Starting the journey . . .

I've officially undertaken the role of helping my mom adopt my cousin from the Philippines. Philippines is part of the Hague Convention, and family adoptions abide by the same rules as conventional adoptions. It's an extensive process, one that isn't fully documented (and often misunderstood). This is the reason why I'd like to share my family's journey.

Here's a few details pertaining to our case:

• the prospective adopted parent (PAP), my mom, is 59 years old
• she is a single (divorced) homeowner, residing in the USA
• the prospective adoptee, my cousin, is 15 years old
• he's a honor student, residing with his biological parents and siblings in the Philippines

Where do we start? 

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