The scenic route to motherhood

My trip to the Northeast last week took an unexpected turn.

I spent weeks planning the perfect getaway to New Hampshire and Vermont for my family. I studied foliage maps, read travel blogs, and timed our arrival down to the day.

The famous Kancamagus Highway (aka “The Kanc”) was supposed to be bursting with peak color. Fiery reds. Dazzling golds. A canopy of leaves so vivid it took your breath away.

But when we got there?

Muted color. Bare branches. Leaves already on the ground like a season had passed us by.

I felt frustrated, and honestly, a little misled. Every source said this was the perfect time and place to be.

But disappointment is a fork in the road. I realized I had a choice: I could stay there, or create a Plan B.

So I did some digging. I found the New Hampshire Lakes Region at a lower elevation, where the colors were still coming alive. I charted a course for Lake Winnipesaukee, Squam Lake, and Lake Winnisquam.

Changing my mindset and trajectory changed my results.

Mirror-still water reflecting hillsides dressed in peak color. Winding country roads lined with flaming maples. Views so stunning they didn’t look real—like we had stepped into a postcard.

Roadside view in the New Hampshire Lakes Region

And in that moment, it hit me:

This was my path to motherhood.

For years, I believed I had to follow the traditional route, the one everyone expects. Career, marriage, then the children naturally arrive—the well-paved highway.

But life had other plans for me.

My “route” didn’t lead where I thought it would. And for a long time, that felt like failure until I realized an important truth.

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹.

When I opened myself to new possibilities—donor conception, IVF, single motherhood by choice—my entire world changed. Just like that unexpected detour from the mountains to the lakes, I found breathtaking beauty on a different path.

If you’re standing at your own crossroads wanting motherhood or some other dream but unsure how to get there, maybe it’s time to consider a new road.

The well-worn path isn’t the only one. And it may not even be the best one.

There is life and hope beyond the traditional map.

If you’re ready to explore a new way forward, I’d love to walk beside you.

Let’s discover the beautiful scenery that awaits around the bend.