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I am a married mother of five, currently living in Ohio. I've lived here my whole life, but was formerly a flight attendant, so have seen a lot of places (even if only the airport/hotels of some of them ). I have always dreamed of getting out of OH, particularly moving out West to Wyoming. I just feel it's somehow my "calling" to be there, not here in Ohio for the rest of my life.
My question to anyone who has moved to WY from another state (particulary one far away from WY), is what drew you to Wyoming and what did your family in your home state think/say about
the move? See, when I mention my dream of leaving here for beautiful, mountainous, Wyoming, I get a bunch of grief and "why would you want to live there?!" and "you'd leave your family and take the grandkids away from the grandparents just to look at some mountains?" I guess I'm wondering if I am being selfish wanting to move my kids away from their extended family to pursue my dream of living out West, and if it would end up being a regretful decision, or if it would be the best thing we've ever done and not look back. Anyone who has been in this situation, did you have support of opposition from extended family, and what do you think now that you've moved there? Do you regret leaving family far away, or is the Wyoming way of life, scenery, etc. all you hoped it would be and you're glad you did it? Thanks in advance to any replies.
I never regretted moving to Wyoming and only regretted moving back to MN. Though, I did meet my husband after moving back to MN...I've always had a soft spot for Wyoming and possibly will move back one day. The only think I did think about when I moved is that I didn't want to look back on my life and say "I wish I had done..." as the saying goes : "It's better to have had your wish than to wish you had."
There is always the opportunity for visiting...either you to Ohio or your family out to see you.
good luck in whatever you decide. If you've not been to Wyoming, take a visit to make certain that is really what your heart desires
Hey Nature Lady, I'm right there with you. I have the same feelings you do. So don't think it's YOU. People in your life need to realize you have dreams and wishes and you shouldn't live a long life and regret and look back on not taking a chance. I would rather have taken the chance than not and regret it. I moved out of state briefly back in 2000, out West, and it was the best experience I ever had, it allowed me to grow up and focus more for some reason. Unfortunately I had to move back to Indiana, but I'm looking to leave when the time is right and the situation is in my control. I too want to be in Wyoming. I dream of it daily. I've told myself I'm going to give it a try but under my doings and not by doing it by a wing and a prayer and hope for the best. If I'm going to do it, I'm going to make sure I did the best I could and if it doesn't work out then at least I can say I tried it and it wasn't for me. It took me 35 years to figure that out. I plan on not wasting any more time. So I encourage you to make the right plans and plan it safely so that way you are not impacted financially or emotionally, etc. I have a plan of my own and it's working towards my dream of one day living there. Makes me feel good I'm taking the steps towards it instead of away from it or just thinking about it. I wish you the best!
You can't eat the scenery. Think long and hard and look at finances. I had this fantasy land of ideal of the west based on merely seeing the scenery during visits, staying at dude ranches, and watching movies such as a "River Runs Through It" and "Legends of the Fall." I also thought everything looked so quaint, old fashioned and fifties.
That said, a lot of that was just that a fantasy. My friends warned, you shouldn't move to a place that is your fantasy land/vacation place because then it's not.
It may be for you. It just isn't for me and I look forward to turning it back one day into my vacation place.. not where I live. Try Colorado, Bozeman, MT, or Jackson Hole. now that's my type of "West"
(1) distance is distance, when you're talking family dynamics. It doesn't matter if it's Wyoming or any other place across the USA. Only you can address this issue in your situation and answer the questions about is it worth it for you to have your dreams fulfilled compared to living up to family expectations and demands.
(2) Much of Wyoming is not "mountains", but high altitude desert plains. The storied vistas of mountains and living there tend to be the places where it's expensive to buy land and/or to live there, or very remote and isolated.
Jackson's a gorgeous valley ... but you'll need a lot of money to be there and local jobs aren't going to give you enough income to live there with 5 kids. If you've got an independent income, it still might be touch and go unless it's a lot of money. Even heading down into the Star Valley area it's still expensive to buy and live there.
The places where prices are more reasonable, such as Cheyenne and Laramie ... out of the "boom town" economies ... aren't exactly in the mountains. The mountains are close by and you can see them on our clear days, but you're not living in the mountains ... although they are close by for an outing.
(3) I suggest you go back to read a lot of the threads here about living in Wyoming. It's simply not for everybody. It takes a high degree of independence and confidence to survive/live here and to enjoy (as opposed to merely survive) the long winters. There's a lot of amenities which you enjoy (and take for granted) in your high population density state which simply aren't here. Water is one of the principal things you won't have here, and it affects your recreation, survival, and crop/vegetable production.
