Guidelines for a Good Life

When my Mom was still alive, we normally have conversations while in bed, mostly after we woke up from our afternoon nap.  Those are the times that I really miss now.  I did not understood it then but she was always giving me small advices during those small talks.  When she passed away, it was then that I came to realize the lessons she was slowly teaching me.

Summarizing those lessons, I realized that Mom was giving me guidelines to live my life with.

1. Goodness begets goodness.  Mama was the type of person who alaways sees the goodness in other. There are even times that we tend to disagree with her, she makes us realize that if we plant goodness, sooner these goodness will be given back to us.  True enough, we witnessed how her goodness was generously given back not just to her but to us, as her family, when she was sick and even when she passed away.  Relatives' and friends' support kept on coming, in the all sorts of form.  Mama might not know it then but it was the law of karma that she was teaching us.

2.  Give, even if sometimes it hurts.  I only understood the essence of true giving when I became a Mom myself.  Becoming a Mom entails a lot of giving, and yes most of the times it hurts.  It starts when you get pregnant.  Pregnancy is indeed a happy journey, but most moms would agree that there are also unpleasant experiences along the way.  Just think about the morning sickness, the nausea, the backpains and actual delivery itself.  But it is a process women had to endure to give life to her offspring and to give happiness to her husband.  And delivery is not the end of it all.  We continue to give while breastfeeding and while we let our kids take the most part of us, we sometimes forget about ourselves.  

3.  Let Go and Let God.  This is the best lesson that Mom taught me by being a true example.  When she got sick (she died of Bone Cancer), I have seen how she let go of every worries and let God to take care of her.  She did not let her sickness to win over her body.  While she was sick, she continued serving God and the church, in her ways.  She prayed for her recovery, yes, but she also asked God to help us if in case she won't make it.  And make it, she did.  She might not have won the battle over Cancer but she showed us that if we stay together, we can work wonders.

Mom may be gone forever but her lessons linger.  I promised myself to passed on these lessons to my kids and even hopes that others will also be benefited from these guidelines.

 

A is for "Attraversiamo"

ATTRAVERSIAMO, an Italian word that means "let's cross over." I am no Italian but this has been my favorite A word ever since I have watched "Eat, Pray, Love". It tells of how a married woman find her appetite for life back, how she deals with her own issues in life with the help of the people she meets along her journey. I don't have any marital problems whatsoever but this word reminds me that one day as a mother I will have to cross over some things or situations for my son. I will have to learn how to let him go if he no longer needs my assistance. I will have to let him be the person he wants to be and not the person I want him to become. And judging from how he is fast growing, this could be sooner than later. Oh well, I guess I'll just say Attraversiamo when that time comes! And also my first name starts with the letter A. Care to guess what my first name is? It's a very common name so it won't be hard to guess. For more of A inspired writings, please check out

An Afternoon at Nuvali

Have you been to Nuvali Park in Santa Rosa, Laguna? We went there last Sunday as part of the itinerary of my kid's school field trip. We had our lunch in one of the tents that was sprawled on the grounds. Had I known that there were a lot of good restaurant choices in the area, we wouldn't have carried boxed lunches with us. What we really enjoyed in Nuvali was the Koi Fish Feeding and the boat ride. Seeing a lot of koi fishes was really overwhelming. It is our first time to see these much of koi fishes in one place. At a glance, we really think that they are over crowding the lake. But during the boat ride, we realized that there really was a lot of space on the lake and that the fishes are just on one place because they know that is where the feeds will be.

You get to feed the fish when you buy a pack of fish feeds which is just 15 pesos. I was actually afraid that the fishes are overly fed but my husband said that if they were then they would not mind the people throwing the feeds. Fishes unlike human know when they are full and would stop from eating. Well, that is the theory of my husband but I haven't really checked if there are scientific basis to that. The boat ride is also a must try! You have to pay 30 pesos per person to enjoy the ride. We paid the boat in full (360 pesos for 12 persons) and then what we did is ask my kid's friend to enjoy the ride with us. Did he enjoyed it? Oh, you be the judge.

Not only did I enjoy the ride but I also enjoyed the view from the ride.

And after the scorching heat, we headed to Starbucks to grab our favorite coffee concoctions.

