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 9 diary

Well, dreary old January is over already! We can't quite believe that it's now 7 months since we were approved - the time seems to have flown.

Yet again, nothing to report. We're trying to put the adoption right to the back of our minds, but it's difficult. To distract us, we've got that rock concert this weekend, and then we have a trip to London later in February and another concert to go to in March. We're also thinking of booking a week away for Tim's birthday in September - somewhere "child-friendly" just in case!

Tim and I have been looking up all the information on the internet about the new Act due to come in at the beginning of April. I must admit that it would make a huge difference for us financially if we were matched with a child after then, but don't tell our social worker!!

We were laughing because it recommended that you tell your employer that you are adopting as soon as you are approved. Well, I got made redundant last Summer, and am still working through my six months probation, so I won't be telling anyone just yet! Its quite funny in that I will have been employed by them by just over six months by the time the new law comes in, so I will be eligible - just about!

Its odd not being able to talk to anyone about it at work - at my last place everyone knew and were always asking how things were going. The problem with no-one knowing is that people are always unknowingly putting their foot in it.

We've had one of those "miracle" pregnancy stories at work, where someone didn't know they were pregnant and somehow found out they were half way through a pregnancy - you know, like one of those stories you read in a magazine.

My boss said to me "I don't understand how she didn't know - I mean, you know what it's like when you're pregnant". I thought, well actually I don't, and you know I haven't got any children.

Normally, I would have replied "Well, actually to be honest we can't have children" but being as this was my boss, and she doesn't know we're adopting and I'm going to be leaving, then I didn't want to get into an explanation about it.

It might sound as though I'm being nasty - I don't mean to be. I have come to terms with my infertility, but others might not have, and I like talking about my situation so that people don't go and say something like that again to someone else and really upset them.

On a similar subject, I must admit that I do have a chuckle to myself when I read about "celebrities" saying they're going to give up work and have children - I think to myself, well, how about if you can't have children!!! Ever thought about that?!

Sorry - I'll get off my soap box now!!

On a nice note to finish with, this month we had a lovely e-mail forwarded to us via the Adoption-net website from some people who are just being fast-tracked through adoption and have been matched with children, and they said some lovely things about our diary. We were both really, really touched and wanted to say through the diary how happy we are for you and wish you all the happiness in the world when your new family arrive.