Daily MirrorMcCanns' family life without MadeleineMartin Fricker In Rothley 19/09/2007
Twins Sean and Amelie McCann are constantly reminded of their big sister Madeleine, their parents said last night.
Kate and Gerry McCann told the two-year-olds last month that Madeleine was missing.
But since returning home the youngsters have been chatting about their four-year-old sister.
Speaking for the first time since coming back, Kate and Gerry said Madeleine remains a big part of their lives.
Gerry, 39, said: "We talk about Madeleine to the twins all the time. It's not a hidden subject.
"We answer their questions. There is nothing to hide.
"They are also surrounded by all of her toys, her belongings and there are lots of pictures of her in the house.
"There are no attempts to shield them from Madeleine in any shape or form."
Kate, also 39, said: "Of course there are constant reminders of Madeleine because this is her home. But we can see Sean and Amelie are happy to be home.
"It was uplifting to realise they were back in their own environment, playing on the slides in the garden and messing around in the toy room."
Gerry added: "The only thing which will make us truly happy is we find Madeleine or what happened to her.
"We have brief uplifting moments but then there's a report or something happens which damages that sense. It is a mixture of emotions."
It is 11 days since Kate and Gerry left Portugal to return to Rothley, Leics. Despite the huge media presence they are slowly returning to to as normal a life as possible.
Kate went to mass at the local Catholic church on Sunday and saw friends and neighbours for the first time in more than four months. She said: "I found it very uplifting to go to church.
"It was nice to see everybody from the community. They were very supportive. That meant a lot for Gerry and me."
The couple are concentrating on a new campaign across Europe to highlight Madeleine's disappearance.
But they will not visit any more European cities, which they did in the early days. Kate said: "We have no plans for any more foreign trips to publicise the search at the moment."