Trick or Treat for the Young Once

Admit it or not, all kids are into sweets. Chocolates, lollippops, bubble gums, candies, cupcakes and every thing that's sweet, give it to them and they will surely devour it in no time at all. When my kid was smaller, we dreaded Halloween. Not because we are afraid of ghosts or the supernaturals, but because the kid had recurring bouts of tonsillitis (which led us to decide to have him undergo Tonsillectomy last April 2010). So my kid never really enjoyed "Trick or Treats". This year was different though. Hubby was appointed as one of the officers of our subdivision and we cannot resist joining in the fun.

We invited my husband's nieces to join the party, and they came in costume,too. That's my kid as Dracula, the one in the middle is a Pink Fairy and the other niece is a Kikay Witch!

It was actually a family affair for us.  We all get to dress up (in my case, have some make-up) our part.

Since we are not at home, we decided to just bring in the treats on the place of the event. And boy, did they really love the Halloween cuppies. 

 This is one of my favorite picture of the night!

It was a blast! Seeing neighborhood kids in costume and the moms too.

Needless to say, we had fun but I still wish we could pass on some real Filipino Halloween traditions to our kids.  Sad to say, that no one in the neigborhood knows what "Pangangaluluwa" is all about.

And now, we are looking forward to the Homeowners' Christmas Ball!

My Kid and His Food Choice

My kid is real foodie at heart. A lot of times, he stays with me in the kitchen during food preparation time. One day, he asks if he can cook for us. Since it was just a very easy omelet dish, I give in to his desire.

the kid cooking his version of Tuna Omelet

A lot of other mom friends are asking me how I make my kid eat vegetables and other healthy foods. Well, as early as he can start on solid foods, I introduced "true" foods to him. He grew up on home cooked mashed potatoes, mashed carrots, and other fruits or vegetables that can be mashed. He never tasted baby foods from the supermarkets. And I guess that is the reason why he has a very good choice when it comes to food. I did not even have to bother asking him to take on healthy snacks like salads and healthy breads over junk foods. Well, not that he does not take some chips or those fat-laden burgers but its just that he knows he can only have it in certain times and not everyday.

He even does the plating of his dish.

To date, the kid normally favors vegetable salads (and even makes his own vinaigrette), he loves fish dishes and most of the time asks for his favorite Chicken Caldereta  ("and Mama, please add in some paprika and some chili pepper for the kick!", he always asks).  For his baon, he wants Vegetable Wrap or Baked Potato with Cheese and Bacon.

another favorite of the kid, Ensaladang Talbos ng Kamote

I guess, it's all about introducing your kids as early as possible to healthy options. And we are both reaping it's benefits. My kid rarely gets sick and if ever it's almost always the usual cough and colds. That makes me a happy Mom!

A Person Fit for be Called a "Mother"

Accept it or not, not all who have given birth are fit to be called a Mother.  To be fit for the title, one has to be strong yet mushy at times.  One has to be firm yet willing to kiss away the pain.  One has to know how to see serenity in the middle of chaos.  To give birth is let's say a quarter of the trick, the other three quarters is for the lifetime duty that is tied to being a mother.

I was facebooking last night when I saw a video posted on one of my friend's wall.  I never actually liked clicking on links for a video because I know that most of them (especially the ones that have a description in a different language) contains nasty things.  But the description of the video really caught my attention.  So there, curiosity has taken over me and I clicked on the link to the video.  It was a video of a mother holding her baby while she flashes papers with writings.  She was telling the story of her life.  She started with how she met the father of his son and how they got married.  She tells the story of how she knew that she was pregnant and how happy they were.  You can see how happy she was each time she shows the papers.  But the happiness was actually shortlived.



When the news always speaks about fetuses being left here and there or children beaten by their own moms, it is such a relief knowing that there are women out there that has a pure heart which bears the essence of being a mother.  She was told she should have aborted the baby but she didn't.  She chose to bring him into this world.  But his birth is not the end because he was ridiculed, laughed at and sometimes feared by others.   But she continue to be the strong mom that she is.  She made sure that his baby feels loved and she assured that even though he is born blind and with cleft palate, he is still beautiful and he is a blessing from God.

It is not always that I am deeply moved by what I see over the internet.  But, to say that I wept a lot while watching this video is an understatement.  I wanna share this to all of you because I believe that they will also touch your hearts.  She does not beg for money, not even a cent.  All she asks is for us to look at our own blessings (our children ) and continue loving them.

Being a mother is one of the hardest profession in life, but it is something that I would not trade for anything else.  Just seeing my kid with a smile or a glimpse of happiness on his eyes, 'yun lang, quota na ko!


