Photo Shoot 10-31-10 Unedited

So Sorry

I'm super busy with school stuff and I have neglected this blog.

There are a lot of things I need to catch up on, but I can't right now for lack of time.

Photo Shoot pics coming soon.

Should get caught up with blogging this coming weekend.

Bring The Rain

Goldsboro, NC is getting some much needed rain right now.

My sister and I overslept this morning, and mom allowed us to stay home today and just enjoy eachother.

I've caught up on the blogs I read and have gotten way ahead in my Latin class, and I'm having a friend bring me the other work I missed today.


It's amazing how peaceful a rainy day can be.


Look forward to a lot of posts in October, I have a lot of plans.

Glory To God Forever

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=428220369380


http://www.facebook.com/video/?id=843034380#!/video/video.php?v=428111084380

4:12

So I just got home from church.

I was going to go to the second service at Whitley, but I ended up in 4:12


4:12 is a middle school service the Pastor Josh does at Whitley.



There was a high school freshman there that told about how he started a Christian club at his school and even though he was kind of shy and he stuttered, over 100 kids now come on Friday mornings to the band room of his school to worship.
That's amazing.




Josh talked about how to be unique and let God shine through in you.
He said that even when we are young, we can make an impact just by picking up someones books for them or telling two friends about God, because then they will do it for someone else.


Olivia came up and sang Glory To God with Gage, and it was absolutely beautiful.
I didn't take any pictures because it wasn't the time or place for that, and I was worshiping.
Her little voice brought me to tears and I could feel God in the room.


And then something really cool happened.
Olivia's favorite nurse, Chris, came up and sang Everything Is Going To Be Alright.
It's the same song he sang to Olivia when they told her she was going to lose her hair.


I had a very uplifting morning.

And I am officially back at Whitley and a member of the 4:12 staff.

It's where I belong and I can't turn away.

Sunday Morning

Hey everybody.

I know I haven't blogged in a few days, but being back at school really has me busy, and since I don't get a grade on my blog, it has taken a backseat.

Today, though I have a few amazing things to share with you here.
These are things that God is doing and I'm seeing them happen right here in town.
One literally in front of my face.


So, yes, school is great and fun and stuff, but that's not what my writing is about this morning.


It's about three little girls.
One who sent me a message from heaven, and two whose earthly lives were saved by God.


I'm sure you remember Ellie Potvin, the 8 year old little girl from Charlotte that passed of cancer in June.
Well, everyone says that butterflies remind them of Ellie or that they are Ellie saying "Hi" from heaven.
On Monday of this past week, I got home from school after having just "one of those days".
I needed something to lift my spirits, to remind me that some people have it worse than me and that I'll see better days.
As I rounded the corner to my back door, I saw a beautiful butterfly.
It was a velvet black color with blue on it's wings, and if I could have seen it's mouth, I'd be pretty sure it was smiling at me.
I immediately though of Ellie and talked out loud to her right there in my backyard.
I said, "Hey, Ellie. Thank you. I needed this." The butterfly flew around me for a second and then I said, "Ellie, can you land for a second and let me look at you?"
And you can believe me or not here, but that butterly landed on the window of my house and sat right there for about a minute.
I was so amazed.
I wish I had gotten it on video.




This next one you may not remember if you don't read my prayer blog, www.goprayingmantis.blogspot.com
Madison Strickland, a 5 year old little girl from Whitley Church, went to the hospital for her appendix in June or July. They made it just in time.
Madi's appendix ruptured and she had to have numerous surgeries and be in the hospital for a long while, but her life was saved and she got out just in time for back-to-school. The doctors told her mom, Mrs. Tammy, that had they gotten to the hospital just a few minutes later than they did, her youngest baby girl would have lost her life.
Last night I went to the Saturday night service at The Bridge, a smaller location of Whitley Church.
Pastor Ferrell talked about Madison and his words brought many to tears, including him. "Madison Strickland is a miracle girl. She was in the hospital for months because her appendix ruptured. I know God was there because little Madi almost left this world, but last Sunday I saw her at Whitley Church." He stopped there, starting to cry, and then, "Let me tell you that I hugged little Madi. I hugged her and I felt bones. Those little bones because she had lost so much weight. But Our God saved her! How great is our God?" and then the people said Amen.
A few mere minutes later and Madi wouldn't be here right now.
So hard to think about.
But so easy to think about how God saved her.
God is so so so so great, beyond words.




