March 11, 2008, Ponca City, Oklahoma, 10:10 a.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Remember me?  If not, I'm Treasure Ortiz.  I'm eight years old; live in Oklahoma, in Ponca City, with my family.  I am the youngest of five kids.  I have two sisters, two brothers.  Most of the time we get along; sometimes we fight, much to mami and papi's dismay.

I also have a dog, "Taco", who makes me laugh.  He is so funny!  He's a licker; he's always licking me with that long, pink tongue of his! 

I am in the second grade.  I am a very good speller and reader; I'm one of the best spellers/readers in my class.  My teacher, Ms. Reuters, is very proud of me; so are my parents.  I am very smart!

I like to do many things, including playing dressup or pretend, watching "Princess" Disney movies on the DVD (I also love "Pocahontas"), singing mariachi music with the family (we have our own band, La Familia Ortiz; in the band, I sing lead, and I play the maracas; it's fun!), play games or write stories on the computer, and read, read, read!!  Seems I always have my nose in a book!

People soon forget I'm handicapped when they see me because I have such an open, happy personality.  I don't let my disability (cerebral palsy that requires me to walk with braces and crutches) get to me.  I'd rather have people treat me like any other kid, and not keep pointing out my funny way of walking or my crutches; that really makes me uncomfortable.

In mi familia, I'm the only one who was born handicapped.  It makes me sad because I can't run around like mi hermanos y hermanas; however, they include me in their games, and it isn't long before they  have me laughing. 

Mami tells me the reason why I am like this is because I was born too soon.  I was supposed to have been born in July; I was born in April, April 14, in fact; so my birthday is coming up.  I will be nine years old.  I'm turning into a big girl.

I'm looking forward to it (me cumpleano) because mami promised me that I could have a pinata party.  I have been to lots of pinata parties in the past, and they're always a lot of fun, especially if you're the one who gets all the treasures inside the pinata once it's busted open.

I like hitting the pinata 'cause I have my own built in pinata-whacker: my crutches! :)  Only problem is, sometimes I will get so excited, so carried away, I end up busting someone in the head with my crutch instead of hitting the pinata! LOL

Good thing I've never cracked anyone's head open with my crutch! LOL

Well, I'm gonna get back to class; was bored, so I wrote in my journal.  I will write in here again soon; take care and God bless!

~Love, tu amiga, Treasure Ortiz, aged 8 3/4. :)