I always wanted to be a mother—it was one of the few certainties in my life. I assumed it would happen the traditional way. But as time passed and that door slowly closed, I was faced with a choice, I could sit and wait for a door that wasn’t opening, accept that motherhood wasn’t a part of my story, or explore other paths. I chose the latter.

I asked myself some difficult, honest questions: Why did I want a child? Could I raise one on my own? Could I provide a stable, loving environment? Was I prepared for the challenges, the drastic life changes?

I made the intention to adopt in April 2021, during Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic faith. I prayed for guidance. I asked for clarity on whether adoption was the right path for me and if it was, for ease in making it happen. That’s when the door to adoption swung wide open. I took this as a sign that this was the right choice for me.

At first, I focused on domestic adoption and reached out to the local Children’s Aid Society. But as a single woman, I quickly learned that domestic adoption posed significant barriers. The preference is to place children in two-parent households. That setback didn’t deter me, instead it motivated me to look beyond and explore other options.

I dove into researching international adoption. I focused on countries that allowed single women to adopt and could facilitate the process within my province. My evenings and weekends were dedicated to analyzing the possibilities. Eventually I narrowed it down to the U.S., India, Bulgaria, and Morocco. Each country presented challenges, except for Morocco. This is where I would end up adopting my daughter from.

In March 2023, just under two years after making the decision to adopt, I received custody of my beautiful daughter.

We plan our lives with certain expectations, only to feel frustration and disappointment when things don’t unfold as we imagined. But trust there’s a different plan, one that’s even better. The closed doors and rejections are simply redirections, guiding us to a path more beautiful than we could have ever envisioned. Had I given up on my dream of motherhood or waited in vain for the closed door to open, I would have missed out on the most incredible gift of all, my daughter.

Advice for Those Considering Adoption:

If adoption is something you’re considering or perhaps simply curious about, take the time to explore all your options—domestic public, domestic private, or international. Speak with people who have walked the adoption path. The best insights come from those who have lived it. The worst that can happen is that you gain knowledge and decide adoption isn’t right for you. The best is that you expand your family in a beautiful way.