You probably all know about Olivia, the 7 year old little girl who was diagnosed with Stage 3 Burkitt's Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in July. She also goes to Whitley Church and there have been servicecs just for prayer for her and little Madi. There's actually one tonight to thank God for their healing.
Yep, after just 3 months of fighting, Olivia Haveri is completely cancer free.
Our God is an awesome God.
I think it is som amazing that on September 1, 2010, the first day of childhood cancer awareness month, Olivia found out she beat it.
I trust God, without a shadow of a doubt.




And so if you are having doubts this morning, please think of my 3 little heros.
You will be amazed.




Happy Labor Day Weekend.

<3,
Stormy

Parking Paint

The first three days of school were so great!

I love my classes and I have lunch with my friends!

So far I've already had Biology homework every night, had to write a two page paper for English, done a whole chapter in Latin, and Beth, Marieke, and I have to teach chorus, but I DONT EVEN MIND!

I'm loving every minute of it!

Even the supplemental reading!

Today, after getting permission from the principal, we took spray paint and wrote the numbers of our parking spaces on in Rosewood Purple.

We asked to do this because the old numbers had faded and we couldn't see them.



I took pictures!



Paint Hands
Paint Can
Rosewood Purple!
Beth's One. She wasn't there, so I really hope she doesn't see this. Supposed to be a surprise!
Me, Marieke, and Kelsey
Me and my 2
Kelsey and her 3
Marieke and her 4



UPDATE!!

These are of Beth in her Spot. Taken the first full week of school.

First Day of School 2010-2011

1st Grade and 12th Grade =)

First Day of Senior Year

Today was the first day of my senior year.


This morning I was awake at 5am after tossing and turning all night in anticipation.

Traffic was crazy dropping Savannah off at the elementary school and then trying to get back to the high school, but I got us both safely to school and on time.

Homeroom lasted an hour and we went over the student handbook and health forms and general first day back stuff.

I am very happy with my schedule this semester which is:

Chorus
English
Latin
Biology

I have first lunch out of two lunches.
I'm happy about that because it means my third period doesn't get interrupted for lunch.

I took some pictures this morning of my sister and I and I will post those later,
but now I need to do homework!

So You Should Read It Too!

Hey bloggers!

This post is all about my favorite blog, Kingdom Twindom Plus 1!

This is the first blog I ever read and the blog that inspired me to start a blog of my own!


Mrs. Sarah Valente (Kingdom Mama) writes the posts. She is a Christian mother and wife and homeschools her children. She posts about the children, marriage, homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, and just life! Mrs. Sarah posts about God and religion quite often too. Her posts are very uplifting!

Sometimes, Mr. Valente (Papa Bear) posts on the blog. Every post is fun to read.

With five children (two sets of twins and a singelton) I can't imagine how Mrs. Sarah has time to post! I am thankful that she does, though, because without her, I might not have a blog right now!

So hop on over to www.kingdomtwindom.com and leave a comment on her latest post saying that Stormy sent you from www.lifestormystyle.blogspot.com and get hooked like I did!

And So I Packed Away My Summer Clothes

This summer has flown by ridiculously fast. It seems like yesterday that I ran around school on the last day of my Junior year making sure all the Seniors had signed my yearbook in fear that I might not see them again.

Little did I know we'd throw a surprise party for one of them and I'd see them all again at least one more time. Or that I'd volunteer at VBS at the same church one of them went to.

But now they are all moved in to their different schools across the state. Some are close and some not so much, but they have promised to keep in touch. Thinking logically, I know deep down that keeping in touch will be a small facebook chat or a text now and then, and I am thankful for that, but it's hard to know that it might be a very long time before I see them again.


