Super-Kid of the Month

The Jim Ellis car dealership does this thing every month where they choose one "super-kid". They post a short article about the "super-kid" on their website, and then send the family to go do something fun.

I have been chosen as the "Supergirl of the Month" for December!! Unlike most of the other kids, I got to write the article about me. Last night, my parents, brother, and my brother's friend Kevin (my sister was busy) all went to the Jingle Ball concert!!!
I have to say... Jessie J and Fall Out Boy were my favorite! Calvin Harris, Jeremih, and Hoodie Allen also performed (but we had to leave before T.I. came out). I think that Jessie J is probably one of my favorite singers now... she sang "Burnin' Up" and "Bang Bang" last night, and she has an AMAZING voice!! How is it possible for anyone to hit those high notes -- and hold them for that long?! Oh, and before I had heard her last night, I had already heard the song "Who You Are", and loved it... only today did I find out that she's the one who sings it!! Makes me like her even more!

Want to hear a funny story?
So on the radio, they've been talking about how the Jingle JAM, not Jingle BALL, was on Thursday. My dad listened to the radio a lot... and somehow he got the two concerts mixed up. On Thursday, we all thought we were going to the concert, and were super excited! I had my mom do my hair, I put on makeup... everything! But when we got to the Gwinnett Center, there was NO ONE ELSE THERE. My dad brought us to the right place, but one day early!!!

I'm a busy, busy girl!

Hey everyone!
Sorry it's been a while since I blogged! I had a lot of stuff going on -- most of which you probably know about, and some that you don't.
Did you guys know that 9 days ago I had surgery? Yep. They were placing ANOTHER tube inside my body! (Because a G-tube and a port aren't enough, right?) But it went pretty well, actually.
Pros of surgery:
- We weren't in the hospital for long
- I got candy and a new book!
- Hopefully, the tube makes my life a little easier.
Cons of surgery:
- It was surgery. Duh.
- Pain.... and the doctors in the recovery room kept offering me Tylenol, which I can't have!
- I was stuck in the hospital. With nothing to do except read my new book.
- Another tube?! You've gotta be kidding me!

Yeah, that pretty much sums up the entire thing.

What else has been going on? Well, did you know that a few weeks ago, my sister got her driver's license? She can't drive me or my brother (or any of her friends) for another 6 months, but she can drive herself around! ....If only we had another car.

Thanksgiving was crazy, but that's pretty normal. We went to my Nana and Opa's house (we being me, my sister, my brother, and our parents). Our cousins Megan, Savannah, and Mackenzie were there; Megan brought her husband and sister-in-law; Mackenzie brought her boyfriend, and so on. The food was absolutely AMAZING!!!! My dad made his sweet potato souffle (which is to die for), my aunt brought her famous cheesy mashed potatoes, my Opa cooked the turkey, I made the dressing, and everyone had something for dessert!! I went back for thirds, even though I wasn't hungry anymore, just because it tasted so good!

I'm working to catch up on my schoolwork that I missed while I was in the hospital. Yesterday, I started -- and finished! -- a 5 minute long video titled "The Life of a Sick Kid" for Language Arts and answered some reading questions for AP Human Geography. I'm planning on doing some work on eDesign (also known as the site where we work in Yearbook Class) today.

Yesterday, I checked my email for the first time since the hospital. There was one unread message in my inbox from my science teacher, Ms. Wilson. She hadn't put anything in the subject line, so I had no idea what the email was about. When I opened it, I was really surprised!!!! Ms. Wilson said something about hoping my surgery and recovery went well... and at the end, she added on something about the science fair, which was last Tuesday! She said that my science fair project made it to the top 10 in the entire SCHOOL!!! This was my first time ever participating in a science fair, and I'm only a freshman, so I was pretty shocked! And because I made it to the top 10, I'm going on to the regional science fair in February!!!!

So, as you can tell, there's a lot of stuff going on right now! I'm really excited about what this all will do for me later -- both in and out of school.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
~ Mattie <3

Trick or Treat!

