The Campbells have called Victoria Park home for fourteen years, and their children are as happy with the enclave as their parents are. “We absolutely love the neighborhood,” says Lily, “People know us for the social events we throw at the Ellington, specifically the Christmas parties and Easter festivities. I’m a big believer in community and human connection.”

Chris and Lily Campbell first met while working at Broward Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. Chris worked in Anesthesia while Lily worked in Trauma ICU; both are nurse anesthetists.

Southerner and local girl Lily grew up with horses in nearby Davie, while Chris, born in Upstate New York, was a military brat constantly on the move. Chris claims roots in Hawaii, while Lily’s family hails from the Dominican Republic. When they eventually married, they experienced the proverbial fifteen minutes of fame when their wedding was featured on a TLC reality TV series. Chris’s grandmother celebrated with a hula dance at the reception.

The new couple settled in Victoria Park. In a few years, baby Kai arrived. Their journey from newlywed bliss to a shiny new family seemed outwardly perfect to their Ellington neighbors. However, the household dynamic had unexpectedly shifted to something less cheerful after the arrival of baby Kai. Despite the joy experienced at the birth of their son, Lily realized she was suffering from postpartum depression.

Once a taboo topic, the grueling challenge new mothers face with this still misunderstood diagnosis has gone mainstream. Celebrity mothers such as Brooke Shields and Reese Witherspoon are only a few who have publicly admitted their struggles. Luckily, Lily had the support and love of her husband, Chris. What followed was an education, through research, reading, trial, error, and finally discovery, Lily found a way through. Pivotal was the support of her husband.

“I was not in the right state of mind at that time. But, Chris really helped me, and I found my way.”

For Lily, the practice of mindfulness, holistic healing, and the study and practice of meditation led to tranquility, peace, self-connection, and self-care.

After conquering her own travails, Lily felt called upon to create a place for other mothers facing the same challenges. It was a long road, hard-fought, but once done, the desire to guide others was formed. The Rising Rose Meditation is the culmination of her endeavors – Relax, Meditate, and Awaken is the mantra.

“I went through my own self-healing. Through that, I found with all of the help and support that was provided to me and reading and everything – meditation and mindfulness were the most profound and helpful of them all. It was literally the key to awakening my inner being,” Lily says.

Since the beginning, Lily has grown an appreciative and loyal following, providing her clients with the tools to practice meditation and develop mindfulness through healing. She also hosts classes and holds events and retreats in North Carolina and locally at Symmetry Fitness.

The results have been nothing short of sublime. Lily and Chris have a great partnership. Lily says, “I am extremely grateful for Chris, and I value his endless support and understanding towards my new career and passion.”

The family continues to live at the Ellington. A second child, daughter Elyse arrived three years ago. Both parents are thrilled at the close relationship enjoyed by their children. Elyse idolizes her older brother. Elyse is independent, social, fearless, funny, and the budding free spirit of the family. Kai is strong-willed, competitive, and energetic. His true love is the ocean and surfing. “I have videos of Kai catching a wave, and he just loves being on his board,” said Lily.

The children adore imagination play. They pretend to be pirates in the pool and play sheriff and the bad guy outside. Family time is a big part of their lives. As a family, they go to Family Farms in Davie, where the kids love visiting the chickens and the horses, says Lily.

Lily says quality family time at home is an essential component of their lifestyle. Chris is the chef in the family, and Lily brags that he is an excellent cook. Baking cookies and brownies together is a favorite pastime and the foursome feels the most connected unwinding at the end of the day. “We love playing a little Super Mario Brothers together and really have a blast,” says Lily.

They also enjoy going to Dave and Buster’s, where the kids still enjoy the games and prizes. The family can also be found routinely sampling the local restaurant scene, current favorites are Toro, Canyon, and the new Gen Korean BBQ located on Las Olas.