It's even harder to think my younger friends will feel as I do now in just 10 short months. I will be the graduate that they will miss.


Thankfully, I have spent a lot of my time this summer with the girl who became my very best friend. Kelsey helped me through some hard situations last year, and spending a week together at the beach at the beginning of the summer really did a lot for our friendship and led us to spend the rest of the summer together as much as possible.

The last few months of school last year, the girl who has been my best friend since I was 6 made some new friends while we didn't have many classes together. I felt like her mindset was that I would still be there when she got ready to come back, and that really hurt my feelings. There were arguments and immature silent treatments and the biggest "fight" we've ever been in. I will always love Beth and we have Chorus and we have spent a couple of days together this summer and we are still friends through it all, but I think we both know that our friendship is different. She has a new crowd, and so do I. And as much as I hate the idea of a clique, it just happened. She will always be my first best friend and she knows so much about me it's crazy, I look forward to spending our senior year and 12th year as friends together and hopefully go to the same college.


Kelsey was there for me through all of the drama and she has been here all summer.
We are more than ready to go back to school and, as we say, "run this place".
We are proud of the BFF label, and even with only one class together and lunch this semester, we are confident that nothing can tear us apart. It has been a summer of heartbreak, fun, secrets, and adventures like none either of us had ever been on. I hope we end up at the same college after graduation, but it's unlikely since our career paths are so different.


I've spent a lot of time with family, too.
We've visited dad in Charleston, SC countless times, and we all went to the beach at Topsail for a week.

It has been tons of fun spending time with our household family, and with my cousins and their household family.

Even when Tabetha and I opted to tour the Battleship alone, and scared ourselves silly with fear of ghosts and jumping at the sight of mannequins.

I have learned so much this summer. I have become a part of a worlidwide effort to "kick cancer" and find a cure after becoming attached to stories of kids on twitter and seeing a child I know personally get diagnosed. And I have grown closer to God by private Bible study time and more prayer than ever before in my life, even though I have been away from church almost all summer.

This week has been nothing less exciting and adventure filled.
Tabetha got confirmation that she really IS expecting, for sure, and though it shocked the family, we are stepping up to help her out. It is a weight off of my back, because I had known it was a possibility since the week at Topsail and I promised I wouldn't tell.

Last night was the first home football game and I went to support our boys and to support Beth as it was her first National Anthem performance of the season.
The Eagles won 20 to 15 and it was so awesome to see everyone again. It was so surreal to have tenth graders come up to me and already be saying how much they are going to miss me and school hasn't even started just yet.


Tonight is Ross and dad's birthday party.
I'm excited to celebrate and have one more big family night before school starts and to spend the night with Tabetha and talk about everything some more.


It's crazy how our family watched Tabby graduate last year, this year it is my turn, and next year we get to go to Georgia to see Dannille graduate and then come home and see Ross graduate a month later. Then we wait until 2016 for Jack, 2022 for Savannah, and who knows what year Dalton will graduate.


Whether I am ready or not, it is time for my senior year. High school flew by just as fast as this summer, so if you are reading this and you are in high school, please enjoy every moment and take lots of pictures. Before you know it you'll be buying supplies for senior year. And worrying about college stuff.

So far I've gotten my senior pictures taken, made sure my schedule was exactly right, gotten my supplies and gotten them ready, packed away my summer clothes that aren't in dress code, and attended the first football game of the season.

Monday is orientation and then Wednesday is the first day of my senior year.


My goals are to keep up with every thing I do on this blog and to take 2011 pictures.
I went with the yellow background and purple text scheme because those are my school colors.

It's going to be a fun but scary year, and I don't want to miss a thing.

I Trust God- By Melly

Dear Mr. God, I’m writin’ you today- Because it seems like lately, I’ve forgotten how to pray.


