i can understand how you feel, you want something that would bring you good salary, yet make you feel excited and have sense of achivement.
Those "perfect package" may not come easily and some people may never find it in their entire life time.
your option could be: (just brain storming with you, not telling you what to do):
1)stay where you are, Austin, TX is a good city, it is listed as one of the "top 10 best cities to live in USA". With good housing prices,with no state income tax, and relatively low cost of living, you can save a lot of money, for yourself and your kids.. (if they are only K level and 1st level), they will need a lot of money till they graudate from college).
2) if you feel really boring, and surpressed... then maybe you can stay where you are, but trying to find something in the same state government, maybe another agency, for a different position, with that, you got to keep your retirement, annuity, vacation etc.. and give yourself a chance to try out something new.. if things don't work out, you got nothing to lose. Try to find something that may suit your education background or your passion better. Ask yourself what you really like to do.. Talk to people from other agencies to see how their lives are...
3)if you really want to move to another state, i would not quit my job without a job waiting for me.. that means your hu*****and may go first, and you stay where you are, working, then applying jobs at your hu*****and's city... but it is tough to be seperated, may be a while..you can look for job with goverment, or with private sectors in your hu*****and's city... and better yet, take vacation on the places you want to go.. TX and CO are very different, climate wise.. CO is very cold and dry, and TX is very hot and humid.. opposite..
it is tough.. without trying, you would not know.. but with trying and moving, you would face a lot of uncertainty, and too many variables.. that is life.. i guess...best luck to you.
