The Mother of All Decisions: A Memoir of Mother Loss, Legacy, and Adopting Kids in Midlife

By: Betsy Armstrong

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Synopsis: In the blink of an eye life can become a reminder of the dreams and goals you let go of. When Betsy Armstrong&’s mother unexpectedly dies, she makes the choice to be better than the mistakes of her family&’s past and build anew in the life she wants and dreams of.What is legacy, and how will I leave one? Betsy Armstrong asks herself this question after her forty-six-year-old mother dies with a list of regrets and her stepfather completely disinherits her. Alone, Betsy sets about building a life of no regrets: becoming a marathon runner and Ironman triathlete, quitting a cushy corporate job to lead a life of service, and overcoming a crippling fear of commitment to marry. Still, she&’s always running from the grief she can&’t escape. As Betsy&’s forty-seventh birthday approaches, she finally confronts her losses and begins reflecting on the one thing she&’d never considered: children. Inspired by a friend&’s adoption, Betsy and her husband, Doug, choose that path but face daunting obstacles—a failed adoption, a Russian courtroom drama, and a medical crisis in a tiny Russian town seven time zones away from Moscow. As the outcome of the adoption waxes and wanes, Betsy is forced to make the biggest decision of her life: How far will she go to become a mother?