To my Mom in heaven, thank you for showing me how to become a good mother.  You are the most beautiful (syempre carbon copy mo ko eh!), most patient, most kind and most forgiving mother of all.  I would not be the mother I am now, if it wasn't for you.  To all the mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day.  Let us continue building a better planet by nurturing our family well.  Cheers to us all!

The Four-eyed Kid

I was not able to join Mommy Moments last week; not because I do not have something worthy to share but mainly because my schedule was so hectic I was not even able to tend to this blog at all.  But needless to say, I am now back.  I have a new internet connection which I so adored , but that will be another story.  

A few weeks back, Jian was complaining about headaches.  At first ,we shrugged it off and we were telling him that it is because of the weather.  But the occurrences of his head aching became frequent and we noticed that it always happens after he reads or watch TV.  Since Hubby needs to go to the optometrist to get his eyeglasses fixed, we decided to let Jian join with us.  After hubby got his eyes checked, we asked the optometrist who is a good friend of ours if she could perhaps check Jian's vision.   

After checking his eyes, using this equipment, his eyes were dropped with some medicines to dilate his pupils.  And then he was asked to read the Snellen chart to further check his visual acuity.

Yes, the kid will have to wear corrective glasses.  The left eye was diagnosed with mild astigmatism while the right one is hyperropic.  I am definitely not so happy about this at all.   Hubby even asked if we could perhaps delay the use of the eyeglasses but the optometrists said that delaying the use will also hinder him to enjoy on a lot of things.  The astigmatism could cause him to have frequent bouts with headaches which could further evolve to migraines.  And we don't want that for our kid.

 So, yes, a few days from now the kid will be getting his eyeglasses.  We will have regular check ups with an optometrist and an ophthalmologist.  For other moms out there, I'd like to tell you that visual problem can be easily corrected as long as it is detected earlier.  The doctors said that we should get our younger kids to have eye check ups, too.  They said that as early as five or six, they can already run visual acuity checks for kids.  And another thing, it does not necessarily mean that if a kid is diagnosed to have visual problems at a young age that they will forever be tied to using eyeglasses.  Some visual problems (like astigmatism) can be corrected if diagnosed and treated early in life.

As the saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure."

A Book Festival at the Mall

Whenever we go to the mall, we always stop by either National Bookstore or Book Sale. Last Sunday was different, we no longer have to drag ourselves to those stores because they have already taken their stuffs on the entertainment plaza of SM City Fairview.




The mall was actually having a book Festival hence books are in abundance. What the kid actually enjoyed was the storytelling.




I guess the storyteller coming in on costume was really a great factor for the kids. The kid even wanted to stay for the next round of storytelling which is after two hours. We just told him that we have to go home because I need to iron his uniform for his class the next morning.

MM: Mama's Birthday

This day could have been Mama's 54th birthday, but she is celebrating her birthday without us. Instead of the usual videoke feat that the family used to have whenever he natal day came, she is being sung to by angels. Instead of the usual food , she is enjoying food for the soul. Yes, she is no longer with us. The last birthday she celebrated with us was her 50th. It was really a blast. All her loved ones were there. I was able to bring in her friends from her heydays. I was really exhausted that day even a week before the big event. I supervised everything: from foods, to her clothes, to the visitors. It was to repay all the wonderful birthday memories I had that she was able to give me; from my 1st, my 18th and even to those that I was spending away from her. And it was not only my birthdays that she made special, even those of my brothers and that of her only apo, my son. She never failed to remember cooking our favorite dishes during our birthdays. So, on her 50th birthday, we gave her what we could give back.


We called all her dearest friends, gave her sisters from Pangasinan and Cebu their fare so they could attend. We bought her a three-tiered cake, which she really adored. His brothers danced with her ala cotillion. Their were roses for the wishes and balloons for more wishes. We were able to show her how important a person she was and how she touched a lot of lives. But, we did not know that was going to be her last. She joined her creator six months after her 50th birthday. But up to this day, she is remembered during her birthday and each day. On top of anyone else, I look up to her as the ideal mother.



Mama, I know you are still there looking down on us, guiding us in your own way. I know, we had our times of disagreement but I know as well that even before I asked for forgiveness, you've already embraced me including all those faults. I hope I am making you proud with how I am fulfilling my job as a mother to my son now. I am so blessed to have you as my mother and I would not want anyone else. I love you, Mama.