So, as you most likely noticed, last night was Halloween!
My family and I almost didn't go trick-or-treating, because it was supposed to rain and be really cold. My dad told us that we could either go trick-or-treating, or we could go out to eat and then have movie night; when we voted, we ended up going trick-or-treating.
I wasn't sure which costume I was going to wear. I had two -- one of them was a duct tape Elsa dress that I made for my church's duct tape contest, and the other one was a witch dress that I wore last year. I wasn't sure that I wanted to wear duct tape out with my friends, but I didn't want to wear the costume that they had seen me in last year, either! But one of my awesome nurses, Ms. Kristi, had brought her costume (yes, she dressed up and went with us), and she let me try it on. It was a Hermione Granger outfit -- you know, from Harry Potter? -- with a red and gold cloak, scarf, and even a time-turner accessory! (If you want to know what a time-turner is, read the book. It's from #3, The Prisoner of Azkaban.) And not only did it look cool, but it fit perfectly too! My mom made my hair kind of wavy, and pretty frizzy/messy, so it would look like Hermione's in the movie. So for the rest of the night, and some of this morning, I looked like, acted like, and even talked like one of my favorite characters!
However, since I had taken Ms. Kristi's costume, she didn't have one to wear! However, she had brought a white shirt and black pants to wear under the cloak, and I had an idea when looking through some of our Halloween stuff: She would be Snow White from the show Once Upon a Time! She wore the white shirt, black pants, a white belt, boots, and a fake dagger. Because Ms. Kristi has dark blonde/light brown hair, she didn't exactly look like Snow White, so we told everyone that she was a huntress.
My sister, Aly, wore all black, a pair of cat ears, and my dad drew some whiskers on her face. Huh... her costume kinda went with the nickname my nurse Ms. Katie has for her, which is Aly-Cat! One of the other younger girls we were trick-or-treating with is named Allison, and she was also wearing a cat costume -- although Allison's was more of a leopard. We all called them "the two Aly-Cats!"
James wore one of my sister's old karate uniforms and belt. He kept pretending to attack everyone, which was a little annoying, but the costume did look like it was made for him! And his friend, Kevin, who currently does the same kind of karate as my sister, was also wearing a karate uniform. And Kevin's brother, TJ, was wearing a ninja outfit. They all matched each other, and none of it was planned!
We went around the entire neighborhood, and then we went over to Kevin's house. After a couple minutes, everyone decided that they wanted to go to ANOTHER neighborhood to get more candy! I couldn't go because it was starting to sprinkle, and my wheelchair can't get wet. Kaylee (Kevin's other sister) couldn't go either, because of her chair. And TJ didn't go, I don't know why. TJ and I ended up going around the neighborhood again -- and when we got back, everyone else gave us a handful of their candy, since they got a lot and we hadn't been able to go with them!
By the time we got back home and got in bed, it was around ten o'clock. So today, I am tired! But it was totally worth it.

Poetry Out Loud

I. Am. So. EXCITED!!!!
I joined this thing called "Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Competition", and it's coming up pretty soon! The competition is basically where you have to memorize a couple poems and then recite them up on a stage, and you are judged based on your accuracy, voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, and appearance/physical presence. One of the poems has to be 25 lines or fewer, and the second poem must be from before the 20th century! The competition starts at a school level. If you win, then you go to district, and then state -- and eventually the National Finals!!! I kind of doubt that I'll make it THAT far, this being my first year, but I hope to at least win at the school level.
I've chosen the poems "The Ocean" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and "It Couldn't Be Done" by Edgar Allen Guest. "The Ocean" was appealing to me because it sounds so dark, deep, smooth, and a little mysterious, but still beautiful!!

The Ocean has its silent caves,

Deep, quiet, and alone;

Though there be fury on the waves,

Beneath them there is none.

The awful spirits of the deep

Hold their communion there;

And there are those for whom we weep,

The young, the bright, the fair.

Calmly the wearied seamen rest

Beneath their own blue sea.

The ocean solitudes are blest,

For there is purity.

The earth has guilt, the earth has care,

Unquiet are its graves;

But peaceful sleep is ever there,

Beneath the dark blue waves

The reason that I picked "It Couldn't Be Done" is probably because of the message that it sends across: If you just try hard enough, anything is possible! It was also a really inspiring, uplifting poem.

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

      But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

      Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

      On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

      At least no one ever has done it;”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat

      And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

      Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

      There are thousands to prophesy failure,

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

      The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

      Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing

      That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

I have already gotten both of these memorized (surprise!) and so I just have to work on my enunciation and physical appearance. I don't think that I really appear all that confident when I am reciting, mostly because I am trying to remember what words come next! So I have to work on physical appearance/appearing confident the most.

The competition is coming up soon -- in the beginning of November -- so wish me luck!! I'll make sure to post about it the day of and/or the day after, so you guys know what happens. :)

~Mattie <3

Puppies

Do you have any idea how awesome puppies are?! They're, like, ALWAYS warm, even in the middle of winter. They almost always love to cuddle (there's one curled up in my lap right now). They can fall asleep anytime, anywhere, as long as they're comfy enough. There adorable, and fun, and playful. We call Paco my  "therapy dog", because whenever I feel bad or sick or anything like that, he comes over and sits on me. He growls, and sometimes snaps at, anyone who tries to touch me if he doesn't think I'm okay! And then there's Raphah, my kinda-sorta service dog. He's super playful, and it's hilarious to watch him zooming in circles around the house when he feels hyper!! And it's pretty cool, trying to teach him tricks and things. If our dog Chloe was a person, she would probably be a model or something! She's really pretty... but also, very picky and can be grouchy at times. Cee-Lo is like the baby, even though he's older than Raphah. Cee-Lo can be found sitting in a lap, sleeping on the couch, or snuggling in a blanket. He is like a heater: constantly emitting heat! And he falls asleep so easily, and doesn't like to wake up.

