This is the diary of Melanie, 40, and Tim who is 39. They have been married for six years and despite three IVF attempts have been unable to have children naturally.

Tim and Melanie were approved for adoption for one child up to the age of three in June 2002.

The diary begins after the couple were approved.

Week five diary

Well, this week's diary will be very short and sweet! Since I last wrote, nothing has happened - in fact, when we last spoke to Susan our social worker, she said that she doubted we would hear anything now before Christmas.

Now that everything has settled down a bit after a mad couple of months, we are finally coming to terms with the difficult decisions we had to make. After thinking about adoption 24/7 during that time, we now find that we are a little more able to put it to the back of our minds. That said, I only have to see people with children, and it's right there in my face again!

We're just in the throes of getting ready for Christmas - in fact, this weekend we're off on our Christmas shopping expedition, armed with a long list of presents we have to buy. I have a few days off work over the next week, and Tim luckily has the whole week off. Don't worry - when I'm slaving away at work, he has a long list of jobs to do to keep him out of trouble! The only worrying thing is that our little cat has developed a bad infection in one of her front paws, so I am having to take her to the vets this morning. She's booked in to the vets for Tuesday to have a dental (yes, amazing isn't it that cats have dental check-ups too!) and they were going to have a look at her paw then, but unfortunately it seems to have got worse, so I am hoping that they can perhaps give her some anti-biotics in the meantime to help soothe the infection a little.

Poor thing. She hates going to the vets, and I am sure she knows that she's going there this morning because I'm still here long after I've normally left for work!

Between now and Christmas, our time is fast filling up. Amongst everything else, we have a Christening in early December and a great panto visit lined up just before the big day. Tim and I went to the panto with friends last year, and I must admit we'd forgotten how funny it was.

We were crying with laughter and joining in with all the boos and the hisses. This time we're going with all Tim's family, including our two nieces, so it'll be a little different.

We're also sitting in the front stalls, so we're hoping that anything they throw into the audience (apart from sweets) doesn't reach us. I remember last year they were coming into the crowd and throwing custard pies!! It would be just our luck!

Anyway, we're not expecting any calls from Susan, but with adoption being unpredictable, you never really know.

Well, the little cat is sitting by me now looking up at me, so I must get her off down to the vets - that's if I can catch her after she sees me bring down her cat box!!