I recently had the opportunity to interview hopeful adoptive mother Aishah, an Information Technology (IT) Project Manager who lives in Georgia.
Expectant mothers have the opportunity to speak with waiting families before they make their decision, but sometimes it’s nice to just get a little more info to understand who they are.
I asked Aishah some fun questions that you won’t find in her adoption profile, and I learned that she is a family-oriented, well-educated woman who is very excited to become a mother through adoption!
1. What is something specific you want to teach your child?
I want to teach my child to be persistent. I believe that learning this value is essential to navigating challenges while pursuing whatever they want to achieve.
Being persistent and not giving up has not only helped me accomplish goals, but also made me stronger in the process. For example, a doctor once told me that even after having physical therapy for a fractured elbow that it was possible that my arm may never be entirely straight again. I didn’t accept that.
Once physical therapy ended and enough time passed for my elbow to heal, I worked out at the gym, and over time my elbow and arm returned to normal.
I want my child to understand, even at an early age, to keep trying, even when it’s hard. And when they struggle or feel discouraged, I’m not only going to cheer them on but also demonstrate being persistent.
2. What is a challenge you are proud to have overcome? What advice would you give others struggling with something similar?
My grandparents spent their retirement years in Florida, and I spent most holidays and summers with them. Sometime after my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, things started to change.
My grandmother chose to wait until my mother or I visited to address matters my grandfather would typically handle. My grandfather showed me how he managed his finances and stopped picking us up from the airport.
And as their needs grew, I would fly to Florida right after work on Fridays and return right before work on Mondays several times every month. It was an emotionally and financially stressful time, but I chose to put family first, not out of pity or obligation, but out of duty and honor.
We all face challenges that are unplanned and/or seem overwhelming. But it’s important to determine what matters and take steps that are not always easy but give us peace.
3. What would a perfect day look like to you?
A perfect day would begin with waking up naturally without an alarm. I would make breakfast for my child, family, and friends who are sharing in this “perfect” day.
There’s nothing but sunshine and blue clouds in the sky, and the weather is a mild 80 degrees. With no agenda other than having a good time, all who are in attendance would be taking in the day, reading, lounging, playing, or dancing together by a beach. And as the day progressed, the air would be filled with laughter, and I would be filled with unspeakable joy.
4. What is an important life lesson you’ve learned?
One of the greatest lessons that I’ve learned is the power of forgiveness. I never met my father. And what I know about him can be condensed into a couple of sentences. As a child and teen, I would occasionally wonder about him and imagine what my life would have been like if I knew him.
My mother never asked my father to provide child support. So, he was free to have a relationship with me without being financially obligated. Yet he chose to be a figment of my imagination.
So, for most of my life, I didn’t know if my father was alive or dead. Although some would say his actions were wrong and inexcusable, I never held a grudge; I chose to forgive.
Forgiveness allowed me to move forward in my life without being held captive by others’ decisions. I believe that the capacity to forgive is a platform for healing. And over time, it yields understanding and acceptance of not only others’ frailties but also our own.
5. If you were a superhero, what powers would you want to have?
If I were a superhero, I would like to have the power to translate and speak all languages. I spent my childhood in New York City, where everyone seemed to be connected to everywhere around the world. Considering that experience and my love of travel, I would love to be able to communicate with anyone that I come in contact with.
God has given us a world that is filled with the richness of diverse people groups. And although technology has given us greater exposure to the worlds of many, language barriers limit our understanding of each other.
But since I’m not a superhero, I will certainly encourage my child to learn different languages as they grow, with the hope that that the world that they come to know will be limitless.
Curious to know more about Aishah? You can check out her adoption profile online.
If you’re interested in talking to her as the potential adoptive mother to your baby, just text or call Lifetime at
1-800-923-6784 and we can connect you with her.
Heidi Keefer is a Content Creator for Lifetime Adoption and has 15 years of experience in the field of adoption. An author of thousands of blog posts over the years, Heidi enjoys finding new ways to educate and captivate Lifetime’s ever-growing list of subscribers.
Heidi has a keen eye for misplaced apostrophes, comma splices, and well-turned sentences, which she has put to good use as a contributor to Lifetime’s award-winning blogs. She has written and published hundreds of adoption articles which explore the various facets of domestic infant adoption today.
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