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

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?

• | Author: Betsy Armstrong
• | Publisher: She Writes Press
• | Publication Date: May 06, 2025
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• | Binding: Paperback / softback
• | ISBN-13: 9781647428938
• | ISBN-10: 1647428939