Joys of Paperwork

I wonder as I am now a couple days into the paperwork required for an adoption how many people would have babies naturally if they needed to do this.

The following is my check list for my social worker to approve Dan and I becoming adoptive parents:
1)Request Home Study
2)Fill out ODHS Application for Child Placement Form - this is a 6 page form that asks you basic info like who you are, your job, your pay, what your house is like, where will kids sleep, what school would they go to, what car(s) do you have, do you have pets, do you run a home business, where have you lived for the past 10 years, where have you worked the past 10 years, then 2 pages of 'what kind of child would you consider' regards to age, sex and race and then 4 references
3) Signed Service Agreement Form and $1200
4) BCI Fingerprinting for each adult
5) FBI Fingerprinting for each adult
6) Verification of Training completed in the following areas: The Adoptive Process, Child Development, Separation & Loss, Dealing with Behavioral Changes, Cultural Issues, Adoption Related Issues
7) Medical Statement for each adult to see if we have a serious or chronic illness, sought treatment for mental health issues, any alcohol or drug abuse issues. Any hereditary diseases, did any parent, grandparent or sibling die young?
8) Ohio State Child Abuse Clearing Form stating we have no charges against us
9) 4 Reference letters
10) Autobiography for each adult explaining our childhood, our best/worst qualities, how we met our spouse, their best/worst qualities, how we were disciplined, how we plan to discipline, why we want to adopt, describe our fertility problems, what hobbies we have, what our saddest and happiest memories are and does our family support us in adoption.
11) Financial Statement with last 3 years 1040 tax forms, employer verification letters, bank statements
12) Guardianship Plan for our children should something happen to us
13) Child Characteristics Checklist - this one makes you feel guilty - 5 pages of medical problems that you 'will consider' or 'will not consider'. This is weird, I know if I had a child that had these issues I would deal with any of them, I could do specialized home care with NG Tubes, trachs, etc but even though I could do it, Why would anyone choose to do it? Anyways, I felt kinda bad on this but only put will consider things I feel are easily correctable like some mild speech issues, allergies, mild vision or hearing issues, corrective orthopedic issues. Plus that form is generic for people doing adoption or foster care and alot had to do with older kids not infants.
14)Safety Audit - Make sure everything is safe and infant proofed
15) Fire Inspection - Done by the local fire department - Make sure we have smoke detectors and such
16) Copy of the following: driver's license, auto insurance, marriage license, health insurance, evacuation plan, pet vaccination records, birth certificate
17) Picture of Family and House
18) Fill out form I-600a from the CIS (Citizenship and Immigration services)


Whew! Once all that is done then we get to meet the social worker in our home for some one on one and group interviews. Then the social worker writes up her report and weeks later we turn it in to the adoption agency... We then begin more paperwork.