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Having lived here about 6 months now, we are feeling more and more like this is home.  It was more difficult for my wife to start with being that we moved here for my job, and she was great enough to be willing to come with.  We didn't know anybody here whatsoever.  My daughter is only 3, so the move really didn't effect her.  But now we are feeling settled.  However, that is not necissarily true of OUR parents.

Our families are still back in North Dakota and in Wisconsin.  Some of them would lay on guilt heavier than the others concerning being so far away.  They don't seem to understand though, that far is not as far as it used to be.  We are practically in daily contact with both sides of the family, from phone to email to video chats.  I realize its not the same as the grandparents getting to actually be with their grand daughter, but all things considered, they have it pretty well. 

It can be frustrating when they get stand-off-ish about it, as if we have abandonded our roots.  The way I see it, we have expanded them.  We are like the seed that falls from a tree to get planted in another place.  The seeds can't all thrive if they all fall in the same spot next to the trunk.  There is a big world out there, and we can't chace our dreams if we limit ourselves to one small location.

Has anyone else made a move like this to the disaproval of family?  What do you think about it?  Again, I understand family wanting to be close, but I think they should be thankful that we go out of our way as much as we do to keep them updated and provide plenty of communication.