One of our Families gives their story:

A year ago we had two of the most beautiful children placed with us for adoption - what at the time we thought was the end of a long, long road; we were soon to find out that the road is even longer than we imagined, with various ups and downs along the way.

Having been through the process of being interviewed by the children's social worker and the family finder, and then having gone to matching panel, introductions were finally set for a date five months after we had first heard about Tiffany and Jordan.

We met the foster carers, who then took us back to their house to meet Tiffany and Jordan. We felt incredibly nervous as we entered the house, but then Tiffany came straight up to us and called us Mummy and Daddy - I cried!!! That was the ice well and truly broken for her. Unfortunately Jordan was somewhat more reticent, but then being younger lacked a lot of the confidence of his older sister. We spent a total of five days with the foster carers, learning of the children's routines, likes and dislikes, even how to put a nappy on a wriggling toddler! We took the children out to the local park, to the swings and then fed the ducks. We got lots of practice at getting them in and out of their car seats, and their buggy! By the end of the week we were exhausted, nervous, first time parents!! We had been at the foster carers to witness their bath and bedtime routine, to get them up in the morning and feed them breakfast, to just generally spending time with them playing with toys or looking at books.

After somewhat tearful goodbyes with the foster carers, we put the children in the car, and started the long drive home. We stopped en-route for a bite to eat and nappy change for both children. It is amazing how quickly you get into the swing of having children and putting their needs first - they both had drinks and food ordered, and suddenly I realised that we did not have any food ordered for us, just a cup of tea!!!

Arriving home was an almost surreal experience - we unloaded the car, took out two sleepy children, shut the front door and thought "Oh my goodness, this is us as a family now"! As the children woke we showed them around the house - their bedrooms and toys that we had already been given, then unpacked the toys that they brought with them from the foster carers. Dinner was provided courtesy of a relative. I was somewhat nervous sitting them up to the table and feeding them properly for the first time - what if they don’t like the food? What if they are so upset by the unfamiliar surroundings that they choose not to eat? What if they play up and choose not to eat? We gave them a meal recommended by the foster carers, and luckily all was quiet whilst they ate. After dinner they again looked around their unfamiliar surroundings. We were unsure as to what to do, so just left them to explore. Tiffany was happy to go from room to room, and then show us what she had found. Jordan was more bewildered, and clung to Daddy.

We decided to put them in the bath before bedtime - keep to the same routines that they were used to. Again, we felt somewhat nervous bathing them - at the foster carers when we had done this there was always someone else on hand, to advise on washing their hair etc. Again, all went smoothly and by 6:45pm we had two tired toddlers tucked up in their new beds.

During the night they both woke up, as we expected could happen. I got up to them both, gave them some reassurance and a hug and then put them back down - straight off back to sleep and we heard nothing more until morning. We were, and still are, very lucky with their nightime routine - we have had very few disturbed nights in the entire time that we have all been together.

The next few days were spent introducing the children to their new surroundings, our family and close friends. They have really settled in well to our lives, and we are often being told by family and friends that they cannot remember us being without them.

That is not to say that it has been an entire bed of roses this last twelve months! Don't get me wrong, I love them both to bits, and would do anything for them, they are definitely the best thing that has ever happened to us. We have had a few problems along the way. Nobody can prepare you for just how enormously children turn your world upside down. Then there is the tedium of the routine - our two just love their routine, and low and behold anybody who tries to change it, even just a tiny bit!!!! I suppose the biggest issue for me is that I have completely lost my independence - no longer can I just decide to do something on the spur of the moment - it takes military planning when you have two toddlers. I am lucky in the fact that I have a great support network close by, so am able to have some time to myself occasionally.

One year on and we look back on those first few weeks and months and can't believe how far we have come. The children have both settled in amazingly well, not just in our family but also in the community. The progress they have both made has been incredible to witness - Jordan has gone from being a baby to being a full on toddler, walking, feeding himself, talking enormously, and has really come out of his shell. Tiffany has recently started nursery and loves it - she obviously feels settled and secure in her new family and has made lots of new friends.

When we first thought about adopting, I spoke to a family friend who had previously adopted two children, and who, incidentally, recommended Families For Children to us. I remember very well her words - "my children are my life" - I couldn't have put it better myself.