My puppies are all wonderful!! : )  Just like us humans, they all have their different personalities and qualities. But in a way, they are almost better. They know when you're upset; they can make you laugh without even really trying to; they're just plain ADORABLE!!!! I love them so, so, SO much. <3

~ Mattie

I am.......

I have hobbies.

I play the piano, read, write (um, duh?), I hang out with friends, I study, I sing, I dance (not very well), I draw, paint, and (try to) sketch.
I take care of my dogs, I play video games, I will (occasionally) go on my phone or Facebook. I (kind of) exercise on the Wii Fit, I volunteer at my church for the Worship and Drama Team, and I love to sit outside, just watching and listening (though I am always willing to go outside and start being crazy, too!).



I can be random.

I ask almost everyone about their favorites (color, food, movie, game, etc.). I am known (among my friends) for randomly changing the topic. One of my friends will tell people she doesn't even know that she is a "rabies-infested, radioactive squirrel" (in fact, that's how she signed my yearbook!).



I can be dramatic.

I am on the Drama and Worship Team at church, I want to find a theater or acting club to join. My nurse calls me a "drama queen" (and so does my entire family... and most of friends....). I can cry, laugh, or scream at some of the tiniest things. Sometimes, I exaggerate on purpose, to be funny -- and other times, I hardly even notice that I'm exaggerating things. Yeah, really.




I can be... myself!

I am all of the above. I am random, dramatic, creative, nerdy, helpful, musical, fun, and funny. I try my best to make people laugh, and to make them feel better if they are upset. I write, and play music... and I have tried writing my own music! (It didn't turn out so well.) My family and I love each other, like each other, dislike each other, fight, laugh, joke..... we're a pretty awesome group of people, if I do say so myself.




Now that you know who I am.....

Tell me, who are you?

Surgery (again)

Well, it is official....
In about 6 weeks, I am having a surgery to get another tube placed. Why? Well, my doctor's diagnosis was that my "head and my body don't talk". I can honestly say that no one has ever said anything like that to me before!
Truthfully, I am freaking out over this new tube. It's being placed in my stomach, not too far from my feeding tube, and I have not had a great experience with that kind of thing. When you get a feeding tube (like I currently have now), you usually start out with what's called a "peg." After about 6 months, they pull out the peg, and place the actual tube in. When I had my peg pulled out, everything just "fell apart", as my mom puts it. What was supposed to be a 30 minutes procedure -- outpatient, not in the O.R. -- turned out to be an emergency surgery that kept me in the hospital for a week afterwards. And did I mention how much it hurt, to have a tube placed in your stomach, but not actually IN your stomach, and have your body pumped up with fluids that were supposedly going straight to your belly? Yeah. Not fun.
So you can see why I am not super-excited about this new procedure! Especially considering that I don't know my doctor that well, since we just started seeing him. (If you are reading this, please do not be offended!) Oh, and just yesterday I got to meet the surgeon -- who apparently doesn't even work at my regular hospital. She works at another hospital close by (I can't spell the name). Everyone that I met yesterday -- the student, the PA, and the surgeon (along with my regular doctor) -- were all super nice, and tried to answer any and all questions that my mom and I had.... but, I mean, we just met them, you know? And my dad is currently out of town, so my mom and I went into the meeting with just my nurse as backup. We couldn't even talk to my dad today about scheduling the actual operation. We just chose a date, put it on the calendar, and let my dad know about it! At least he'll be here for the real thing, though.
So, yeah, I'm totally freaking out inside... just don't tell anybody, okay? (Yes, I am aware that I am posting this on the Internet for the whole world to see.) I'll make sure to keep you guys updated over the next few weeks.

Until then, have a great night and I will post something more cheerful tomorrow!!!
~ Mattie <3

When I Played The Piano....

I sat down on the bench,
Reached out to play,
There were people all around,
But I did it anyways.

My hands, they traveled up the keys --
They danced, they soared, they twirled,
My fingers, they played, happy then sad,
Slow, then faster they whirled...

The music, it seemed to run away;
The notes, their sound was fleeting.
My hands, they kept moving,
Away from each other, then once again meeting.

I neared the end of the song,
I tapped the last key,
And those others and I listened to
The music, which was floating and free.

I did not care what those people thought,
My music, it frees my mind.
Those others, they can mock me if they want,
But when I play, I go other places, never knowing what I will find.

