I’m so happy! Mike just asked me to marry him! Thank goodness both our families approve, but I’ll never forget the first time everyone got together.

I know my parents probably would have liked me to marry “a nice Lebanese boy,” but as long as Mike makes me happy, that’s the most important thing to them. Dad was really touched when Mike asked his permission to marry me, just like Dad asked my grandfather’s permission to marry Mom more than 50 years ago. Of course, Mom loves everyone who compliments her cooking!

The first time I met Mike’s parents a few years ago, I almost fainted when they said the only other Lebanese person they’ve ever met was a peddler named Omar who used to visit their families when they were children. I was still in shock when I told them that peddler was my father, who went on to run a successful corner store in Charlottetown.

When Mike’s parents came to the store for the first time, Dad hugged them like they were old friends. Mike’s parents invited my family to their home and Dad said it was the first time he’d been to the country since he gave up peddling almost 40 years ago. He also said he enjoyed driving to the country better than walking in the snow!

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