, somewhere.

quality friday: searching

how long has it been since we moved to northern california? the days seem to be flying by, quickly adding up into weeks and months. life has been busy for both of us.

whereas i feel that i've adjusted to the constant travel of my job, i still often find myself exhausted by it. long hours, time changes, and what feels like constant mental stimulation monday through friday find me more-than-ready for relaxation and regrouping when i'm at home. still, the weekend arrives with its own set of responsibilities - cleaning and laundry to be done, errands to run - as well as my desire to spend as much time with mark as possible.

for mark, his weeks are filled with school during the day, and work many evenings. he often is up at 7am, and not home until 10:30 at night, and his weekends are much shorter than mine with a work shift both on friday and sunday nights. somehow, he fits studying, practicing, and a little relaxation into the mix.

so the weeks have passed - along with them, many a sunday morning - and i'm ashamed to say that until this week, we hadn't visited a single church or worshiped God amidst a community of believers since leaving chicago.

not that we hadn't thought about it. we've prayed many evenings for a church like the one we left - warm, inviting and compassionate, where God's word was preached with vigor and strength, and where the amazingly wonderful people shower you with love from the moment you set foot in the door. what we realized long ago, and were reminded of again last sunday, was that that having been so blessed with all these things back home was going to set the bar high here. but how much good does it do to ask for something when you don't follow up by actively looking?

the hardest part was even knowing where to begin searching for a church home. we began by searching for a local covenant church, but found that there really weren't any in the towns nearby, and knew that driving long distances to church would keep us from getting involved the way that we wanted to. so where turn to next?

one sunday a few weeks ago, we were enjoying lunch at a napa favorite and found ourselves chatting with two couples that had just come from church, and invited us to come for a visit. sadly, weeks later, neither of us could quite remember its exact name, but looking in that area seemed to make sense. being close to mark's work meant that he could easily get there after the service, and being only 20 minutes from home worked nicely too.

interestingly enough we did much of our research on-line, found a few options, and headed to one of them last sunday. it felt wonderful to be worshiping in church and to actually hear a sermon preached, and we're thankful that we've finally gotten through the awkward nervousness of not quite knowing where to go first.

although we're not sure that the church we visited is where we'll make our home, at least we've finally started searching.

enjoying the week

a week at home? it feels like its been a L O N G time since i've had one of those. it has been wonderful to to spend weeknight evenings with mark, to sleep in my own bed at night [which, by the way, i now love. time certainly won us over on that purchase].

of course, there was a bit of a trade off for my week of "local" travel. i spent upwards of four hours a day commuting from our home, located about 30 miles northeast of san francisco, to a client site about the same distance southwest of the city. 60 miles equals 60 minutes, right? maybe on the weekends or in the middle of the day, but not this week for me - i seemed to hit traffic in at least one direction, every day. never mind that i left home between 5:30 and 6:00am [thank you, starbucks double tall lattes], or tried to head out before or after rush hour. sigh.

two things made the commute more bearable. in fact, they made the week downright enjoyable!

the first, that the highway that i chose to take between san francisco and palo alto is breathtakingly beautiful. at sunrise, the fog was still so thick that the mountains weren't even visible and only the largest trees near the road could be seen, paving a captivating path. mid-day, the lush, rolling hills and green trees could be seen for miles, and at time the lakes to the west are even visible. yesterday, i stopped at a vista point to take some photos, attempting to capturing a bit of the beauty. and this evening i found that sunset is equally gorgeous.

even better than the beautiful scenery is that being in palo alto [have i mentioned that i love that town? reminds me of evanston in so many ways], is that i got to hang out with vlada a few time!

on monday evening, we did some shopping [and incidentally, i purchased yet another suit. seriously, i need to make a decision and make some returns], and then i enjoyed dinner with the newlyweds. after michal headed back to class, vlada and i grabbed our new favorite dessert [let me tell you, the fresh strawberry and shaved chocolate toppings pair perfectly!], and then i got a preview of the best of their wedding photography.

and this afternoon, i stopped by for a quick visit and to drop off some baked goodies.

vlada time twice in one week? what a treat:)

multi-purpose

one of this year's best purchases has definitely been my classic black miller bag, snagged during a fun-but-crazy vera bradley outlet sale event a few months ago. the uses for this bag are endless.

it works wonderfully as a laptop bag for my weeks back in the office.

i find it to be the perfect size for overnight work trips [although, admittedly, it can get to be a bit heavy to haul around clothes, shoes and toiletries on one shoulder and a computer on the other].

its many compartments make it a great companion for weekend trips to the farmer's market.