Another example ... you now have lots of restaurants to choose from beyond the major chain places, or shopping for many goods (especially of higher quality). You're not going to find upscale clothing, dry goods, or gourmet stuff around here (well, maybe in Jackson). For many towns, shopping is an expedition to one of the regional major "towns" ... Only Cheyenne and Casper have populations over 50,000. Many towns have a couple of hundred residents, and it's like a trip from Dayton to Cinc'y before the next town here as a typical distance between places; there's literally nothing inbetween.
(4) See #3. It's a two-edged sword. If you can do without all those commercial amenities and conveniences, and major supermarkets and theaters and entertainment, then it's a plus for you.
But what about your 5 kids? Are they into the outdoors lifestyle? can they survive without the "mall", without lots of "activities"? Can they be happy to go camping and fishing and horseback riding and exploring and hunting and skiing and 4H animal raising/showing and chopping/splitting wood for the woodstove and enjoy being at home when the weather is marginal or handle being stuck in town when the roads are shut down? The difference here is that kids learn to be self-reliant and entertain themselves with all the activities that are available ... as opposed to being "entertained". Life takes on a different aspect when it's a 10 minute chore to be able to pull on enough layers of clothes to go outside to do anything, and just as long to peel them off in the mud room entry when coming back inside.
I'd urge you to visit here with your family on an extended vacation during the winter months and explore living here for yourself. Your dream may be much nicer than the reality of being here.
I thought of another question.. you say you are a married woman.. what does your husband think of packing it all up and moving out to Wyoming? Would he be a willing participant? How old are your kids? Teenagers would not likely take to a big move as well as young ones would. Thankfully with digital cameras, web cams and computers, communication between family members can be a lot easier than it was even 10 years ago.
I agree with sunsprit on needing the ability to live without a few amenities...there isn't a bunch of shopping malls around every corner, but if you're like me and can live with Walmart, Pamida, Alco and the local grocery store, along with garage sales, then you'll be okay..but would your kids and hubby feel the same? My daughter was 8 when we moved out there and she loved it, but we had family there which helped. But she grew up on garage sale and hand me downs...even though we came from the big metropolitan area of Minneapolis/St. Paul.
I think the hardest thing for me to get used to when I did move out there was the lack of greenery..trees, grasses, etc that make Midwest living a complete contrast to high plains/desert/sage brush and cactus and lodge pole pines. It takes a good 6 months to acclimate to that contrast, or at least it did for me.
Even as I am thinking of Wyoming as a possible future home I am still reading what people who live there post about it because I do want to make certain that when I move, it will be a good one for both myself and my husband of 5 years. My now 19 year old daughter would not be joining us, so that will be my hardest hurdle to get over, moving away from her. But she has college and her life to live as I have mine, and I'm hoping we'd at least see each other annually!
Well sorry if I'm blathering on a bit, but I am kind of in the same boat so I can empathise with your decision making process. Some days I am not as sure as others about moving if I should find a job opening out there after I graduate. Guess only time and the good Lord will tell where life will take us!
what is it that you and your husband do for a living, if I may ask?
good luck
My husband has been looking for a job forever as a network engineer... we finally found one in Casper! We are so excited about moving to Wyoming. We weren't sure how our family was going to be, but so far they've been pretty supportive. We've moved away with our little girl before and they were grief stricken. They're very supportive this time. We're looking to live somewhere where the kids can play and where we can enjoy nature.
I feel like I am in the same situation you are, with the twist being I want to leave Wyoming- I've been here since I was six- my family came from IL. I am married, with three kids- 12-13 and 17. There are many wonderful things about WY- it is a very safe place to raise a family, the scenery in some areas is breathtaking, people can be so friendly, lots of fresh air, etc. But there are definitely some things to consider before coming here.
Like many others have said, much of WY is high plains desert- I long for green! The winters can be brutal at times, although you can usually count on the sun shining, even on many of the coldest days. I live in a mountain valley, and it is very beautiful to see the mountains and the different seasons they go through. But, that doesn't necessarily make up for what the area lacks in my mind. Unless you are into outdoor activities (hunting, fishing, hiking), there isn't much to do. I suppose that would depend on if you wanted to live in one of the bigger towns in WY- in my small town, there isn't much. I'm always in shock over the variety of things to do when I travel to another state- but I suppose the trade-off would be no long lines, much less people, no traffic jams, low crime..... I have to drive 2 1/2 hours to get to my closest shopping mall, so I rely on Wal-mart and Kmart quite often, but sometimes it would be nice to have a good variety without having to drive so far. I do end up ordering things on line that we need and can't find in our state.
