The Gallery - A Family Story #thegallery

The theme this week: A Family Story. This is my family's story.

Above is a photograph of a child's drawing. That picture was drawn nearly six years ago by my autistic daughter Ana in 2005 at a moment when we were all embarking on our new life together as a family.

I had Ana in 1998 at 18 years of age and soon became a single parent. For the first six years of her life I lived with my parents and threw myself into solely looking after her needs. Then in 2004 I met my then partner and now husband. A moment I never ever thought would happen. What man would want to take me and another man's child on, let along a child with problems and as for having more children? Well, you could forget it.

2005 was a busy year for us, we had just moved into a place of our own. A big change for Ana, but one she took in her stride as well as the fact she was expecting a new brother or sister.

In the picture is myself, complete with baby in tummy, my husband, our cat Thomas (back when we only had one cat) our dog Shen and Ana broken hearted at the fact our old dog Rex had recently passed on to doggy heaven, but still very much a member of our family in her eyes.

Seven years on here we are, expecting anpother addition to our family. We're not perfect, we have our ups and downs, there have been very good times and there have been very bad times. But we have got through them all, together.

For more Gallery posts, please stop by Sticky Fingers Blog.