The Dossier
You see that envelope up there?
I know it doesn’t look like much, but contained in that envelope is a milestone and the culmination of over a year of effort.
Within that envelope is our dossier. And yesterday we finally mailed it off.
So, what is a dossier? Well, basically it’s a bunch of official and legal documents that represent us, our desire to adopt and our suitability to adopt to the officials in Ethiopia. Specifically, here’s what all goes into it:
A cover letter in which we attempt to succinctly communicate everything about our desire to adopt a child from Ethiopia.
Our birth certificates.
Our marriage certificate.
Letters from our local police department saying we’re not a couple of ruthless criminals.
Medical reports saying we’re pretty much healthy.
Letter from Brook Hills saying I’m employed by them and they plan on keeping me around for a little while at least.
Letter from our bank saying that we are in good standing with them.
Financial statement listing out our assets, liabilities, salary, life insurance policies and net worth.
Letter from Blue Cross/Blue Shield saying we all have coverage and that Haven will too.
Letter from Northwestern Mutual saying we have life insurance policies and what they’re worth.
Reference letters from Erin, J. Max, and Roger and Becca.
Obligation of Adoption-Reporting Commitment.
3 copies of a Power of Attorney form.
Copies of our passports.
Passport photos.
Our last two years’ tax returns.
There are still a couple of other things to be added, namely a notarized copy of our home study and our approval from USCIS. Our social worker, Lesley, will add the home study and the USCIS approval will follow in a month or two. Normally you have to have everything together before your dossier can be sent to the country from which you’re hoping to adopt. But Ethiopia is a little different, and our dossier gets to go on over to get translated and sort of “hold our place in line” as we wait to have Haven referred to us.
So, it feels a little weird to get super-excited over an envelope. But I am. I really, really am.
I hope you are too.