WHAT A CITY !!

I opened the Seattle Times this week and was thrilled to find in it a comprehensive summer activities guide. This weekend we had about 10 activity choices ( as we do for every week for the next 4 months), we chose a Street Fair in the U district. It was so much fun. Apart from all the cool vendors, awesome food, and being surrounded by funky students we saw a group of students performing capoeira , knife juggling, & folk music.

It was a Saturday well spent.

Of course when you have children no incredible amount of amazing food can tear you away from the draw of a Mc Donalds PLAY LAND. So after the fair we headed to our Local Hot Spot the Mickey D's on the corner ( this is one of the only ones with a play place, most of the mc donalds around here are way too nice for kids, seriously they are like really posh coffee houses). We were enjoying the chit chat between friendly strangers ( are you ever really a stranger in a mc donalds play land?) when Angelo announced that I, his caucasion wife was the minority. Sure enough not another pale face in the bunch. So we all began talking about where we were from:

** mother and son: India

**two mothers with a couple of kids a piece: Mexico

**mother, father & children: Iran

and a large Korean family was leaving when we got there

As I reflected on this emense cultural diversity, I was overjoyed that my children are being exposed to diverse thoughts & cultures. Then I started to put all the past weeks public experiences together.

Here are some of the comments we have had from strangers (all comments have been made with warm smiles, not a judgemental glares in the bunch):

" these are all your children" yes is my reply " they are so well behaved"

" every one of your children should be models They ARe BeauTiful"

" are you done having kids...don't you think you should have at least one more" ( no joke she was 100% serious, she really wanted me to have more kids)

I guess what I am learning is that when you live in a place that is so diverse people repect each others differences. I am sure that none of those people even dreamed of having 4 children, but they were extremely repectful & awed at my decision.

I guess what I am saying is I am suprised to find MORE

TOLERANCE

for our decision to have a big family in Washington then in the heart of LDS community.

I really enjoy the laid back & relaxed nature of my new town !