The Paperwork Pregnancy (aka Dossier)

Many people who meet our family (either out of curiosity, or because their heart is being moved) want to know "What is the process like for adoption?", "How long does it take?", "Is it expensive?", "What was the adjustment like for your family?", "Were you scared?", "How did you know what steps to take?" Etc.

For those interested, we would like to help answer some of these questions by sharing with you our experience. There are also some great sites worth exploring. One of our favorites is How to Adopt http://www.howtoadopt.org/.

First of all, there are many great adoption agencies who can help address the various questions you may have, and who exist to help walk you through and coordinate all of the steps that you need to take in order to complete your adoption (either domestically or internationally).

For our Chinese adoption, we used Bethany Christian Services
http://www.bethany.org/, and for our Ethiopian adoption we are using Christian World Adoption http://www.cwa.org/. In addition to these two organizations, there are many other excellent choices.

These agencies walk with you ever step of the way. Two of the most important steps that you have to complete are 1) The Home Study, and 2) the Dossier.

The Home Study can be scary for some because it involves an adoption specialized social worker coming into your home, gathering information about you and preparing a report for your adoption agency. We completed our Home Study for our Ethiopian adoption this past week. Each time we have learned so much from the social workers who have been assigned to us. We've found in both cases that if you will remember that much of the questions and the paperwork being required are primarily for the protection of the children being adopted, then it doesn't seem so bad.

In addition to the Home Study, you will be required to complete a Dossier, or a packet of necessary documents (many of which will require notarization and in some cases even a state seal). The paperwork can seem overwhelming at times. But again, if you will remember what you are doing all of this for (to unite an orphan with their forever family), it won't seem so bad. Each country has different requirements, so always remember that your adoption agency does not make the rules, but are simply helping you to follow them.

Many adoptive families refer to the Dossier as the Paperwork Pregnancy. It is painful at times, and seems like the wait and details will never end, but it will. And when you are united with your child, all of the work and perseverance will seem like a small price to pay for the blessing being received.