A few months ago, before school was let out, my teacher had called me out of the classroom to talk. There was a girl that said some hurtful words about people with cancer and it broke me down. Some of my friends knew about it and a couple even confronted her. Before I was pulled out of the classroom, I heard screaming, yelling and swearing in the class next to mine. Everyone ran out to see what had happened and I walked out last with my 2 other friends. There was a big crowd of students surrounding the girl that had said the mean things. The students were yelling at her, and some were even crying. The teachers were trying to get everyone calmed down and that was when I really saw how upset and hurt people were. I asked one of the girls what had happened and she said that everyone found out about what the girl said about cancer patients. I was in shock. How did that get out so fast? How did everyone find out? I looked around my classroom and that was the moment I knew Cancer had, indeed, touched all of their lives somehow.


Cancer has become a part of everyones lives in one way or another. It has become a huge deal. This disease causes so muvh pain to everyone and when I found out how much people it was affecting, I stepped up. I decided I needed to do more. When I went out to talk to my teacher, she had told me how upset everyone was. She told me to "drop it" when I didnt spread it in the first place. She even told me that cancer took some of her family. I had one question for her when she was done talking- Why are you so okay with this situation? I didnt understand how she wasnt the least bit upset. I set my goal at that moment. I let God take my hand and lead me.


I trust God. I believe that he will put me on my path and guide me wherever I need to go. I wasnt as close to God before I was set on this "end cancer" journey. I pray more now. I believe in miracles. I have found hope. Once again- I trust God.


'Cause I need you, but it’s hard to see- Why anyone as big as You, needs anything from me. I know You’re there, so how ya been? I’m alright but I can’t lie, sometimes I feel like givin’ in, you’re all I’ve got..



-Melly
www.melly1901.blogspot.com

Trusting God- By Lindsay

I have been raised Catholic and for me, going to church and praying for meals has been a natural thing… not much thought had to be put into saying “Bless us O Lord” before eating our dinner and every Sunday morning is church. It isn’t until you are faced with a hardship that your relationship with God and your faith is questioned. It’s so easy to trust in Him when everything in your life is going perfectly, when your biggest hardship is studying for your math test. It is simply when times get tough, that it is difficult to trust God.

Perhaps one of these instances is when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer. Cancer is a part of nearly everyone’s lives these days. The odds of an adult woman getting cancer is 1 in 3 women. The odds of an adult man getting cancer is 1 in 2 men. Most people know someone or at least know of someone who has dealt with cancer. The dictionary definition of “cancer” is as follows: any malignant and invasive growth or tumor. Funnily or not really funny at all, is the dictionary doesn’t cover half of the destruction, the pain, and the torture that come with you or a loved one being diagnosed with cancer. Everyday 46 children are diagnosed with cancer. Everyday 7 children will die from cancer. I can only imagine the horror of being diagnosed with cancer yourself, hearing the painful words of, “You have cancer”. Some are lucky to hear these words following those previous three, “It is treatable and you have a good prognosis of survival”. Others get a devastating prognosis, something like “We can try this 30-year-old chemo drug but it probably won’t work on your aggresive cancer. You have a 10% chance of surviving”. Those words are life changing. To hear that said about yourself, to think about some unstoppable force inside of you overtaking your body is unthinkable. But it’s the reality in 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women.

Now, imagine that day that you give birth to your newborn child. That love that you’ve felt for them for 9 months while you’ve been pregnant suddenly grows so much more, and you are overwhelmed with complete and utter fascination and joy at your new baby daughter or son. Now, fast forward a few years, maybe even less, maybe just a few months, maybe one year, maybe two, three, or maybe even fifteen, or twenty. 1 in 330 children will be diagnosed with cancer before they turn 20. A parent would do anything for their child…they care about their child more than themselves. But every day, 46 moms & dads hear the words, “Your child has cancer.” 35% of these children diagnosed with cancer will die. I am not a parent, I do not know this incredible love that a mother has for her child, but I can only imagine the pain and the devastation that comes when your baby is diagnosed with cancer.

