My wife and I have decided to move our family from north Texas to the Atlanta Georgia area. There are a variety of good reasons – she's found a good job there and we'll live just a few minutes away from my brother, sister and my three nieces. We'll be surrounded by my family. So we're excited about the move. We love the area, the schools will be great for my son – everything about it will be a step up for us. And I'm excited because it looks like I'll be able to take an early retirement and become a "Mr Mom".

I'll miss my friends here in Texas but we'll always be able to stay in touch with e-mails and visits during the holidays. But that doesn't work when you're in a music group. I LOVE getting together with these guys and singing, working on arrangements and performing in public. And I know the other guys are disappointed that I'm leaving – even if they do see the logic in the move. We've become a tight unit over the last ten years. We're at the point that when we work up a new song that the arrangement just falls into place. We all know the roles we've worked out and everything falls together easily.

But a music group isn't enough to keep you in a place when it makes sense to move on. Yes – I know there are good musicians in Georgia and I'll do my best to connect with them and find a new group to perform with. But I'm still saddened by what I'm leaving behind. These guys helped me find my voice. From someone who would pick up his guitar for a few minutes a month I've turned into a more confident performer that isn't terrified to get up on a stage anymore. And I'm a much better musician than I was when I started with these guys. I'll always be grateful for that.

So I don't really need any advice. I think I just wanted to whine a little since I'm really experiencing a sense of loss. It's almost like the death of a friend. I'm sure that others of you have been in similar situations so you might be able to share your experiences if you like. Thanks for letting me vent.