The modern version of "Go west, young man," may very well be, "Go west, aging boomer." Demographers who track retirement trends report increasing numbers of baby boomers are retiring to Wyoming and Montana. This past year, we read articles titled "Forget Florida or Arizona, More Baby Boomers Are Heading West" and "More Boomers Head to Mountain West." We didn't put much stock in such news. We didn't want to believe the "rumors" of a somewhat surprising trend. That was, before we received a call from lifelong friends. They told us they'd sold their home in Dallas, Texas, and were retiring to Saratoga, Wyo. ...more

January 11, 2008

When the Burnside family took up residence in the suburbs of Sebring last year there was a noticeable blip in the county's population. Edward and Jennifer, who moved down here from Pennsylvania, were accompanied by their six children. Two boys and four girls ages 8 to 13. Three of the children were born into the family and three were selected to become members. Ed and Jenn, who like large families, decided after having their natural born children to adopt a child. They applied through the non-profit organization Adopt America Network and after about 2 ½ years were matched with a foster home child. Since they had said that they were open to adopting a sibling group the Burnsides eventually were approved to adopt three sisters all about the same age as their own children. "We talked to them on the phone a few times and then we all went to Dallas (Texas) to meet them," Jenn related. It was a match at first sight. ...more

October 13, 2007