As part of the initial conversations with our local social services team, questions were asked about the age range for our future adoptive child. This is such a difficult and emotional question.

Initially, we wanted a baby up to one year but after discussions with the social worker, it makes much more sense to widen the age limit to 3 years as otherwise we limit ourselves which we do not want to do as it makes the waiting process longer. Also, it really does not matter as you want to give a child a chance to come in a loving family and build a life together and age really does not matter so much at that point in time.

The funny thing is that once your mind is shifting, you start to paint the picture for yourself. When I am now in the supermarket or whatever place where there are many people together and I see smaller children , I start to make the automatic connection with age and wonder how old the child would be. Equally, I start to imagine myself with the child and have regular flashes of us as a family and have all the fun of the world with our child as it would have been our child for all these years.

It's not an easy process to go through but at least it gives us an opportunity to start a family.