We have spent our lives in this state: growing up in Belfast, living in Portland, now raising our family in Oakland. We always envisioned putting down permanent roots here, hoping our children would choose to stay and raise families of their own. The hardest part is watching those long hours come at the expense of family life. I am deeply proud of Maine and want my children to experience the same sense of belonging that shaped my life. We need to give Bobby Charles a chance to address these challenges.