Family wanted

Mrs D and I have been following the BBC programmes closely this week, as Nicky Campbell introduces stories of adopted children and their families.

We've both been in tears at times, seeing some of the things these children have been through, and then the wonderful way that they flourish when given a stable, loving home...

And it makes what we're doing seem that much more real...

• The first meeting
• The day the children come to stay for good
• The first family photo
• The laughs and the tears and the hard times

And knowing that this is all to come for us...

We've now completed our CRB forms, and have a medical with our GP on Tuesday. The adoption agency will be writing to our personal referees over the next few weeks, as well as contacting social services in every place we've lived, to check what records they hold on us (I suspect they will draw a blank there).

We then have to attend preparation days - these were supposed to be in September, but for various reasons, will now be in November. Yet another delay for us - it's really frustrating at times, but we hang on to the knowledge that God's timing is spot on, and most likely isn't the same as ours!

So the journey continues, albeit slower than we would have liked... but we know God is using the time to mould us and prepare us for what lies ahead...

Godparents to be

We're going to be godparents again!
Mrs D and I are delighted...

Alice is a beautiful little girl, and we feel honoured to have the responsibility of sharing Christ with her as she grows up... alongside her parents, helping her to know God... and supporting them as they help her grow into all that God has prepared for her.

What a privilige!

It all becomes official in October at a service of thanksgiving... Here's a photo of her looking gorgeous (as always!) You can see more photos of Alice on her website.

Thank you, kind lady

I just wanted to publicly thank the kind lady I briefly met at Newcastle station yesterday afternoon. I had to go to the station to get a refund as GNER haven't yet arrived in the 20th century, with refunds processed by way of triplicate forms, huge British Rail clipboards and giant rubber stamps...

Anyway - I arrived at the ticket machine to find I only had a £2 coin - and the ticket machine being owned by GNER, hadn't yet been upgraded to accept these...

A lady approached the machine to buy a ticket, and I asked if she had change for a £2 coin. She hunted a bit, and then said that she was very sorry, but she didn't have £2 worth of change. But she did have 50p I could have, which was enough for 40 minutes. I tried to give her my £2 in exchange for he 50p, but she was having none of it. What a kind gesture. Of course, I thanked her profusely, and then I purchased my ticket.

So, thank you kind lady.
I hope I would do the same...

Call me irresponsible?

This is a long story, but I'll try to keep it brief...

I ordered the new Michael Buble CD for Caroline a number of weeks ago from amazon... It didn't arrive, so I contacted Amazon's customer service people, and the said they'd send a replacement... that arrived in a couple of days - fantastic!

Two weeks later, the original arrived - presumably having been stuck in the back of a Royal Mail sorting office in the interim...

Anyway, being an honest and responsible kind of bloke, I thought I'd better contact amazon to let them know, and then return the extra copy... should be easy, you would have thought...

Amazon arranged for the CD to be picked up from work - except they turned up on the wrong day!

I phoned again to arrange another pick-up - they didn't arrive at all!
I phoned again. They arranged to pick it up yesterday. They actually came. Fantastic, I thought!

I arrived home this afternoon after work. Imagine my surprise when I found the self same parcel, which had been picked up yesterday from work, sitting on my doormat at home!

I have since phoned amazon again (you'll be glad to know the calls are all free!). They told me to keep the CD, and give it to a friend...!

So if you get a Michael Buble CD from us, for your birthday or other occasion - you'll know where it came from!!

The Impossible Quiz

This is totally addictive...
Don't click unless you have hours (I mean hours) to spare!

Play The Impossible Quiz

Top tip - you need to think way outside the box!