Camp Twin-Lakes and Some Poetry

Hey everyone!!!
So, yesterday my family and I got home from Camp Twin-Lakes. It was a ton of fun!!! The theme was "Under the Stars Wars", so everything was Star Wars-related. There was a scavenger hunt and a raffle for 8 Star Wars Angry Birds stuffed animals, and I won Chewbacca! He was the cutest one. On Saturday night (or was it Sunday?) they played one of the Star Wars movies in the gym. And on the first night, Friday, they had a dance party... which wasn't really Star Wars, but it was still super fun!! I learned the moves to the song "Happy" by Pharrel Williams. My friends Katie and Addi (and their parents and siblings, of course) shared our cabin. And Katie and I were in charge of calling out the numbers for Bingo before almost every meal!! It was super, super, super fun!!!!!!


On the way to Twin-Lakes, I was kinda bored, so I started writing a poem. I'm really proud of this one -- it's my longest poem yet, and all of the verses really connect to each other. At least, that's what I think.... feel free to leave feedback/criticism in the comments section! Oh, and I haven't been able to think of a title, so if you have any ideas, please share!!

Jess was often called the "fairest of the fair"

'Cause she had bright, sky-blue eyes

And long, golden hair.

She was followed 'round by all of her friends;

She read so many magazines, 

And followed all the trends.

But Jess acted like she was better

Than everyone she knew.

She wasn't always super-nice,

Made others feel quite blue.

It took a while for this beauty to see

She was losing friends --

By the time she noticed, 'twas too late

For her to make amends.

Pearl could be described by people she'd just met

As a diva, a drama queen, Shakespeare's Juliet.

She wants to impress, so she chooses to lie --

What a tangled web she weaves; what large knots she ties!

She'll tell you, "I'm a princess

With a tiara made of jewels."

But if you were to believe her,

You would be a fool.

And when her friends find out the lies,

They sigh and walk away;

For they will not be friends with someone

Who, the truth, won't say.

Tris is always very quiet,

She is really shy. 

If you want to ask her something, 

You will have to pry!

Tris stands in the corner with

Her back against the wall...

She has few friends to catch her if she

Stumbles and she falls.

Tris loves her teachers, has a few friends,

But is scared of all the rest --

Mostly because she was once put down

By a pretty girl, named Jess.

Liz is always studious,

She always gets good grades.

She was the first to get her license

And a job that pays.

Liz doesn't have a Facebook,

She doesn't go to parties.

She doesn't want to be teased

Or called "nerd", "geek", or "smartie."

She doesn't hang out all that much;

She has never laughed or played --

Never, that is, until the girl

Met someone else named May.

May is super sweet and caring,

And she keeps up with her grades;

She's pretty and kind,

And her smile never fades.

She won't hang out with Jess or Pearl,

She says they are too mean.

But May is still friendly -- even popular!

She was voted Homecoming Queen.

Even Tris is May's friend,

And they love to talk together.

May's kindness and caring will never end --

No, they will last forever.

~ Mattie <3

Mito Awareness Week -- Answers :)

First off, I just wanna say THANK YOU!!! to all of the people who were willing to put themselves "out there" and ask me a question! It was great getting so many responses, and I just want to let you know... over 3,200 people have viewed my blog! This is all thanks to you guys!!! You've helped spread awareness, and made one little girl very happy.

- What's been the hardest thing about having Mito so far? Have you noticed any new strengths that have emerged as a result of dealing with it? What's the biggest thing folks seem to misunderstand?
Well, the one of the hardest -- and most rewarding -- things is meeting those people who don't understand. I mean, when you stand up out of your wheelchair and start to move around, you can get some pretty weird looks, and occasionally some rude/embarrassing comments or questions. But there is also that emotion, that rewarding feeling, the pride you get from knowing that you've just made one more person aware. That you're that much closer to awareness and to a cure. Hmm, any new strengths? Well, when you get used to the "meeting new people, getting over the awkwardness of introductions" thing, you find that you're a whole lot more willing to put yourself "out there". You can put yourself on the spot. You meet more people, spread awareness, and find that you aren't really all that shy or embarrassed about it. Now, the biggest thing that people misunderstand is that I am a normal girl. Yeah, I've got a weird disease that no one's ever heard of. Sure, I get tired, and take breaks, and need extra time. But I still love to play piano, and talk to my friends. I may take some extra time, but I am gonna take that test and get an A+! I love to read, and since my hands get tired writing, I type my stories and poems instead.

- What is the hardest thing you have to deal with relating to mito? Is there anything those of us without mito could do to make things better or easier for you or others with mito or is there anything you wish others understood about mito (misconceptions you run into)? Anna Ziller
Again, the hardest thing relating to mito would be meeting those without. It can be pretty difficult! I mean, imagine introducing yourself to someone you've never met. You tell the person your name, how old you are, etc., and if they ask, you explain why you are .... blank. The "blank" can be filled in with "sick", "different", "conspicuous", "noticeable", "shy"... anything like that. A lot of people focus on the "blank", and not on the rest of the information. You can find yourself being labeled a certain way because of that "blank", and the person you meet might just forget that you like vanilla ice cream or that your favorite color is turquoise, not aquamarine. That can be hard. Now, something that people could -- and really should -- do to make things easier for those with mito, and many others, would be to NOT focus on the "blank." Don't forget that it's there, but don't make it your focus.

