Picture this: it's August 2020 and Lilya is on the phone interviewing for a software job in the middle of the pandemic. Exchanging pleasantries with the women who will later become her bosses, she asks how their day has been going so far. One of them says, "Pretty good, we just finished an interview right before yours with this cute Arab boy."

Hmm, a cute Arab boy, you say?

Fast forward a couple months into working remotely and Faisal and Lilya are now coworkers. Lilya often called Faisal for help with work, but the two of them usually got sidetracked and had very long conversations about every topic under the sun. Around Thanksgiving, on a whim she asked him if we wanted to meet each other in person next Saturday. Maybe get a coffee, go to the mall and do some Christmas shopping?

Well, they ended up hanging out the entire day, and when Lilya left Wichita that evening, Faisal realized she'd left one of her purchases in his car. So the next week he drove down to Winfield with the excuse of giving it back to her, but really he just wanted to see her again. Little did he know that she felt the same way about him, and that evening when they went out to dinner after hanging out the entire afternoon, she admitted she might have feelings for him. Excited, they started dating then and there, and went to see Winfield's local Christmas lights display to celebrate.

Two years later, their relationship was going strong as ever! They had traveled out of state together, met each other's family and friends, and Lilya even adopted a cat that they both fell in love with. Soon it was Christmas 2022 and once again they went to see Winfield's light display, only for Faisal to pull out a ring and propose to Lilya at the very place they had gone on their first date. Best Christmas gift ever!

And now once again for Christmas this year, they'll be celebrating by tying the knot. Can't wait to see you there!

L&F