Another branch to our family

Yesterday we spent the day in London.
We had a very special get together arranged.
Readers of this blog may remember that we meet up with T's siblings R, R and L from time to time. We are very lucky that these contact visits, which were originally supervised by social services, have over the years as the children have grown up turned into hugely enjoyable and very relaxed family occasions.

T also has another older sister and up until yesterday they hadn't seen each other for 7 years. At that time and up until the last couple of years S's life has been complicated.
About 6 months ago she got in touch asking if she could have contact with T. We took thing slowly with emails and then this progressed to phone calls. Then it all culminated yesterday with S and her partner and their children meeting up with us in London at the same park we've enjoyed visits to with their siblings.

This photo makes me so happy.

Here's a photo of all the girl's together

and all the boys.

S thoroughly enjoyed being with K and T, we think being with K was for S like getting her own real life dolly to play with! They played together so well and it gave T a chance to spend more precious time with S.

I'm so proud of our expanding family and before I get all emotional about how much it all means I'll change the subject and share a couple of other photos from our day.

S was highly entertaining on the way home sat with her legs crossed reading one of the supplements from a newspaper someone had left on the train.

I thought this silhouette painted on to a wall of a charity shop was a fabulous way to decorate an otherwise plain wall.

Part of a window display for Valentine gift ideas.

A row of the bikes now available to hire. We saw loads being used. Such a great idea.