- What would be the hardest part of this disease for you? Also, Dawn asks how you manage going places. She gets tired so quickly. Kristy Garrigus
I am (usually) able to manage going places by using my wheelchair. If we're not going to be walking a lot, I might not bring my chair, and I'll walk in and out of wherever we're going. But at school, I am almost always in my chair! It does help that I have a power chair in addition to my manual. The school bus comes and picks me up in my power wheelchair (that lift on the bus is super fun!!!), drops me off, and I stay in the chair until I get home. When I'm going somewhere with my family, I might take my manual and have someone push me. Or, if I feel like being independent, we'll put my power chair on the back of the car. Another thing that definitely helps is that I have to work on conserving my energy, a LOT. I am constantly taking my temperature, pulse, and blood pressure to make sure they are staying relatively normal, and I have a nurse that goes with me to school, doctor's appointments, etc., 5 days a week.

- To what extent does mito disable your body (which body parts does it affect)? Maggie Hipps
Mito affects almost every part of your body. It can hinder people's ability to talk, walk, and even eat or drink! The parts of the body that need the most energy, such as the heart, brain, muscles and lungs, are the most affected by mitochondrial disease. People who have mito will get tired much more easily than other "normal" people. They are also more likely to have strokes, seizures, sight and hearing problems, muscle failure, and diabetes. However, not all of this affects me personally. I have hearing problems, and wear two different hearing aids at school. I do have to wear glasses. I get tired pretty easily. Mito can affect my stomach, making me feel full or super hungry at times. I wear a C-PAP to help my breathing at night, and I have a port to make it easier for my IVs. But I can walk, talk, see, hear, eat, and drink.

- What is the average life expectancy for someone with mito? Angie Hipps
This question is a little more difficult, because people with mito are constantly misdiagnosed. It also really depends on the severity of the person's illness. Some people with mito cannot see, hear, talk or walk, while others like me can lead relatively normal lives! While some of those affected can have lives that are a normal length, many affected children do not survive past their teenage years. This is due to misdiagnosis, the severity of the disease, and also just the plain lack of a real cure.


Anyone who sees my blog, please feel free to comment!! If you have more questions for me, feel completely free to post it, even after Mito Awareness Week is over! Spreading awareness isn't limited to one week per year. I will answer anything, anytime.
Thank you so much to everyone who was willing to post a question to me or share this post!!! I really, really appreciate it. And I am so glad to have readers like you, who care about the subject and post replies, and read everything I write (even the times when my writing isn't all that great).
~ Mattie <3
"Spreading Awareness, One Person At A Time"

A New Poem

 I wrote this for my Language Arts class. It is a poem called an "apostrophe", which is basically a poem that you write to someone or something that is far away, gone, or passed away. This is to my GG.

I miss how we used to sit outside

And just swing, swing, and swing some more

I miss how we used to talk

Every time I came to visit

Every morning and every night

Can you believe how much we talked?

I think we talked about almost everything

I miss how we used to sit and paint

Your sight almost gone

Yet your paintings were beautiful

You captured everything

Everything anyone else would have just pushed to the side

I miss the swish of the brush, and your look of concentration

I will never forget when you told me “your work is beautiful”

For you never complemented lightly

Without meaning to,

You taught me about life

Hard times and struggles

But also about good times and loved ones

GG, I love you and I miss you so much

Thank you for the impact you made in my life

Mitochondrial Myopathy Awareness Week!

Hey guys!
So, as some of you might have heard, September 14-20 is Mitochondrial Myopathy Awareness Week! This year, I'm going to do something a little different than my usual post about my condition. Instead, I am going to ask you all to post questions you have about mito into the comments section! I will write a post answering all of your questions during the actual awareness week.
Please, please, please remember that there are no dumb, ignorant, or silly questions! I really want to know what you guys are wondering about. A lot of people have questions about my disease, or they wonder what's going on with me, but they are usually too shy or embarrassed to ask me about it. Don't be like that! I am going to try to answer every single question posted on here, no matter what they're asking. After all, this is Mito Awareness Week, and I want to make all of you -- and your friends and family, too -- completely and totally aware of what mito is and how it affects me every day. I am totally willing to answer anything, whether it be a physical question, an emotional one, or something about my everyday life.
So go ahead and post any and all questions you have! And, go ahead and share this post with your friends and family members. I'm trying to get the word out about mito, but I can't do it myself -- I'm going to need your help!

