Sacrifices we make

I just returned from a quick trip to visit family in New Mexico (hence the lack of blog posts). We had a wonderful time visiting with my parents, siblings, nieces, nephew, and my in-laws. We also had a chance to meet our new niece who was born just two days before our daughter. She is a beautiful and happy little 4 month old.

Living away from my family has never been an issue. Most of the time, I am relieved to be away from any family drama (and there is always family drama). Now that I have a child, however, the physical distance has become significantly more difficult. I often feel as if I am denying my daughter an opportunity to bond with her extended family and preventing my parents from spending time with one of their grandchildren. Tears often accompany goodbyes. In addition, we often feel alone without family nearby. There is little to no help with childcare, for example. I question, am I making too many sacrifices for my career? Am I hurting my child and family by prioritizing my career over the opportunity to live near family?

I know that I can't move to New Mexico. My partner and I worked for 2 years to land in an area where we both have tenure-track jobs. There is only one major university in Albuquerque and we don't foresee many opportunities for academic jobs in our specialities. Instead, we have to find a way to manage the geographic distance by traveling frequently and finding trustworthy people for childcare and friendship.