"We Are Family..."

So I have been doing this Blog for ages now and while I have talked about my lovely little family I thought the time had come to show the world what they really all look like!

At the very top of the heap is my wonderful wife Jo. Not that this is her most recent piccie (Novmber 2007 actually!), but she is pictured here at the NEC in Birmingham, in happier and more carefree times, with her favourite on-screen Crafting presenter Dean Wilson, the man who makes Create and Craft bearable to watch. In recent years Jo has suffered with arthritis and it has worsened considerably over the last six months, so she has had to learn how to live with a lot of pain, something that has come as a bit of a shock to her system. Her life is beginning to change at a fairly hectic pace and not all for the good but I am sure she will come through it all the same woman she has always been, positive and upbeat. We are hoping she will be able to have a new hip later this year, so that should make all the difference in the world to her. I will endeavour to keep you updated throughout the following year(s).

Next picture down is Georgia. She is our oldest 'kid' at thirteen. She is very special to us because we actually chose her before she was even born. The people we got her from told us that her mother always had one grey female kitten and in my head I could already picture this little bundle of deliciousness so we told them that we would have her if she actually materialised. She is a strange little thing; equal parts aggression, anger, shy and soooo loving it's pathetic, a real enigma and that's why we love her so much.

Jo and I haven't been lucky enough to have children of our own (although I do have a son, Liam, from my previous marriage), so our cats have proven to be our 'kids'. Whenever we go out we always tell people we have to get home to feed 'the kids' and while some people may think we are a bit pathetic for giving animals so much love, we don't really care what anyone has to say because it's not really any of their business is it!!

Below Georgie are our twin girls Jasmine (in the bag!!) and Willow (making herself into a feline ruler). They are rescue cats who we have had since they we just old enough to leave their mother. Even though they are sisters, you couldn't get two cats with more different personalities if you tried; Jasmine is very, very loving and spends most of her days indoors (non of our girls go out at night, we'd never sleep if they did!), while Willow loves being out and is quite aloof. She still likes a fuss but is a 'typical' cat, in that it is always on her terms.

So, that's 'the family'. Not quite the Mitchells I know but it's all we have and our house is a house with a lot of love in it, something that took me a very long time to find in my life and something I have no intention of ever letting go of. Next time I update the family post I will show you my son, he really is my pride and joy, a man who makes me so proud and who is such a wonderful person, he really has no idea just how special he really is.

Take care and see you on Wednesday,

Andy

xx