Thanks for the kudos.
I was gone for years, working in the middle east and at that point had been gone half her life. I finally decided that being a cool guy gunslinger and big paychecks were not worth it if I had to watch my girl grow up through pictures sent to me.
I took a massive pay cut to be home almost every night and to be an active part of her everyday life. Well worth it, and the wife is much happier too in spite of the being broke all the time.