Cheri Strange, Christian Speaker and Author

       We are in the beginning stages of our third international adoption. After selecting an agency, signing agreements, and paying the first agency fees, each family embarks on what's known as the Dossier:  i.e., The Paper Pregnancy. This is a collection of documents sent to the country of interest to utilize when they match a child with a family.

      This phase is justly named. I would almost rather endure the 40 lb. bulging belly and the awful epidural that made me continuously purge my popsicles to the mountain of endless paperwork that must be completed before moving forward. But like the weight gain and pain associated with a biological birth, I will gladly endure the paper pregnancy because the end justifies the means.    

     There are two things I think you should know if you are thinking about international adoption or if you know someone in the process concerning the Dossier. It is doable and there are a host of people ready to help you through the process, however, having a head’s up on these two points may help.

1.       The paper work is nothing short of invasive. Across the next few months, we will answer questions about our personal finances, our parenting styles, our marriage, and much more. A home study will be conducted by a social worker within our state.  Pray for someone good, because they will be my BFF for the duration, in and out of our home for several visits, and taking what I say and compiling the information in an acceptable format.  We must be ready for anything and everything. I distinctly remember being asked (NOT by a good one), with my husband out of the room, not only had I ever had an affair, but had I ever wanted to! We will also have a criminal history conducted, complete with fingerprinting, various blood tests, and an encounter with the USCIS: Homeland Security.  (I have only hit the high points, here.)

2.      It seems to border on ridiculous. The requests for certain information beg the question, “Why?” Not only do the Powers that Be want copies of your birth certificates, marriage license and the like, but they want certified copies from the Secretary of State within the last two years. Never mind that I have one that is three years old from a previous Paper Pregnancy – no – that one won’t do. In the next few months, all of us will get a check-up, even the 19 yr. old cat, who hasn’t breathed fresh air since the last time we had to drag her old bones to the vet for Jolee’s adoption.  Poison Control will make a visit to our house. The fire station will sign-off on our personal Evacuation Plan we have created. Our children will be interviewed. Letters from employers and CPAs will need drafting --- and all this in front of a Notary, who must tag along to the doctor’s invasive visit with us (and whose license cannot expire before we get our little one back in the states – or else we start all over again). Again, I’ve only hit the high points.

Currently, we are in gathering mode for the Dossier. It’s tedious and sometimes beyond reason. But it’s a series of hoops through which we must jump, if we want to bring home our baby girl. Therefore, we’ll only ask, “How high?” and “How far?”