put down roots or have new experiences

As I mentioned before, we have lived in the same home for almost 17 years. All of my children except Brakston have lived here their entire lives. Brakston was 2 1/2 years old when we moved in so he has no memory of living anywhere else. We have truly loved it here. We have a great neighborhood and a great ward, but at times I still wonder if we haven't missed something by not moving.

I have a cousin who works for the U.S. State Dept. so he and his family move around a lot. His wife, Michelle, and I have talked at length about the pros and cons of moving vs. staying put.

There is something to be said for stability and roots. My children have long-term relationships with neighbors and friends. I generally know which teachers are really good and which to avoid. Neighbors are emotionally invested in my children. Brakston gets many letters on his mission from people who have known him since he was a little boy. They were his primary teachers, scout leaders, YM leaders, etc and they care about him and are supportive of him.

On the other hand, there is a case to be made for seeing more of the world. My children have grown up knowing mostly "vanilla Utah". They haven't experienced much by way of cultural or religious or ethnic diversity. At times, I would really have loved for them to have those experiences.

Michelle's children, on the other hand, have lived in Hawaii, Ghana, Mongolia, Washington D.C., and Cuba. They have had many rich and fulfilling cultural experiences that many of us only dream about. On the other hand, they haven't had a lot of long-term relationships. They have been isolated because they've had to be home schooled. In Mongolia, they were even their own church group.

I don't think there is one "best" way. I guess I think we just take what life gives us and focus on the positive aspects.