My husband’s job can be kind of demanding and he has always worked pretty long hours. So my role, in our home and with our kids, includes all household operations. I’m the COO around here. Basically everything but the garbage cans to the street. When I have an appointment or I fall ill or I have conflicting commitments, he usually can’t bail me out. Which is why I have never understood how people (especially people with kids) live in another state, away from family and friends. If I had to do this without family and friends, I probably would’ve stopped with one. But by some miracle, long before kids were on our radar, we were planted in a community that would come to be my saving grace. My village. My family nearby and a network of women that would come to mean a lot to me.

Recently, I watched a documentary about contentment and what makes us truly happy. The front running commonality from country to country was people who live in self-sustaining communities are the happiest, working and living and sharing in responsibilities together and I know (mostly) what they’re talking about. It may be a jillion miles away, with huts and no running water, it may be a compound outside Salt Lake City (wink-wink) or a beehive, I understand it now, you need your own little community to survive, to thrive and especially to raise kids.

Last week, I was sick and without having to ask, one-by-one, offers to pick up, drop off, take for play dates came flooding in. Never having to even ask for help. Picking up my slack and entertaining my kid. And almost a year ago, when we were robbed two freaking days before Christmas and our gifts unwrapped and stolen: baskets of goodies, toys for the kids, gift cards left on our front step. It’s so good to know that if God forbid, something really bad happens, I have a village of people that will jump to the aid of my family. I sometimes cringe that though I live just miles from the city, I’ve localized and have become so removed from city life but I’d gladly sacrifice my familiarity with new restaurants and hot happenings to be part of something that enriches my kids’ lives and mine like this neighborhood.

To my village, my family and my ladies of the 98177, I salute you, I thank you, I bake you dozens and dozens of imaginary cookies but more importantly, when you have jury duty or you’re sick or you have conflicting soccer games, I have your back. I may not be schlepping your well water to your hut but I’ll drive your kids to a Pump it Up birthday party. And that’s kinda the same thing, right??