Orion Hanford is my name.  I am thirteen years old, and I live in Hartford, Connecticut, with my family.

I will be going into the eighth grade next month; school starts the day after Labor Day.  Frankly, I'm not looking forward to it.  I am going to a new school because the one I went to before had a huge problem with drugs and alcohol, and my parents didn't want me around that environment, so they switched schools.

I don't blame them for being concerned, but now I am going to have to go through the whole process of looking for new friends all over again, and in my case, it's not easy! I was born handicapped. 

I was born without legs.  People think I was in an accident or lost my legs to something like cancer or "flesh-eating disease", but this isn't the case.  It was just a fluke in the womb:  while I was being formed in my mother's womb, something went horribly wrong.  I was born minus my legs.  So there you have it.

I get around with artificial (prosthetic) legs.  I did use crutches clamped to my elbows for a long time, but now I've gotten more sure of myself, so I can just walk under my own power.  It was terrifying at first, but it wasn't so bad once I got the hang of it (and got over the falling down part, that is).

I use a wheelchair when there's a lot of walking involved.  Sometime that's even easier; at times I would rather use my chair than to walk everywhere.  I don't tire nearly as easily, and I don't have to worry about my prosthetics chafing my stumps, or worry about the risk of infections or other problems.

I am the youngest of three children in my family.  I have an older brother, Marcus, who is fifteen, as well as an older sister, Moriah, who is seventeen.  I get along with my brother a lot better than I do with my sister; Moriah is too moody, and she thinks that since she's the oldest, she can boss Marcus and I around, which we do NOT like at all!

Moriah and Marcus also have to put up with other kids teasing me.  They call me "Orion-No-Legs" or "Half-Boy", and it really bugs the snot outta them.  Marcus is always theatening to beat up any kid who picks on me because I am his brother, and he has the right to defend me like that.

I like to do a lot of things, among them, watching the sky (this week was the Perseid meteor shower; last night was the peak for them, and according to Spaceweather.com, they say it might be another good opportunity for meteors tonight), read (mostly Christian teen fiction or science fiction stories), draw (I'm a very good artist, or so people have said), sing in the church choir every Sunday and Wednesday, write stories, poems, and essays (mostly about living with a disability), and play video games (especially Toy Story 3; I'm really good at that).

In addition to the above, I also love to swim and collect money for needy kids and adults, especially Veterans and senior citizens.

Well, Moriah and Marcus are calling me to join them in the pool, and on this hot summer day, a dip in the pool to cool off sounds mighty tempting.  I will write in here again soon; until later, take care, and may God bless you always!

~Orion.