The Moroccans are Coming

HELP!!!! My newly engaged couple arrived last night, just as I'm recuperating from my other daughter's wedding and had some requests/questions.

1. When can his relatives come and meet us?

2. My daughter will need to have a "henna" ceremony - done by Jewish women whose families originate from Arab/Middle Eastern countries (I understand Arab women also have this done the night before the wedding).

I insisted that my very blonde, blue eyed daughter is not of North African extraction but because she's marrying into a family of Moroccans, this should be done. My daughter wanted something relatively extravagant so that she could get money out of this too. I told the very young couple that my friends will not dish out moolah for two events so close to each other. If they want a henna ceremony, it'll have to be at my house, with her friends, and she's lucky if she gets sexy lingerie out of the deal - and if the future mother-in-law wants to come, she'll have to come with her pastries because I sure as hell can't bake/cook those goodies that drip with honey and look like all sorts of twirly tube things.

What about the in-laws meeting us? I had intended to celebrate Israel Independence Day with both Jews and Palestinians in an intimate setting where Jews would celebrate their Independence and Palestinians would mourn their loss of land/homes, etc. in their Nakba. We would celebrate and mourn each other's wins and losses.

But this is the only day I'd be able to meet my daughter's fiancee's family, so the gathering of Jews/Palestinians will have to wait another year. I told my daughter's fiancee, to invite his family for an Independence Day barbecue at our home in two weeks. I said that I'm off work that day and I'll be only too happy to host them.

He called his folks to invite them. After that phone conversation he told me "everybody's coming". All his siblings. I had no idea what that meant. Two brothers, sister? Two sisters, 1 brother? Not a chance. They're seven kids altogether + parents + the families of the two married sibs. They will all drive down from Tiberias to meet us.

So - what's an overworked granny like me to do?? Retract the invite? I really wanted to. I sure did. I panicked but tried not to let it show.

Today, after doing my last-of-the-Passover-holiday shopping I sulked in the kitchen and complained to Hubby. I'm thinking of all the barbecue meat I'll have to buy for our "meet the soon-to-be-relatives" of ours and the cost of it all.

"Looks like we'll NEVER get this apartment furnished! We still don't have shower doors and I'm tired of watching movies on our ancient 2nd-hand 21" tv. When will we ever get anything?"

Hubby looked at me incredulously. He seemed more the voice of reason today.

"What's more important? Marrying off kids or buying furniture?"

I glared at him.

"Buying furniture - dammit!"