Rant?? Living far from family vs living close

I guess this is a rant of sorts, but I was also hoping to get some feedback. My husband is currently in a frantic search to find a new job. I have always wanted to stay close to family so our kids can grow up around family. He doeant mind not living close to family, so whenever he job hunts its hard because I feel I am holding him back by giving a "border" of where he can apply for jobs. I would love to hear both experiences of living close to family, and also from those of you who live pretty far away from family. What do you do to stay connected with your family and help them still feel part of your life and your kids life?