Spread the word!
I hope you all have a great week!!
~ Mattie

School Poem

Sure You Can Ask Me A Personal Question

By: Alyssa Lorenzen, 8-16-14

Hi, how are you?

            No, I am not a diva.

No, I am not fashion-obsessed.

            No, I am a reader; yes, books.

No, not boy-obsessed.

            No, I don’t hate school.

No, I don’t hate P.E.

            No, I do not sing,

At least in front of people.

            Yes, I am a girl.

Oh?

            So, that’s where you got your flexibility —

Ballet, I’m assuming,

Or some other kind of dance?

Martial arts?

            Let me guess, white belt?

Oh, so you've practiced for years?

            Let me guess, you still hit like a girl?

 Black belt, quite impressive.

            Let me guess, they went easy on you?

Oh, so you teach classes?

            Let me guess, just the little kids? So hard.

Yeah, it is hard what you say about us.

            Thanks for the apology.

No, I don’t know where to buy blonde hair dye.

            No, this is just the natural me.

Yes, I know what equals 2+2.

            Don’t believe everything you hear.

I don’t know why these jokes are seen as truth.

            But I know that I disprove them all.

Yeah, uh-huh. Hair.

            Uh-huh. Yeah. Fashion. Totally. Shopping.

Uh-huh. Like, make-up. And stuff.

            No, I’m not going to major in cosmetology.

Yeah, some of us wear too much make-up.

            Some just plaster it on.

This isn't hidden identity.

            This is me.

School and Poetry

Hey everyone!!

So, this week, school started!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was (and still am) super, super, super excited! All of my classes at the school are amazing. :-) Even though my mom and my nurses are still trying to work out the temperature/desk size/transportation stuff, I am REALLY enjoying school!! The only really bad thing? My online classes -- PE (yeah, right, I'm totally going to wear the heart monitor and do the exercises) and AP Human Geography -- are not up yet! I have to wait until the 18th for those classes. But, to make up for it, I'm finally getting my locker tomorrow!! My mom bought me this locker wallpaper thingy (I forgot what it's called), a mirror, an organizer thing for pens, pencils, etc., and I can't wait to get my locker and combination so I can put all of my things in there!

My teachers are all super-duper awesome!!!! Ms. Shields teaches my Accelerated Algebra II/Geometry class (where I'm one of the youngest students!), and even though I usually don't like math, she's made it fun to learn and review! Well, so far, anyways.... :-P  I mean, how long can people make you think that math is actually not horrible? But Ms. Shields is pretty good at it! And she's super nice too.After Ms. Shields, I have to go up to the 3rd floor of the school for Gifted 9th grade Language Arts/Composition with Mr. Jones. (I STILL get lost trying to find the elevators, and it's been three days!!!) Today we did our SPG test in Language Arts, and yesterday we just talked/got to know each other, and on Tuesday we basically went over a couple rules and played a game -- so we haven't REALLY learned anything yet, but I still think that it's going to be one of my favorite classes! Mr. Jones is really nice, and funny. He likes to come up with little games and activities for us, and I'm pretty sure that every single person in the class enjoys them!! We also go to lunch and advisement with him. After all of that, I head downstairs (WHERE IS THE ELEVATOR?!?!) to the second floor, go over the "bridge", and find Ms. Wilson's class! She teaches my Gifted Chemistry class (where I think that I'm the youngest student there! There are seniors taking that class with me!). Ms. Wilson is awesome!!! She's fun, and funny, and crazy -- in a good way, of course. :-) She was my brother James' teacher last year, too, when he was in 6th grade. According to James, she would sometimes come to school in an astronaut suit (!), and when I asked her about it, she said that yes, she has her astronaut suit, and she almost wore it to the first day of school!! (But apparently she decided that it wasn't very... professional..... even though an being astronaut is a profession!) After Ms. Wilson's class, I have to go back over the "bridge", find the elevator again, go down to the first floor, and navigate my way to the Yearbook room!!! Mr. Phillips teaches our Journalism II/Yearbook class. He is really nice, and seems super interested in everything that's going on. Right now in class, we are trying to come up with a theme for the yearbook. We all split up into groups of 3-5 people, and brainstormed together... right now, my group is thinking about a technology/iPad theme! We want to make the cover look like an iPad with a yearbook "app". If our idea is good enough, then we'll get to use it to design the entire yearbook, and it will look SUPER cool!!!!!! Oh, and the media center at school looks amazing!! They have tons of books... but I'm a little bummed because I haven't had time to go there yet! Oh well... maybe tomorrow! Or Monday!

I'm not going to just talk about school this time -- even though I could probably talk (and/or write) about it for hours at a time!!!!!!! I wrote a poem the other day... about one of my nurses, Ms. Katie. See, we were sitting at the kitchen table and I was reading her a poem, when she said, "Mattie, how come you've never written a poem about me?"

