Finding My Way to Islam

Assalamu alaikum! About three years ago, I took a 40-minute ride with a brother to visit a friend. During the trip, we ended up talking, and somehow he started sharing his faith with me-he’s Muslim, masha’Allah. I come from a Catholic background (even attended a private Catholic school), but it never really clicked for me. I learned about God’s message, but it never made sense, and I couldn’t say with conviction that I was Catholic. My heart never felt that bond. I opened up to him about this, and he gently asked why I had so much doubt. I poured out all my concerns, and he answered every single one with such care. That short ride was the closest I’d ever felt to Allah. He urged me to look into Islam and, out of pure kindness, gave me his Quran. At the time, I was with a Catholic man, and I was scared to even think about converting, afraid he might leave me. I cried that night because deep down, my soul knew the truth, but I couldn’t bring myself to let go of someone I cared for. I know the Quran is meant to be kept in a clean place, so even though I wasn’t practicing, I wrapped it in linen and stored it in a locked drawer in my old room out of respect. Fast forward to now, and I’m certain that embracing Islam is right for me. But I’m still nervous. The same heavy feeling from three years ago is there. My whole family is Catholic (we’re Mexican and Guatemalan), so I’m unsure how they’d respond. To make things trickier, a few months ago, my ex-husband and I parted ways-he’s Muslim-so I worry people might assume I’m doing this because of him. I’m not, honestly. Meeting him and seeing how he lived Islam simply helped me take the final step. I always wanted to ask him things but held back, not wanting it to seem like it was all for him. About a month ago, I opened that drawer and just looked at the Quran. I don’t know Arabic, so I can’t read it as it was revealed. I got an English translation and have been going through it during my breaks at work-there’s a chapel where I can read aloud quietly. I’ve also been teaching myself Arabic for a while now, so insha’Allah I’ll one day read the Quran in its original form. So here I am, sharing this with you kind souls online! I’m ready and committed, alhamdulillah. I’ve never felt such clarity in any faith before. Where should I even start?