Awareness about the Big C

I was blogwalking through other Mommy blogs and I came across another Pinay mom blogging about Cancer awareness. Now aside from breastfeeding, cancer awareness is another advocacy that I want to push through. Nine years ago, I came to realize that the Big C can actually creep into anybody's life. Our Mom was diagnosed with Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor, a rare type of cancer that attacks the nerves. Prior to her diagnosis, we never really know what Cancer was. All we know is that it exists and some are stricken and yes, I have to admit that I was thinking it was "sakit na pang-mayaman lang". But, no, that really is not the case. When Mom was diagnosed she was, I could about to enter the prime of her life. My youngest brother was about to graduate from college the following year, which for her, could mean, that she was also about to graduate from her responsibility of sending us to school. She could have enjoyed the life meant for her had it not been for the Big C. We have a lot of plans that never pushed through because the funds had to be diverted on her medical expenses. It was a painful experience specially for me, because I was the one that was tasked to look for other means to get additional assistance for her. I lined up in PCSO's office, the congress and yes I was the one who always talked with doctors. I educated myself regarding medical terms, and I was thankful that Google was already there to help me out. Now, apart from the burden of looking for additional assistance, I also appointed myself as my mom's personal caregiver. I was the one who bathe her, fed her and gave her medicines. For me, it was my way of showing my affection and it was my way of giving back all the attention that she had given the entire family. And yes, I was doing all these things while I was also taking care of my new bown baby then. Mama was never a hard patient to deal with. She would obliged drinking whatever medicines that she is given, eating all the foods she is told to consume. Cancer made us suffer financially, I would say. But, it was also Cancer that brought the bond of our family even closer. We learned how to say the rosary as a family. We learned to live life fully day in and day out. We learned to celebrate each milestone, however small it was. We learned that we can only depend on each one. And, in that in the end, we were able to realize how lucky we are for having Mama as our mother. We witnessed how other people loved her and how she was able to make a difference in those person's lives. Help came pouring in up until the time that she already passed away. Not necessarily financial help but prayers. And for us, for me, that was what we really need then.

Yes, Cancer could have taken her from us but the Big C did not took her memories with it. Her memories will remain forever. This is the reason why each time I know someone stricken with Cancer, I always tell them the story of my Mom, a story of a person who battled the disease for almost six years. The very reason why I am joining fellow bloggers for the Charity Blogging for Cancer Awareness. I would like people to know that it is indeed true that Cancer could take the people we dearly care about but it can be prevented. We just have to be aware of what we eat, our lifestyle and specially how we take care of our bodies.

Come December a whole day affair for for cancer patients and survivors. There will be freebies, contests and performances. To all Mommy bloggers out there, let us take time to help out cancer patients. Let us make use of our power to spread the word. Please go to Life and Fever to more about this upcoming event and how we can help.

Mommy Moments: Parenting Tips

When I gave birth nine years ago, I was really clueless on parenthood. I just know that I will eventually become so attach to the little one and that I will be depended on by this little being for the next couple of years. I was actually having mixed emotions because I know that a child is a happy addition to our family and because at last I can now fulfill the dreams of any sane woman, to become a mother. But, I also know that the child would come to the world without a manual and that it is something that cannot be disposed of if you happen to see any defects or if it malfunctions. It is also something that cannot be returned to the manufacturer for warranty or part replacement. You just have to take them on an "as-is-where-is" terms.

The good part is that once you become a parent, you will realize that you are capable of loving another person unconditionally. Yes, there are times that the kid appear to be so makulit that I tend to be pikon of all of his mischievousness. But, at the end of the day, when I tuck him to bed, I realize that I would not trade anything in this world for him or even for an additional kid.

I know that this is supposed to be a parenting tip but I guess any parent would agree that each day with our kids is a learning experience. And that each of us, will have to have a different style of parenting depending on the type of kid that we are dealing with. But I'd say that to new parents I will always tell them these; Seize your moments with your kids and live it to the fullest because life is really to short not to enjoy every single moment we have with them. Let us not be parents that are willing to work hard for the future of these kids but instead let us be with them on each of their tiny steps and until they leap to their own boundaries. After all, that is the essence of being a parent, to be able to guide a child through this labyrinth we call life.

Now, I am headed to see more parenting tips from other mommies.

Mommy Moments: Financial Tip

This blog has not been written on for the last three weeks.  I had a very bad experience with my previous internet service provider and had already finished my contract with them.  I am now looking for a new internet company and hopefully will get my new connection within the first two weeks of September.  I was browsing through my favorite blogs today and cannot pass on this week's theme for the Mommy Moments, hence, I am joining the fun.