"What?" I asked her.

"I was thinking that, you know, we could write one together, about how awesome I am!" she said, REALLY enthusiastically!!!!

"Um, how about I write one about you... but not necessarily about how awesome you are?"

She looked kind of bummed that she couldn't help, but she said, "Okay, read it to me when you're done!!"

Fifteen minutes later, I had her poem finished. I read it out loud to her:

Ms. Katie

She loves to wear gigantic rings,

She laughs, dances, jokes and sings!

Ms. Katie will cook, medicate and clean,

And she does everything in between!

It's possible she might be OCD...

Yet she still can't get the hang of the Wii!!!

She makes me laugh, and she's tons of fun,

And though I hate to admit it... I like her a ton!

She read it again to herself, and then out loud to my family, so they could hear it too! And then she took a picture of it, and sent it to her brother, her sister, her mom, and one of her friends!!! One of them messaged back, "Mattie's sure got you pegged!" to Ms. Katie. It was awesome, seeing her face when she read it, and reading the messages from her family and friends that were for both of us.

So now, Ms. Katie has her own poem, and there are two more soon to come! (One for Ms. Kristi and one for Ms. Wynona, my other nurses.) When I've got those, I'll make sure to post them to you!!! See ya later!

~ Mattie <3

A Post Full of Random-ness

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love to read! So, at the end of this past school year, I was super excited to see the list of books for the rising 9th graders summer reading assignment. However... I had never heard of a single one of the books before!! I couldn't decide which book even sounded the most interesting. So, about a week and a half ago when we were at the library, I went on a computer, searched for all of the books... and only one of those summer reading books was currently in the library! And I only need to read one. So, I went and found the book, and checked it out (along with my other 7 that I wanted to read during my free time)! The name of the book is "Steelheart" and it is by Brandon Sanderson. Here is the summary:
Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary people extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. Epics are no friends of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man, you must crush his will. Now, in what was once Chicago, an astonishingly powerful Epic named Steelheart has installed himself as emperor. Steelheart possesses the strength of ten men and can control the elements. It is said that no bullet can harm him, no sword can split his skin, and no fire can burn him. He is invincible. Nobody fights back . . . nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, the Reckoners spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them. And David wants in. When Steelheart came to Chicago, he killed David’s father. For years, like the Reckoners, David has been studying, and planning, and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience. He has seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.


19 days ago (June 16th), my gigantic chocolate lab, Raphah, had a birthday party! He is 80-90 pounds now... and one year old! At his party, we had these ice cream things that were meant for dogs... I think they're called Frosty Paws? Or something like that. Anyways, all four of the dogs loved them! But... well... Paco, the four-and-a-half pound Chihuahua, would eat a little of his, get body freeze (instead of brain freeze), and try to run off to find something or someone warm! But minutes later, he'd be back for more ice cream. The other Chihuahua, Cee-Lo, definitely was freezing, but he didn't seem to care! Apparently it was worth it. Our papillon, Chloe, didn't seem to notice or care if it was cold. And Raphah, well.... let's just say that he was done eating about 30 seconds after he started. We had to give the birthday boy some presents, too, so my dad went to the store and came back with two GIGANTIC bones. Raphah loved them... and so did the chihuahuas, who immediately stole them. I don't think my chocolate lab will ever be allowed to touch his present again!

Yesterday was the Fourth of July (duh), and to celebrate, my dad, sister, brother and I all went outside when it was dark! Some of our neighbors across the street were doing fireworks. We watched some of the fireworks, lit sparklers, and used some of those popping things that you throw at the ground and they flash (what are those called?). It was a ton of fun!!! But I had "Independence Day" by Martina McBride stuck in my head the entire time..... I love almost any song by Martina McBride, and that one is especially awesome. However, ANY song gets annoying if it's in your head for too long! But it's out of there now... it was replaced by "Anyway"!!

See ya!

... And summer break has arrived.

Hey guys!
So, you know how I'm always talking about school? It's like, school, school, school, school, school every single time I look at past posts! But, um, that's kinda because I really, truly love school!!! And now..... *sigh* ... I'm really sad, because school is out and summer break is here.

See, at my house, we have four dogs (two little chihuahuas and a papillon, in addition to the GIANT chocolate lab). I have an older sister, Alyssa, and a younger brother, James. I also have one-on-one nursing every day! And then on holidays, like Memorial Day, my dad is home from work and we usually go visit family. So, it makes sense that summer at our house is always crazy!!

And my brother loves to play Risk.... and no one else at the house really wants to play it. Ever. At all. Which can make him pretty mad, because you can't play Risk with just one person! Sometimes, he refuses to play any game at all unless it is Risk, or unless you promise to play Risk afterwards!

