*****THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*****
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There will be races ran to help support cancer research and people all over the world will be sporting those cute little pink bracelets. This is one of the few months that I hold near and dear to my heart. I will be remembering a time back in my life when the words 'Breast Cancer' hit my family and I to the core.
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You see, my mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2003. It was the hardest thing my family and I ever have had to go through.
I remember the day she told us. She did a three way phone call between my sister and I....with my father on another phone in their house. That was my first clue that something was wrong....when she rounded everyone up on the phone lines for a family meeting. She was also sobbing while she was talking, which was my second clue. When she told us, my whole world changed.
Of course, you never think it could happen to you or someone you love. You always hear stories and experiences from other people about what they went through or about what their loved ones went through, but never in your wildest dreams could you think it could ever happen to your family.
There is a saying that when one family member has cancer, everyone else does too....because it effects everyone...not just the person who is sick. I couldn't really tell y'all what her experience was like because I was not up there while she was going through it, due to Husband Man being in the Military. Nor can I write about everyone else's experience with it because I was not there. I can tell you this though....my father hardly ever cries...and during this time...I heard him cry over the phone a few times...and it tore me up inside.
If you are Military, then you know what it's like being stationed so far away from family. It is the hardest thing you ever have to do, especially when you are super close and tight knit like my family. Home for me was 17 hours away by car...4-6 hours away by plane. I had no choice but to learn how to deal with the situation....being so far away from my ill mother and feeling powerless.
Listening to my mother's status updates over the phone weren't exactly fun for me. I did discuss coming back home to help her through it, but she insisted that my place was down here in Louisiana with Husband Man...supporting him as only a wife can support a husband. Since she was the one who was sick, I complied with her wishes because I did not want to stress her out.
I dreaded hearing the phone ring during that time in my life because I did not know what was waiting for me on the other end of that line. Tears would well up in my eyes when I would talk to her over the phone. On some days, she was so weak that she could hardly talk to me.
I was mad at God for having this happen. I was mad at Husband Man for joining the Air Force and having us move 17 hours away. I was mad at myself for not being up there with her while she was fighting for her life. It was hard. And was also a learning experience for me.
Despite all the tears, the frustrations, the anger, and the sadness....this story does have a happy ending. My mother beat her battle with cancer and has been cancer free for 8 years and counting. And while she was in remission, Husband Man and I took a trip up to North Carolina that same summer she was diagnosed.
I'll let the pictures do the talking....
Husband Man and my mom....August 2003
My mom and I.....
We were up there for her birthday and she said she only had one request from us....for me to make my Homemade German Chocolate Cake. How could I turn that down? ;)
My mom and Eli.....December 2010....She is my hero!!!
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What does this story have to do with pancakes and Eggland's Best Eggs?? Well, I'm about to tell y'all......
These wonderful pancakes are my mother's recipe......
.....they have been in my family for years. She made them for us when we were growing up and I have passed on this tradition in my own household, making them for my family as well :)
My children will not eat any other pancake recipe and know very well when I deviate from this one. It calls for two eggs...and of course, I used Eggland's Best Eggs to make them. I wanted to share this wonderful recipe with y'all as a tribute to the greatest woman that I have ever known, my mother....
Mama's Buttermilk Pancakes
(makes 12 pancakes)
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp. melted butter
Directions:
1. Heat a skillet on medium-low heat. Or just low heat if your skillet heats up faster.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
3. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter.
4. Stir together until well blended. It's ok if there are a little bit of lumps in it.
5. Using a 1/3 measuring cup, pour into skillet....one by one.
6. Let cook on both sides for 2-3 minutes...or when plenty of bubbles start forming and the sides are looking like they are set.
7. Serve with your favorite toppings.
The Giveaway
To raise awareness about Breast Cancer Prevention and keeping with this theme, Eggland's Best Eggs has been teaming up with the Susan G. Komen Foundation this whole month to host what they are calling, "Part of Being The Best Is Doing Good Program."
Here are some factoids to share with y'all (courtesy of Eggland's and the Susan G. Komen Foundation):
~ Consumers can do their part to help find a cure for breast cancer by supporting products that contribute to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. For example, Eggland’s Best will be donating $50,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and, from September 15th to November 15th, Eggland’s Best eggs is turning their distinctive red “EB” stamp into a pink “EB” alongside a Susan G. Komen for the Cure running ribbon. ~
~ Right now there are more than 2½ million breast cancer survivors in the United States.~
~ In the past year, with the help of companies including Eggland’s Best, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has been able to invest an additional $75 million in research, as well as provide more than 600,000 women with free screenings and over 100,000 with treatment assistance.~
~Although you can't control your family history, a healthy lifestyle is one of the best defenses against breast cancer:
....Exercise may help reduce breast cancer risk. Research suggests four or more hours of exercise weekly may help reduce the risk of certain cancers, such as breast cancer – that’s just 35 minutes a day.
.......When trimming calories, it’s important to make sure you don’t skimp on good nutrition. For only 70 calories, Eggland's Best eggs supply a perfect portion of complete protein, while providing two times more Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as 10 times more Vitamin E compared to ordinary eggs. Preliminary evidence suggests that, as part of a healthy diet, vitamin D and choline can help to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Eggland’s Best eggs are an excellent source of these nutrients, containing double the vitamin D of ordinary eggs in addition to 25% of the daily requirement of choline.
The folks over at Eggland's have been so kind to offer a prize package to one very lucky reader of this blog. The prize package will include the following:
~An Eco Bag
~Plush Egg
~ A spatula
~And an EB coupon
All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me why Breast Cancer Awareness is important to you.
~This contest will end on Monday, October 17th.~
~The winner will be chosen through Random.org~
~YOU MUST ANSWER THE QUESTION TO QUALIFY FOR THE CONTEST~
Good Luck to everyone!!!
**I was provided with VIP Coupons from Egglands Best Eggs to make the pancake recipe in this post.**
