The Story behind the story--at McDonald's

OK, people have heard what started the story of "A Christmas Dream," and that story has become almost as popular as the book itself. So here, for those inquiring minds, is where it all began.
Ivan (my hubby) and I stopped at McDonald's for breakfast after we dropped the kids off at school. It was a slow morning, with only a few people there. In the booth beside us there was what appeared to be a very typical family: a mom, a dad, and a 3-4 year old little boy. We commented on how well-behaved the little guy was. We should have known that would spell disaster.
Within a few minutes, the little boy was up on his feet, stamping on the booth seat and yelling at the top of his lungs, "I don't want to go see Santa! I don't want to look at Christmas trees and lights! I don't want to go see the toys! I don't want to pick out a Christmas tree!" He paused for just a second, then added even more loudly, "All I want for Christmas is you for my daddy!"
Well, at that point, we KNEW this was not an ordinary family. By now everybody in the restaurant was focused on the threesome.
The mom, you could just see that she wanted to disappear under the booth where nobody could see her. The guy--obviously not the daddy at all--handled it perfectly. He reached across the table, took the gal's hand in his, reached into his jacket pocket and extracted that little black velvet box he had carefully tucked away, and said, "I wanted to do this tonight, after Jeremy was in bed, the tree was all trimmed, and everything was perfect. But I guess we can do it here just as well." He paused, opened the box and slid the sparkling gem onto her finger, then gazed up at her with great admiration. "Will you marry me?"
I don't know if it was because of shock, or if she was waiting for something more, but she sat in silence, not responding to his proposal.
As if he could read her thoughts, he said, "I DO love you, you know."
It must have been what she was waiting for, as she then quickly answered with a resounding "Yes."
Jeremy began jumping up and down, clapping and hollering at the top of his voice, as he hugged first his mom, and then his new "daddy-to-be," "We're gonna get married--and we did it at Burger Donald's!!!" And the entire group in the restaurant--customers and employees alike--broke into uproarious applause and cheers.
I knew I had the makings of a great story. All I had to do was to figure out the rest of it. What had happened to Jeremy's "real" dad? Why were they alone? Who was the handsome man who was riding to their rescue?
You know it doesn't take long for a writer's wheels to spin out of control. What was conjured up in my mind that day became "A Christmas Dream." Of all of my books, it is by far my favorite. I hope you will get a copy of it. I have heard from lots of people who have told me they have read it together as a family project during the holidays. I hope you will join them.
And the next time I get back here, I will tell you the very special story of how one young woman from California had her entire life transformed because of "A Christmas Dream." Yes, miracles do still happen--especially at Christmas time!