And my sister is obsessed with these new TV shows, and she's always watching them on her phone. (The Walking Dead? Bones? Castle? Seriously, Aly?) She doesn't want the shows to bother anyone else, so she wears headphones. And then, half of the time when you are talking to her, it turns out that she either a) didn't hear a single word you were saying, or b) she didn't understand a single word you were saying.

And, my nurses are INSANE!! (No offense to any nurse who might be reading this right now.) One of my nurses is absolutely terrified of dogs. She's starting to get used to the little puppies -- you know, the four pound and the six-and-a-half pound chihuahua -- but she still screams every time Raphah, the lab, goes  near her. She also likes to joke about us training him.... because he is still a puppy, and doesn't always want to listen when we tell him to sit, lie down, or wait. The key word for Raphah to know that he's doing the right thing is, "Good!" or "Good boy!" Sometimes my nurse will say, "Good! Good boy, Raphah!" when he's doing the wrong thing. It kinda messes with his training, but she thinks that it is awesome. My other nurse will try to get me to plan out the entire day with her! And usually our plans involve games. Every summer, she and I have a competition to see who can win the most games, total, over the entire break! So we end up having picnics (both inside and out), dressing up my dolls and stuffed animals, and playing games (both electronic and board games).

Sometimes, when the dogs see or hear someone or something outside, they start barking like crazy. My mom and I will be trying to catch them, and make them stop barking -- but we don't usually succeed.... My sister is usually on her phone, with her headphones in, paying absolutely no attention to what is going on around her. Then, my nurse (who is usually terrified of dogs, but at moments like these can be found laughing hysterically) will yell, "James, get the tuba!!!" And so my brother, who was in the 6th grade band at our school (and is moving on to 7th grade advanced band), will grab his tuba and start playing random songs out in the middle of the chaos. Fun, right?

And...... have I mentioned yet that I have a brother, a sister, four dogs (one of which is a giant puppy), a nurse, and sometimes my dad doesn't have to go to work? ... I think I did. Maybe. Probably.

But I can't be sure.

Dare to Dash 5k and Family Fun Day

Hey everyone!

My family and I are participating in the Dare to Dash 5k and Family Fun Day this year, and we would love to have you join us! While I don't have a donation page yet, you can still contribute to the general team donation. And my team page is set up already. This year, our team name is Mattie's Moxie. My brother and I have also started on T-shirt designs for the team, as well.

I have also added the link for the Dare to Hope Foundation, if you would like further information. So go ahead and  and join team Mattie's Moxie! I can't wait to see you there.

~ Mattie Lorenzen

Mattie's Moxie:
http://daretodash.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=1103328&lis=0&kntae1103328=E38AE4CE3E004935B4FDD5D57C292A83&team=5969024


Dare to Hope Foundation:
http://daretohope.org/events/dare-to-dash-5k-family-fun-day/

Career Day at my school

Hey everyone! Sorry that it's been so long since my last post. There's been a lot going on between school, training my adorable service puppy, doctor's appointments, etc.... All the usual stuff.

School is going really well -- I love my teachers, and my classmates are nice too! It is so... well, just so different from homeschooling (if you are reading this, no offense, mom)! Yesterday at school was career day. A bunch of different people came to our school and were talking to all of the 8th grade classes about their jobs, and what we might want to be when we grow up. My nurse, Ms. Katie, and I were joking about it after school -- we both agreed that it was probably the craziest career day the school has ever had!

• In science, a lady named Ms. Laura talked to us about her job as a epidemiologist (I really hope that's how you spell it). She said that she works with the CDC, but her job specifically is to study patterns in diseases or health risks. She was nice, and her job sounded pretty cool.
• In math, another lady talked to us about her job. She works with IT (Information Technology), which includes smartphones, computers, laptops, projectors, printers, scanners..... There was a LOT! I never knew that Information Technology included all of those devices.
• Then, in social studies, we met a famous football player named Morten Andersen. He was an exchange student from Denmark, can speak 5 languages (which I thought was pretty cool), and played on 4-5 football teams. He was also a gymnast, track and field runner, and a pole vaulter before he started playing football -- and, he used to be in a chorus, like me!
• In language arts (my last class of the day), we talked to a lady named Joanne Shaw. She was a veterinarian, and told us about what her job was like. Ms. Shaw also had some funny/crazy stories about animals, like the time she took an X-ray of a dog, and saw a pool ball in its stomach, or when a family saw a dog, injured, by the side of the road and brought it to her... and it turned out to be a coyote! And the craziest story? Ms. Shaw came up to me after her presentation and said, "Hi, Mattie!" I was thinking, How does she know my name? But then she said, "You probably don't know who I am, but your Aunt Becky is actually my best friend!" ... It's a small world, huh?

Well, I hope you guys have a great day, and I will try to post again soon!

~ Mattie <3