On a recent unusually warm January afternoon, my father graciously offered to watch my daughter while my mom and I exchanged some Christmas presents and online clothing purchases at a local outlet mall.  One playground visit would have certainly been enough, but grandpa decided that he wanted to visit the other park by the school because it has better slides "you know, the ones with the big bump in the middle" he claimed. My husband and I certainly would not be able to run and bike outside or go out to eat together very often if we didn't have grandparents who live nearby.  I know that some people have to live far away from family for work, but it really does seem to be a village raising my daughter. My dad has been cheering my mother and I on at road races for the past twenty five years, and now he is happy to have my daughter with him at races too. There is no way I would be able to continue to be a competitive athlete without the love and support of my parents, and now as grandparents they are making sure that my daughter is happy and constantly stimulated on the two weekdays that they watch her. My dad is never embarassed to be the only male and the only person over 35 at various toddler events.  I wish that more working moms had family who lived near by. Without my family, there is no way I would be able to reach my personal goals for this year.