and i have, on occasion, also used it as a gym bag, a beach bag, and to tote around whatever craft projects i happen to be working on.

i tend to use my fave bag for carrying things. imagine my surprise when i found that it also doubles (triples? quadruples?) as a very comfortable lounge spot:)

quality friday: miami's best

business travel last week took me about as far outside of my standard west-coast territory as is possible. admittedly, i wasn't thrilled with the prospect of heading to miami - i knew that the long flight and airport travel time would fill up an entire work day, that the three hour time change would be difficult to adjust to (especially since my daily schedule started at 7am EST), and that the weather would be hot and humid (and BELIEVE me, it sure didn't prove me wrong).

i also knew that having colleagues there with me would make lunches and dinners enjoyable, and they certainly were. yet the thing that made the trip worthwhile for me on a personal level, was an opportunity to visit with a dear friend whom i haven't seen in years.

chryso and i formed a wonderful friendship during the many (manymanymany) hours that we spent in lab together doing our undergraduate independent research projects, and as teachers for a fantastic program that brought local grade school students into a university setting to learn to love biology.

six years later, we were able to pick it up right where it left off. we talked about our families as though no time had passed, and i felt thoroughly welcomed into their home and their lives. i was quickly reminded of the warmth and love that chryso and her husband lambros share, as we enjoyed a delicious dinner together and shared stories and much laughter over coffee afterwards. they are amazing, these two! not only in their professional lives where labmros is a lawyer and co-founder of a charter school, and chryso is completing her residency in pediatrics, but as parents as well. their beautiful, charming and sweet daughter, zoe, is clearly the pride and joy of their lives.

i don't think that a happier family exists in miami, and it made my week - and thoroughly brightened my trip - to spend an evening with them!

chryso, zoe and lambros in their gorgeous new home

inspiring

its stories like this one that remind me that i work in a field, and for a company, that impacts lives. take a moment to watch the video - i know it will touch your heart the way it did mine.

gus, a long-time colleague of mine, had the opportunity of a lifetime - to help save a little girl's life. the national marrow donor program helps to match donors and recipients - like gus and selena - though screening programs that help ensure successful transplants for those suffering life-threatening diseases.

consider joining the registry or donating cord blood. imagine being able to save a life.

gus meets selena for the first time yesterday

a marathon to remember

..it doesn't matter if we don't finish within our goal time -- or don't finish at all. what matters is that we tried, that we enjoyed the process. what matters is that we got out there."

~ john bingham

i woke up sunday morning ready to take on the world. every part of me was confident that by mid-afternoon i'd have completed my very first marathon, and i was looking forward to the thrill of the day. after weeks [and weeks and weeks] of living and breathing running, race day had finally arrived.

i quickly showered and applied a thick layer of spf 70 in anticipation of the expected heat, consumed my favorite race-morning meal of waffles covered with peanut butter, bananas and syrup, grabbed my race gear, and we were off.

ready to run

good 2 go

by 7:45am, i had found a spot at the start line, surrounded by nearly 35,000 other runners. i could see the 12 min/mile pace group nearby, and realized that i was further back than i wanted to be, but there was just no way to push forward to get to the 10 min/mile group. already, the temperature was in the mid 70's - much warmer than i had hoped - and i reminded myself that i was going to need to start slow.

at 7:59 the horn sounded and the crowd erupted in cheers. the elite athlete were off, and 20 minutes later my timing chip beeped as i crossed the start to music that had me pumped to go. mile 1 felt great. i had no knee pain, adrenaline was coursing through my veins, and the only thing i needed - already - was some water. as i checked my pace, i realized that i was running faster than i should have been, so i reminded myself, again, to slow down.

i saw the signs for water and gatorade as i rounded the corner, and was relieved. but as i approached, i quickly realized that there none left. "not a huge deal," i reassured myself as i moved forward, "i'll just get some at the next stop." yet i couldn't help but panic a little when i heard someone comment that if the aid stations didn't have water, they would just head off-course to buy some at a 7-11. my mind raced... what?!?! i hadn't brought any money! why didn't i think to bring money? what if there was no water for me to drink?!?!

thankfully, i found something to drink, but it was a battle to hydrate all along the way. for the first 8 miles, the water and gatorade stops were in complete disarray. there were no filled cups neatly lined on tables, ready to be handed out by volunteers. instead, many stations were completely empty, and volunteers were yelling "keep going - water at the end of the block". i pushed my way through lines, even grabbing a used cup to have it refilled when all the new cups were gone. at one point, i even stopping a runner with a huge jug of water, and begged for a drink.

