Torie Lynn McDaniel is my name.  I am ten years old.

I live with my family in Grafton, Ohio.  I am in the fourth grade.  I live in a white house with my parents and baby brother.  His name is Ian and he is two years old.

I am like a lot of kids, but once you see me, you may forget that.  See, I am in a wheelchair.  I was born with spina bifida, which left my lower part paralyzed.  I cannot move my legs and don't have any feeling from my waist on down.  It's a drag sometimes, but I try not to let it bother me: there are worse things that can happen to a person.

I have had a lot of surgeries and hospital stays, but they have helped me get to where I am now.  If it were not for them, I'd be in a lot worse shape or even dead.  When I was born, the doctors did not have much hope for me, but I guess God showed THEM a thing or two.  I am ten years old now and still have a lot of living to do!

I am a very happy, active girl.  I love to read Christian books for children, swim, dance (yeah, I can dance from my wheelchair!), sing, ride my special bike (it has hand pedals that I can pedal with my hands), play with my Chi-Pom (half Chihuahua, half Pomeranian) named "Scooter", and play with my baby brother.  I have many firends; my best friend is named Carter Dawn Mason (she is in sixth grade; she's a bit older than me, 12 to my 10), and she treats me like I want to be treated: with a lot of respect and common courtesy.  I appreciate that; I am NOT my disability: I'm a kid WITH a disability.

When I grow up I want to be a teacher to kids with special needs, or be a singer.  I love to sing; my favorite kind of music is country.  My favorite singers are Carrie Underwood and Loretta Lynn.  I would love to see Carrie in concert; I've seen Loretta a few times and she was great, but I'd really love to see Carrie!  She's awesome!!  I loved her on American Idol; I was a little girl when she won that, but I remember it like it was only yesterday!

Well, sorry I have to run, but it's about bedtime; I have school in the morning and we get up early, like by five thirty, six o'clock on school days.  UGH!  I will be soooo glad when school is over for the summer and I will also be sooooo glad when it's Saturday and Sunday morning!!  These early days are the PITS!!  Take care and may God bless you always!  I hope you enjoyed reading my story!

~Love, your new friend in Oho, Torie Lynn.  :)