"Clouds" Choir

Last night, Ashton and I went to the Mall of America and sang in the "Clouds" Choir.  This was something I had been looking forward to for at least three weeks.

The "Clouds" Choir shirts.

I have mentioned Zach Sobiech a few times before, the first time being almost exactly a year ago.  His song has touched my heart and has left an impact on the hearts of all who have listened to it.

Cancer does has this strange way of bonding you to anyone else who has come in contact with it.  I never met Zach, but I feel like I knew him.  As I watched his parents talk with reporters and then address the crowd of 5,000, I so badly wanted to hug them.  For nearly all of 2012, I felt a small portion of the pain they live with everyday.  I watched my baby brother fight for his life and I am thankful everyday that he was able to make it out strong.  I am thankful that my brother, as of December 9th, will have been cancer free for one entire year.  The Sobiech's didn't get to see that with their Zach and it breaks my heart.

There were so many people there.         I will forever and always be Porter strong.

So my voice (and tears) joined in with thousands of others as we sang for Zach.

I fell down, down, down

Into this dark and lonely hole

There was no one there to care about me anymore

And I needed a way to climb and grab a hold of the edge

You were sitting there holding a rope

And we'll go up, up, up

But I'll fly a little higher

Go up in the clouds because the view's a little nicer

Up here, my dear

It won't be long now, it won't be long now

When we get back on land

Well I'll never get my chance

Be ready to live and it'll be ripped right out my hands

And maybe someday we'll take a little ride

Go up, up, up and everything will be just fine

We'll go up, up, up

But I'll fly a little higher

Go up in the clouds because the view's a little nicer

Up here, my dear

It won't be long now, it won't be long now

If only, I had a little bit more time

If only, I had a little bit more time with you

We could go up, up, up

Then take that little ride

We'll site there holdin' hands

And everything will be just right

And maybe someday I'll see you again

We'll float up in the clouds and we'll never see the end

We'll go up, up, up

But I'll fly a little higher

Go up in the clouds because the view's a little nice

Up here, my dear

It won't be long now, it won't be long now

The official video from KS95 can be watched here.

My video is here.  I apologize for how shaky it is. 1. I was very emotional. 2.  We were three stories up and I am terrified of heights.

Buzzfeed did an very neat article about the event and that is here.

Being there was truly special.  I wish I had recorded our first "practice" round of singing because it was my favorite one.  After we sang it the first time, I think even the radio hosts who were putting on the whole event were in awe at how emotional and beautiful it sounded.

Porter is just 3 days away from being cancer free and every day I am reminded how blessed we are to still have him, that he is strong, that he has adjusted to life as an amputee, that he smiles a lot, that he drives, that he has a job, that he is halfway through his senior year, that he is preparing for a mission, that he is living life like any 17 year old boy should.  Those 9 tough months we spent at the hospital seem like so long ago, but my life will never be the same because of them.