I can't wait for the summer! This photo is of Pete and the boys this summer, just before Ryan moved in with us. I used to come here as a kid with my Dad. It's called The Splash, and it's a little fast flowing river over a road, in a village called Nounsley. We took a picnic and had a paddle, it's lovely on a hot day.

Poor Ryan is getting grief from his Mum, and from some people at school. Both issues seem to be taking forever to resolve, and we just want to be left alone.

Ryan had another row with his Mum on the phone on Sunday as she's refusing to sign residency over to us, even though he's too scared to visit her without us having legal custody first. He's scared she's going to run off with him. She thinks we are putting ideas in his head, we think he's old enough at twelve to make his own mind up and have never influenced him. Does his Mum think we would really choose to spend our wedding money on a solicitor unless he was really desperate for our help.
He's been getting bullied since he started his senior school in November. We've been trying our best to deal with it, but these kids won't take the hint. Ryan is a strong athletic boy, so when they start a fight he finishes it. Physical strength isn't the problem. Ryan is emotionally weak and broken because of his Mum, and these kids treat him like a doormat. They can see he is vulnerable. We won't give up until they either leave him alone, or get expelled. Yesterday he was chased through the school by 50 kids who are older than him(the bullies big brother and friends), so we kept him home today and met with the head tonight. I've been round the Mum's house tonight for a chat too, she seemed like a nice lady. I hope this will be it now as we've figured out that it's actually a girl causing all thses problems. She says 'Jump' and the boys in the class all say 'How high'. Her parents and teachers think she's an angel, but I actually watched an MSN conversation where they were planning who they would target next. We told the head and he went mad! Her parents are in for a shock tomorrow when she gets told off.

I really don't want to move schools because a: it's the best school here, and b: why should I move him? They should be punished, not us. I just want him to be a normal boy.