What do the above about trusting God and the below paragraphs about the devastation of cancer have to do with one another? Everything. When your child is diagnosed with a terminal disease, when you are diagnosed with a terminal disease, or your mom or dad, your aunt or uncle, or your best friend… so much is taken from you. Cancer can take your body, your hair, it can take away money, it can take away your childhood, it can even take away your life. But so many cancer patients and “cancer moms” are turning towards the ultimate healer when their child is faced with devastating odds. These parents have to believe that miracles are possible, that God can overcome any cancer or any illness and can terminate any bad prognosis. God creates miracles. They aren’t always obvious miracles. Every parent and cancer patient pray desperately for a miracle. They pray they will be cured on earth…and sadly, many of them aren’t. What does this mean? It means simply that God’s will was done. That in no way takes away the excruciating pain of loving your child, your mother, your father, or your friend. The pain is always there, and often times will linger forever. But you must surrender yourself…

…and let God carry you.



-Lindsay
www.lovinglosingandliving.tumblr.com

God and Cancer: The Greatest and One of The Worst.

Hello blog world.

This has been a short and eventful summer.
We have traveled and I have been away from church for the most part.
It was nothing different for me, since we never went to church on a regular basis when I was growing up. We went on holidays and special occasions and sometimes on a normal Sunday, but never regularly.

I made the choice to go to church just last year and really get to know God.
Still, I sometimes forgot to pray and sometimes I slept in instead of going to church.


My life wasn't at all hard.

The things I considered major were things like my hair not looking right or something along those lines.

I had prayed a lot when my papa was sick, but I obviously didn't have a wonderful relationship with God, since I was angry at Him for taking papa.



This summer my eyes were really opened.
I learned to trust God and give Him everything and to know He has a plan and everyone has a time.



I have enjoyed this blog and my new love, twitter.
And I have gone from walking to God to running to Him.
And I have a lot of children and twitter accounts and new friends to thank for it.
Even if I have to wait and thank some of them in heaven.


On my personal twitter account (@TheSunnyStormy), I came across the accounts of two beautiful little girls:
Layla Grace Marsh and Ellie Shoal Potvin. The accounts were in support of these girls, to raise awareness about them and their battles with cancer.

Through pictures, videos, and the many many updates, I fell in love.


I felt like I knew these girls.

I prayed every night that God would save them, and rid their bodies of cancer.


I started following both of their accounts in February of 2010.



On March 9, 2010, Layla Grace passed away at just 2 years old.

I was devastated. I cried and cried. It felt like I had lost a loved one, and in all honesty, I had.


I still had hope for Ellie, though, and by that time I had began to follow other kids and their stories.


I read updates and grew to love countless children over twitter- a simple site that I never once thought would have this kind of impact on me and in my life.

I watched as some kids kicked cancer and went into remission, and I watched as some kids relapsed and had to start the fight again, and I joined in prayer to help all the kids kick cancer, and I watched some kids' lives on earth come to an end.


By June 2010 I was a full on supporter of kids with cancer, and an advocate to find the cure.


The sweet girl I had become the most attached to was still fighting and I continued to pray for Ellie endlessly.

On June 22, 2010, Ellie went downhill fast. I stayed up all night reading updates and crying and praying. I asked God to please give her a miracle. Please don't take Ellie away from us.

One update from Amy Potvin, Ellie's mom, asked that we no longer pray for Ellie's earthly life to be saved. Amy said for us to pray that her suffering end. To pray that God would call, and Ellie would go to Him.


Ellie fought all night and all the next morning for her life.

On June 23, 2010, Ellie Shoal Potvin passed away at 11:35am at 8 years old.

She left behind her mom and dad, her twin sister, and over 7,000 supporters who loved her.


After Ellie flew to heaven, I knew I really had to do something serious.

I didn't want to see another child die from cancer.



I created the twitter account, @CancerKickers.

I tweet words of support, love, and encouragement to kids and their families.
I pray for those who need it.




Though I loved Ellie and Layla, and I was aware of their disease, I will admit that I never thought it would happen to someone I knew personally, face to face.



On July 6, 2010, my 17th birthday, I got a text message that said Olivia Haveri was in the hospital.... and it was cancer.