So how do I teach my kid about finances?

1. I make grocery time a bonding and educational time for us.  I let him check out on the price of our commodities.  If the items are not too much, I  ask him to list down the prices and them sum them up before going to the counter to pay the amount.   And oh, did I already share that we do our grocery as a family?  That way each one will have his say on what things to buy and the things that we could avoid buying.

2.  He does have his own piggy bank.  And he only puts ten peso coin on his piggy bank.  He said he is saving for Christmas presents.  Last year, he was able to buy his gift to Lolo, Dada and Mama from his savings.

3.  I always tell him that he needs to either save or work for things he would like to have.  There are times that we went to Toy Kingdom and he was asking if we could buy a Transformers toy.  I said not until I see that his exams are okay.  It made him realize that most of the times you will have to work to get what you would like to have. 

4.  It is also a common practice in the household to only get enough food that you can consume.  We do not allow anyone to have left overs on their plate.  This educates him not just about the value of money that was used to pay for the food but for the food on his plate as well.

5.  Every June when school year opens, I also make it a point to instill the value of thriftiness.  We do not buy him new uniforms and new shoes or bags if he can still use his old ones.  I don't think it is depriving him on what he ought to have but more of letting him know that he needs to take care of his belongings because he will still be using most of them the next school year.

I would say that my Mom instill in us the value of each cent earn, maybe because early on in our life we were already taught to handle our own finances.  She even sends us to the market to buy stuffs for our little sari-sari store then and we had our schedule of who will attend on the store.  I am just passing them on to my kid now.  For more tips on how to teach kids about the value of money, head on to Mommy Chris' site.

Wordless Wednesday: Hongkong Disneyland

My kid enjoying his birthday with Mickey Mouse and the whole Disney gang. Thanks to my brother for sponsoring our Hongkong trip.

To homeschool or not

I was watching a rerun of a local documentary show the other day and it really made me think about homeschooling. Yes, it was a re-run. I checked and found out that it wasd originally shown on national TV about five to six years ago. Yet, the message of the show still echoes to this day. It was pointing out the differences between the sexes inside the school premises. It pointed out that girls are working harder in schools as compared to boys. It even stated that girls are always outnumbering the girls in higher sections. It was alarming on my end, maybe because I have a young boy in school as well. I recalled how my boy was doing the past few years he had been in school. It made me realized that for the past few years those that are getting honors in their schools are mostly girls. An education specialist even stated on the show that men are born to have shorter attention span as compared to their counterpart. Boys are not good in symbols and this includes letters and numbers. But boys are always seen to excel in things where they do not only use their mind but their physical strength as well. Hmm, maybe the reason why most of our athletes are men. So, how did homeschooling came into the topic. You see, when you homeschool a child you work at the pace of that particular child. You do not subject a child to learn faster because others are learning that way. In homeschooling, parents as teachers, can work on what motivates a child and on what gets his attention. Yes, there are also set of curriculum for homeschooling but the good is that you can design your lessons to fit these curriculum and at the same time making your lessons enjoyable to your kid.

I am still way to far to homeschooling my kid. I mean, I would love to, but our schedules might not make it work for us. Perhaps , next year, we are going to give it a try.

Wordless Wednesday : Little Fireman

Taken at the Museong Pambata ( National Children's Museum ). This is my little guy trying on a fireman outfit. He was very excited about it and kept on bugging me if we can visit the museum again. Hmm, which reminds that I do not have office work for tomorrow. Might as well give in to the kid's request.

Hello August!

August to the Chinese is their ghost month. They believe that it is on this month that deceased, including their ancestors, visit the world again. To our Muslim brothers, this year they are celebrating this month as their Ramadan, their Holy Month of Fasting. For my family, August is also a very special month. A lot of family members, are celebrating their birthdays this month. It also reminds me about the greatest mystery of my life, that is being a mother. You see, I gave birth to Jian on the 3rd of August, 2002. Yes, the kid is about to turn nine two days from now. He is no longer the little baby that I used to carry and fed from my bosom. He had grown to be the intelligent little guy that he is. August always reminds me that he was inside my womb for nine months. It also reminds me that I exclusively breastfed this little man for almost two years. If there was one thing I could be proud of being a mom, it would not be the times that I have been with him while he was growing up but it would be those breastfeeding sessions that I had had with him. I know that not all mothers can produce enough milk for his growing baby's need and I sure am one of those few who were able to do the job. That is something that I would always look back when he gets old. Nothing beats those bonding moments. So for those upcoming moms reading my words, I do hope you consider to feed your kids with your own milk. I can only assure you two things, a healthy kid and a happy mom. To those who were able to breastfeed their young ones, I salute you. Before I end, I would like to invite you all to come over to Mommy Milkshake Year 5 . It will be a family fun run for breastfeeding. Just click on the thumbnail image below for other details.

