We chose not to have kids. So we have a house full of cats instead. Obviously it's not the same but it's as close as we get. I second guess myself all the time and can't shake the feeling it was cruel to deprive my wife of the experience and not insist on it: She'd have been a fantastic mom. Like you I wonder if kids would have resulted in more happy times and the chance to look forward to things not work related.

The grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the fence.