In pursuit of the extraordinary

In less than a week we will be packing up and hitting the road to Illinois. I am having horribly mixed feelings. Utah Valley has been our home for the last five years. Miles doesn't know anything else. We have lived in this apartment for more than three years. Which is huge for me! Twice in my life I lived in the same house for about four years.The rest of my life has been pretty nomadic, never living any one place for more than a year or so.  So three years is a long time for me. I am attached. ( Even if I pretty much hate this apartment).
We have had some great times while in Utah. We have made close friends, networked with great professionals and received a world class education.  And as much as I loath the "happy valley" mentality that I have to deal with while living here, this is "home", its safe, comfortable, and easy. I could easily see Allen and I settling down somewhere in Utah. Allen could go back to UVU and get his teaching certificate and find a job teaching high school. We would keep doing theatre as a side gig, for fun. Eventually we would buy a little house and settle in for the long haul. Life would be safe, comfortable and easy.  But is that really what I want for my family?  The anxious side of me says YES, YES, YES! That is absolutely what I want. But when I put my fears to the side and dig down to my real desires I know that isn't what I want for my family.
I don't want an ordinary life. I want an exceptionally fantastic life. I don't want to settle for easy. I want to push myself. I want to push Allen. I want Miles to see that his parents didn't settle. I want adventure and wonder. Allen and I have big dreams. We have spent many nights talking late into the night talking about what we want from life and what we want for Miles. We know the path to those dreams will not be easy. This path is going to be long, and there will be disappointment, and stress and debt and months the bills don't get paid. Believe me, we know!  But I also know that there will be beauty and adventure and art and love, lots of love! .
So here's to the last six days of safe and comfortable. Bring on the unknown!