Wegs,
I haven't been on this board in a while, but I gotta jump in on this. You must remember one thing:
This job is not just flying. Just because you love flying does not mean you'll love being a professional pilot.
You need to talk to as many airline pilots as you can at the regionals about what their life is like. A flying job is not just flying whenever you feel like going to the airport, its staying at hotels, talking to your spouse on the phone, spending your family reunion alone in your hotel room in Minot, ND.
I would NEVER EVER suggest to anyone with a family to become an airline pilot from scratch unless they hate their family and want to be away as much as possible. Yes, it may be your dream, but it is almost definitely NOT what your family deserves. Don't be selfish.