Silly Kid+Sleepy Mom= Laughter

My kid is in fourth grade and he is learning about singular and plural forms of nouns. I did not enroll him to any tutoring lessons, with the hope that we both can pull through the year without any tutor. (Okay, it was me, trying to be a supermom again!). Everyday, when I get home, I wake him up and we go through his homework. He is really getting good at knowing how each different category of nouns form their unique plural ways. We were about to sleep when he started to brag about the new knowledge. He told me to give out a noun in its singular form and then he would give me the plural form of that noun. We went on and on and I was really starting to get sleepy that time. I asked for the plural form of chicken, he giggled and blurted out, "Easy. Bucket!". And then both of us laughed and decided it is, indeed, time to sleep.

Oh, he did not stopped and gave an excuse that the reason for that is because when you order so many pieces of chicken at KFC, you say you are ordering a bucket!

3D Movies

Who among you have not enjoyed watching a 3D movie? Movie houses had been packed to the roofs by fans trooping in to Who among you have not enjoyed watching a 3D movie? Movie houses had been packed to the roofs by fans trooping in to watch what was deemed to be the end to two great series of movies, Transformers and Harry Potter. I have very high regards to these two movies specially on the first one. And to be honest, it was really good! A very good ending indeed for a fine series. I hope I will be able to say the same for the other one but I haven't watched it yet. Jian had his monthly mastery exam on the day we were supposed to watch Harry Potter so we have to postpone it for this coming weekend. I was saddened that the Philippines have had our very first 3D movie but we were not able to catch it in theaters. I mean, we were able to watch it but not in 3D. RPG Metanoia was shown last Christmas as part of the Metro Manila Film Festival. I wonder if Star Cinema is not thinking of re-releasing them anytime soon?

Personalized Shirts

It is not everyday that birthdays are celebrated. For someone who is in the pink of health, it is a time to give thanks for the healthy year. For someone who is stricken with a terminal illness, it is a time to give thanks because you get to live another day or year for that matter. My mom's sickness taught us how to be thankful not just for birthdays but for each day we get to wake up alive. When she was sick, there were times that we celebrated birthdays in her hospital room. We would dress up the room and bring in all the food there. We would gladly share the food not just with the hospital's staff, but with other cancer patients as well. Not too long, we would see other families doing they same thing. Some families even exerted great effort making sure they are wearing breast cancer t shirts. It is a great way to show support and empathy to their patients. We were wondering then where they were getting those shirts. Not until recently, while checking out another friends' Facebook profile, I was able to bump into the Facebook page of a design your own shirt company, CafePress.com. The possibilities are endless when you create your own item. It made me think that if mom was still alive, she will be elated to see us wearing personalized shirts on her birthday. It would be nice to capture that moment on pictures, too. However, mom is no longer here. I will have to think of creating personalized shirt for another person, then.

I have been to a lot of Oncology Departments of different hospitals during the times that my mom herself was a cancer patient. She battled Primitive Neuro Ectodermal Tumor, a type of cancer that attacks the bones of the afflicted. She had been in and out those rooms in the UP-PGH Cancer Institute for almost six years. During those years, not only are we able to create good relationships with the hospital's staff and the doctors, but we also manage to make friends with other cancer inflicted patients and their families. I have seen how cancer makes their body weak, but not their souls and the will of these people. There were families that went to visit their patient wearing breast cancer t-shirts. Long before there have been statement shirts, they were already wearing shirts that echoed their support to their cancer stricken patients. We were wondering then where they were getting those shirts. Not until recently, while checking out another friends' Facebook profile, I was able to bump into the facebook page of a design your own shirt company, CafePress.com. The possibilities are endless when you create your own item. My son will be celebrating his birthday in two weeks time and I am thinking of giving him a unique item as a gift, something personalized. I am thinking of either a shirt or perhaps an apron, something that will show support on his love for cooking. I do hope it will get delivered on time. Knowing Hubby, he will surely ask me where I got the item from.