planning for the future, thinking about the past

This week I did some maintenance work w/ some data that had been sitting around and I've been doing things on my to-do list like pay bills, make a routine doctor appointment etc. I also have been trying to plan out my year so that I can actually graduate close to Dec. of this year or shortly after that. I don't really want to graduate in 2010 but everyone I talk to tells me to add 3 months to the date I would like to finish as that is a more accurate time line. I need to re-contact a couple of the 'maybe' post-doc people I talked to a couple of months ago as well. I not very stressed at this moment but I can see where these things will build to add up to stress.

I'm also thinking about if I'm setting myself up for failure. I picked this degree, I picked this area of study, that is really fascinating to me, but how I do my work is very costly. This means if I do a post-doc in a similar vein it will be costly as well. Then when I'm ready to move on, will I be forced to go to a larger University to the work I would like? [what if I can't find one to take me?; what if I have kids and don't want to work at a big school?] Or will I have to change gears completely to find a job at a smaller place? If that is true should I change gears now for my post-doc?

I keep going around and around. I like the work I do. I would like to continue it. I would also like a family someday. Am I sabotaging my chances for a balanced life if I pursue this career path? But, I've already put so much into this I don't want to turn back now. I want a career and a life. How do you plan now to try for both?