In my town, entertainment for many of the young kids is dragging main, and then pulling over in the local grocery store parking lot to find out where the best party is. Of course, that depends on the kid, and many parents find ways to keep them busy and out of trouble- but there is a real lack of activities outside of school sports/activities and family. Housing can be fairly expensive, and jobs aren't plentiful. When I travel to other states, I really feel out of it- I'm not exposed to the crowds, the traffic, the busyness, the huge variety in cultures here, so I feel a little nervous around it all. It's just all so different. I want to leave WY for some of the reasons I mentioned, and also for a change. I want to experience more than what this area has to offer- so we are opposite from each other in that respect. You have probably experienced all of that- especially being a flight attendant- and you are looking for something a little quieter.
My parents faced the same decisions you are right now when they made the decision to leave IL. It was difficult, and there were many hard feelings between family members, but I know they would do it all over again. My grandparents were heart broken, and it was hard on my brother and I to leave them as we were all close. If you do leave family, make sure you make the effort to keep in touch regularly- I know my mom has many regrets of not doing more than she did. You many find, like my parents did, that many family members will follow you out to WY permanently. On the other hand, many other relatives love to visit, but cannot fathom ever living here. "Too boring" they say. My dad did say he might have chosen somewhere else other than WY if he would have thought it through more, but he still loves the area. You have to live your life for you, even if it means some hurt for others that love you and don't want you to go. I think life is too short, and if you feel like the state is calling you, spend some time here and see if your soul feels at home. My soul doesn't feel like it is in the right place, so hopefully someday I will know where I belong. Much luck to you!!!!
I am a married mother of five, currently living in Ohio. I've lived here my whole life, but was formerly a flight attendant, so have seen a lot of places (even if only the airport/hotels of some of them ). I have always dreamed of getting out of OH, particularly moving out West to Wyoming. I just feel it's somehow my "calling" to be there, not here in Ohio for the rest of my life.
My question to anyone who has moved to WY from another state (particulary one far away from WY), is what drew you to Wyoming and what did your family in your home state think/say about
the move? See, when I mention my dream of leaving here for beautiful, mountainous, Wyoming, I get a bunch of grief and "why would you want to live there?!" and "you'd leave your family and take the grandkids away from the grandparents just to look at some mountains?" I guess I'm wondering if I am being selfish wanting to move my kids away from their extended family to pursue my dream of living out West, and if it would end up being a regretful decision, or if it would be the best thing we've ever done and not look back. Anyone who has been in this situation, did you have support of opposition from extended family, and what do you think now that you've moved there? Do you regret leaving family far away, or is the Wyoming way of life, scenery, etc. all you hoped it would be and you're glad you did it? Thanks in advance to any replies.
NatureLady
If you have never been away from your fam-kids-grandkids etc. May not be a good move? As for wyo-it will meet your every expectations Maybe time to step out on your own and do for yourself for a change LIFE IS SHORTER EVERY DAY
Well people are different and what doesnt bother you might bother other family members..a lot.Or it might not,we dont know you or your family.If wyoming was 'everyones cup of tea' it wouldnt be the least populated state in the country by a pretty wide margin.Most of the areas with the best paying jobs are also the least scenic,a fact of geology.From many towns its a 30-150 mile drive to even get to a walmart much less a mall.The 'most scenic' areas have some of the worst paying jobs and highest housing costs.Having said that however i know several men and women who moved from places like maryland,vermont,ohio,california,florida,etc. 20-30 years ago to the 'energy towns' of rock springs and gillette,neither of which is known for its beauty,shopping or dining,and have raised their families there and have no desire to ever live anywhere else.Go visit in winter and summer and be realilistic about whether the lack of shopping/dining/nightlife compared to many other states is going to bother you or not.Figure out where you can afford to live and decide if you would 'want' to live there.Most of the state doesnt look like it does in the movies.
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). I have always dreamed of getting out of OH, particularly moving out West to Wyoming. I just feel it's somehow my "calling" to be there, not here in Ohio for the rest of my life.
LIFE IS SHORTER EVERY DAY
