[stephdpenn]

Froggygirl30,
We just finished up with all of our paperwork and are waiting on our I-171 now. I do not know what all your agency will require so I can only give you advice on what we had to gather.
On the marriage and birth cert. don't go overboard on ordering copies. We only needed 1 to send with our dossier everyone else including INS only wanted copies. I could have saved some money had I known this in advance as I ordered 3 copies of everything. Also I ordered everything thru VitalCheck online and the marriage license was no good. We had to go to the courthouse in the county we were married and get it from there. Everything else from VC was fine though.
If you do not have a copier go buy one NOW! I spent many hours in the floor next to my copier printing off this and that.
If you are using an agency out of state, then find a social worker in your state that you feel good about to do your home study.
As far as the autobiography thing goes, we never had to 'write' one. Our agency and our sw gave us pages-yes pages-of question and answer sheets. This is what the sw used when writing our homestudy. So again find out what your agency & sw need in advance because I would hate for you to write your auto. then have to redo it by answering their specific questions.
You will need you tax papers for the past 3 years. China needs the 3 yrs. our sw only needed lastyear.
Do decide on who will do your references. We had to have 4 friends and one family member.
If you need to update your shots, go ahead. I was a couple of years behind on my tetanus.
If you do not already have a doctor to do your exam then start 'shopping' around for one. I have heard how some doctors seemed bothered by this. Our's was wonderful! He had a smile even when he had to redo a few things and walked with us to the notary's office.
Find out where to get your local police clearance from. At first our local sheriff's office said they could not do that, the highway patrol does it and the highway patrol had done said they don't do local clearances. Well the sheriff of our county happens to be a good friend and once he knew we needed it we got it the same day.
I also recommend buying these books 'The Lost Daughters Of China' 'Wanting A Daughter, Needing A Son' and I swear this was my adoption Bible at the start 'The Chinese Adoption Handbook'.

If I think of anything else I will add it later. Best of luck.