hydration aside, battling the heat was another challenge. the temperatures soared to 88 degrees, and we were all struggling to keep cool. shop owners and residents all along the route had pulled hoses out to spray us down in an effort to help keep the runners cool. i assure you, it would have been a far different day, had it not been for the support of the thousands of chicagoans lining the course. i ran through lincoln park, bucktown, greektown, little italy, i was met with encouragement. it was exhilarating to hear the cheers, the clapping, and until the letters of my name feel off my shirt, i had hundreds of people cheering for me by name. "go audrey!" "You Can Do It Audrey!" "WAY TO GO AUDREY!"

and as i ran, accepting that i was dropping further and further off pace due to the heat and humidity, all i could think about was the next time i would see another family member or friend. i kept scanning the crowds that i passed for familiar faces, and was so thrilled to see my cheering coworker at mile 5, that i stopped to give her a sweaty hug! my mom met me with a hug and a banana at mile 6, and mark and leslie with high-fives and yells of "KEEP GOING AUDREY" at mile 7.

the list goes on and on. i saw my coworker again at mile 10, just missed mark and leslie at mile 12, saw my mom two more times at miles 13 and 16. melissa, kjersten, esther and grace met me at mile 15. and brandon surprised me at mile 17, where he started to bike alongside me for a bit. it was each of these individual moments that motivated me to keep going. the oppressive heat, the pain that found its way back into my knee, the mental struggle were all but forgotten when i saw the face of yet another one of my amazing supporters.

a photo text sent by my mile 15 support crew

still, it was impossible to ignore that impact of the heat that day. every aid station along the way was full. sirens could be heard almost constantly, and chicago had to call in EMTs from neighboring suburbs to help treat and the many people who suffered from heat exhaustion or heat stroke. as i crossed the timing mat at 30K (ashland and 15th street), i saw a man surrounded by about 8 other runners as one person applied CPR and another pumped his chest. i remember slowing down to pray for him and for clarity for myself, as i evaluated for the 10th time that day how i was truly feeling. was i pushing myself too hard? should i continue on?

i was fine, but others were not. over 300 people were taken to hospitals. one man died, and i later realized that he was likely the same man i saw. devastating.

i kept going. at some point, i realized that it hurt more to walk than to run, so i ran. soon after, i heard a voice behind me, and realized that it was my dear friend, kathy, who mark and i had supported in last year's marathon - an experience that inspired me to run this year. i was elated! we hugged, and decided to finish the race together.

shortly after mile 20, a woman's voice could be heard repeating "the marathon has been cancelled due to the heat. slow down - do not run. the marathon has been cancelled". cancelled!?!? at first i didn't understand. what did she mean, cancelled? chicago had never cancelled a marathon before. i had just run 20 miles, and knew i could do 6 more (or at least, i thought i could). up ahead of us, firefighters had opened hydrants to cool us down as we slowed to a stop. i was disappointed and i started to deflate. all that wasted time and effort - my weeks and weeks of training - had been in vain. i wasn't going to finish.

i knew that mark, norman, leslie, jonathan and casandra were all waiting at mile 21, and wylene, reggie, josh and kim were at mile 23. i called them all to tell them that the race had been cancelled. i walked ahead to find my mile 21 support crew who had started to walk towards me, and we met with hugs. as we headed back towards chinatown together, we debated what to do.

at some point i decided that i wanted to at least walk to the finish. mark quickly said that he'd walk with me, and soon jonathan and casandra chimed in that they'd do it, too. we met brandon, and later my mom, and together walked to remaining 6 miles to the finish line.

i can't tell you how amazing it was to have this group with me. i thank them, again and again, for helping me to end the race on a positive note. had i taken the shortcut back, had i boarded one of th many busses sent out to cart us to the finish, i would have been even more disappointed.

brandon, jonathan, casandra and mark - my six-mile support crew!

with my biggest fan:)

reggie, wylene, josh and kim - still waiting at mile 23! AMAZING!

five down, only one more to go

crossing the finish in 6:22:29. sigh.

to keep me warm?

finisher's medal

thanks for the flowers, honey!

so almost a week later, how do i feel? will i run another marathon? i'm not sure. my knee and my body are still recovering. i have mixed emotions about the day, the events throughout, and especially about seeing my finish time published in the paper and on the marathon website. i didn't get to feel that amazing feeling as i crossed the finish-line that i've been told about by many marathon veterans. in fact, i don't even know for sure that i can run 26.2.

one thing that i do know, is that i'll never forget last sunday for as long as i live. from the start to the finish its filled with countless memories and stories that i can, and will, tell for a lifetime.

yes. it certainly was a marathon to remember.