Meeting Ellen

This is a hastily taken snap but a very important memory. Today we met Ellen properly for the first time. Here I am holding Ellen and Sarah, Ellen's mother is holding Lyra. Sarah and I get on very well and though Sarah loves Ellen to pieces and desperately wants to keep her, she is happier about the idea of Ellen being adopted as a sister to Lyra than being adopted out. There are still a lot of meetings and paperwork and court dates to determine exactly what will happen but either way, Ellen is likely to feature largely in our lives from here on in.

The photo isn't a great one as in the short time we had at the foster carer's home we were far more keen to get to know little Ellen than to carry out a photo shoot.

Thank you to all the blippers who have been so supportive to us during the many months this has already been ongoing (Ellen was taken into care at birth in March). Emotions are high our end - we can think of nothing nicer than raising Ellen as a sister to Lyra on the one hand, but on the other Sarah loves her dearly and really doesn't want to lose her - and we love Sarah.

It's complicated to say the very least.