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Following this first appointment we had lots of visit from Patrick, we came to respect and trust him and felt able to talk to him about our hopes, fears, the past, the future and our ideas about parenting. Throughout the assessment he was calm, sensitive, understanding and respected our views and our opinions. We found the sessions really enjoyable, it was so nice to have someone who wanted to listen to our thoughts on parenting and asked us about our views on education for our child.

Suddenly our dream seemed real, for so long now we hadn't dared talk about having children, hadn't dared to hope it could even happen to protect ourselves. We also found that other people changed the subject when family was broached, they too hadn't wanted to hurt us or give us hope. But here was Patrick who wanted to know what a typical family day would be for us, what religion would we bring our child up under, how would we help our child to settle with us.

I had expected to feel judged and scrutinised during the home assessment and nothing could have been further from the truth.

Other topics we covered during the home assessment were our childhood, our education, our families, our support network and IVF treatment.

Later on in the year we had our police checks (this just involved a form to fill in) and our medical. The medical involved a visit to the doctor who weighed us, took our blood pressure, checked our kidneys and vital organs and took a urine sample to test for protein etc. They also recorded our family medical history (such as the fact my father has diabetes), we were given a clean bill of heath, another hurdle over and another big sigh of relief, another step closer to our dream.

By now we were getting near to the end of the assessment process, Patrick visited one of our referees and conducted a phone interview with the other as she lived further away. The appointments went well and both our friends rang us up eager to tell us how the discussion had gone. We knew how pleased and keen they were for us to adopt, all our friends and family have been a great source of support, I have been overwhelmed and touched by how interested and caring people have been.

Well, this week's diary has been a whistle stop tour so I hope your head isn't spinning from going through the past 12 months of my life so quickly.

To bring you right up to date .. As well as going through the home assessment we have completely re-vamped our house and got married. We are now just a week away from our panel. Tonight Patrick visited us for the last time to show us the final F1 form, which we signed ready for it to be submitted on Monday.

A week to go .. I really can't believe we only have a week to go ..I am so excited. It's incredible to think in just over a week we could be approved.

When we undertook IVF I always thought that when I got a positive I would breathe a sign of relief that finally our struggle was over and we could have some peace in our lives. Approval will be a big step forward to this but of course only when I hold my child in my arms will I finally feel that relief. But we are so close now. In the next diary I'll be able to tell you about the panel afternoon and hopefully will have some wonderful news to tell you.

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