When Armenian women get to that point where they need to find a suitable spouse, they will be on the lookout for the right person, someone with whom they can share the rest of their life. Armenian-American women may not necessarily be too bothered as to whether the guy is Armenian or not. Her family, on the other hand, will try as best they can to influence her decision to find an Armenian husband for her. Some Armenian-American women have met and dated other Armenian men but found that things just didn't work out. So what happens if an Armenian girl brings home a suitable man, who is perfect in every way, but is not Armenian? What will the family have to say about this? In bringing home such a person, this may result in some displeasing comments from the family who may think that their daughter is wasting her time and being impractical. Although they may not stand in the way of the relationship, their lack of support will become clear and unlike her Armenian dates, they will probably not tell their friends about this guy. This is the experience we learned about from an Armenian-American woman, whose parents did not support her relationship with a non-Armenian, which made things difficult for her and her future husband. As time went on, her future spouse learned to be patient and respect the family and their traditions, and this put her family at ease. Some of her friends were really supportive, while others were not. She chose not to listen to anyone and just follow her heart. Eventually, she decided to marry, and her friends and family all supported her by attending the wedding which was held in an Armenian church. She is now happily married with children and considers her marriage a blessing. Being married to a non-Armenian, her spouse has often asked many questions about her culture which has led her to learn more about it. She has become more knowledgeable and interested in her heritage than ever before, and her spouse impresses her Armenian friends with his knowledge of their culture which he has learned from her. She admits that she has times when she wonders what it would have been like to be married to an Armenian, but she soon forgets about it and focuses on the present. Her husband has made a great effort to learn some of the Armenian greetings, names of foods and has put in considerable efforts in the Armenian community. Sometimes the Armenian community welcomes him, but there are many times when he is seen as just an outsider, which is heartbreaking for her. Raising their children has been a challenge, although both parents love their children dearly, the hardest part is deciding what sort of identity to impart on them, as both parents have different heritages. They find that love and support is the best parenting tool they can offer their children. The couple both have their own strengths and weaknesses and their "mixed bag" of personality traits is often an advantage for them.