My heart sunk and memories of Olivia and her family and church and her singing and laughter and thoughts of her mother's amazing faith and the tremendous faith of her older brother and sister and her father and how on earth her little sister would understand filled my mind.


I immediately needed more information, and I knew I was going to help in any way I could.


I started texting Olivia's mom, Mrs. Emmy, and I started a twitter for her: @PrayForOlivia.





Through following these kids and their journeys and through Olivia's diagnosis and fight, I have witnessed AMAZING faith.


I have prayed more than ever before and I have become so much closer to God.

I went from simply walking at my own pace towards Him, to running full speed.



I trust that He, the Greatest, has a plan. And I trust that someday, we on earth, will find a cure for cancer, one of the worst.








This is my story of how cancer became such a major part of my life and how it taught me to give everything to God. I now run to Him and trust Him and pray to Him like never before.

This is my story.

Next I will share with you the stories of two of my close friends that I met on twitter.

The first is Lindsay. She knew Ellie personally, and ran her twitter.

The next is Melly. She was deeply inspired by Layla.



Please read their stories and help us by joining the fight.

Just An Ordinary Evening

I'm finally relaxing at home tonight.

It's so nice to be here with just the people that actually live here and be able to just breathe.

Tomorrow night I'm going to my friend Brittney's 18th birthday bash and then we leave Wednesday for one last trip to SC.

So this little R&R isn't for long.


School starts in two weeks.

I'm so ready to be a senior.


Look forward to changes on this blog!

Summertime is over and Senior Year Edition is on it's way!


Can't wait!



GOOOO EAGLESS!

Yes, I Know, This Was 2 Weeks Ago

These pictures are from VBS two weeks ago, but I still wanted to share them here. I ended up going after all and helping the group leader of my sister's team because she was all alone. Her name is Beth and she's a great new friend. Anyway, so I got to work and be there and I love the church and I seriously think this might be our new church home. I didn't get many pictures during the week but I did catch this:

This is my darling baby sister after crafts one night... Too cute. Not how they were supposed to use the stickers, but still cute.

On the very last night of VBS, I made sure to get pictures of the kiddos that hung around me the most. There were 33 Red Rustlers registered, but only a few of them hung around Beth and I. The others followed the adult group leaders. Anyway, so here's the cuties we took care of:


Sweet Madalyn. She's been in my sister's class at school for pre-k and kindergarten. She's a sweet kid and an awesome listener. Such a blessing to have her at VBS.


Matthew and Jackson. These boys are the sons of a friend of my mom's from work. Their older sister, Georgia, is close to my age and we had fun with them on the last night when groups could mingle. Matthew was a White Wrangler amd Jackson was one of my little Red Rustlers. The groups were by grade. Red was K-1 and White was 2-3. There were other colors too but these two groups are the ones I stuck with most. Matthew has the darker hair. Jackson is the one with the blondish hair.


This is my sister, Savannah and her best friend Mekenzie. Mekenzie was a White Wrangler. They met thanks to our mom's who work with Matthew, Jackson, and Georgia's mom. They all drive buses for school. These two had a blast hanging out the last night of VBS.


This is little Carlie and a different Savannah we had in our group. They were both Red Rustlers and they got along so good! We couldn't keep them still very long, so this picture is blurry, but Carlie is the smaller one.


This picture is sort of dark, but I just had to post it. It's all the kids getting ready to dance to the VBS songs. This was everyone's favorite part and it was so cool to see them all so excited about God and doing the little dance moves and all. I loved it.


The last thing I want to include here is the sweet video of the Red Rustlers performing on parent night. They did so good! Here they are performing "I Know What I'm Gonna Do"

It's Been 5 Months Layla Grace

Layla Grace Marsh, age 2, flew to Heaven to be an angel 5 months ago today.


Stage 4 Neuroblastoma Cancer took her life.


We need to stand up for kids like her and fight for them!

No child should ever be diagnosed with cancer.

No person should.

We need to end it.



Until we meet again Layla, I miss you.
You still touch hearts down here.



"Because when a child struggles, our hearts struggle with them."

Layla Grace Marsh 2007-2010