Sunday, October 28, 2007

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

1 comment:

Melissa said...

it's telling of my husband's influence on me that i noticed in that picture what kind of computer chryso & lambros have. [yes, i am rolling my eyes. at myself.] so glad you got to spend quality time with them this week!