This weekend is the wedding of Jon and Mary Catherine. I'm looking forward to impromptu musical performances, quality cousin conversation, the Michigan/Ohio State game, and "light fare and dancing." It's rare to have dancing at a Belz wedding. Time to live it up, Jewish-style.
I'm also working on my Arabic words for family and extended family. Did you know that, for all the emphasis Arabs place on family, there is no official word for "cousin"? You have to combine words, like "the son of my paternal uncle" (ibn aeimee) or "the daughter of my maternal aunt" (bint khalee) That's another headache, specifying which side of the family everyone is on. But at least the words for immediate family and extended family are different, so you don't have to explain who you're talking about like we do in English. A-quaarib is the word for relatives.
Did you also know that there's an Arabic Baptist Church in Boston?
Maa salaama, isdaquaa (friends).
The great thing, though, is that in Arab countries you can marry your cousin.
Oh dear, Heidi. You call that a great thing?
I'm not going to make comments about the above comments.
I just want to say it's a sign that language puts more emphasis on a relationship when it specifies it more, instead of just having a general word. Maybe that's why I don't like the word "relationship." Have fun with the relatives.