:'(

So, Nada's gone.

The wedding is over, the festivities complete, and the guests departed....Nada along with them.

My sadness is not rooted in the fact that my dear sister is married. On the contrary, I couldn't be happier to have a new addition to the evergrowing Unus family. It's the fact that she's going ALL the way to Jordan.

May Allah make it an amazing experience Insha'allah as I'm sure it will be.

It's just that now...I won't be able to call her up at any odd hour while writing a paper and ask her to explain how to format my citations, or have her greet me at the door when I come home screaming, "I misssssseddd you Wafi," when I've only been gone for an hour or two.

It's just that now...getting her sound advice on every decision and having her scold me for my stupidity at times, will all be from an amazing distance over a tiny phone line.

Now...Eid prayers with the family won't always include Nada waking us up reciting the Takbeerat over and over again as they have for the past 18 years of my life.

I can't even imagine family dinners without her there. No loud obnoxious random noises, no terrible insults to break down self esteem, no crazy and yet again random laughter for no clear reason.

For the past 18 years she's been my big sister but more importantly a best friend, as are all my sisters.

She's been inspiration, motivation and a true source of comfort.

She's always been there for me and she always will Insha'allah, even from Jordan.

I hugged her today, while giving my Salaams before she left for her honeymoon. I likely won't see her before she leaves for Jordan as I'll be at school...so the embrace was possibly the last one till I see her again in several months.

We hugged and even for that short time, she poured out all the advice she could get in, about life, about school, about everything.

Even in that short time, she counseled me and as always, it was straight from her heart to mine.

We've had so much fun, so many memories and so many more to come.

I've been so blessed to have Nada Unus as a "baji" and now to have Faisal as a "Bhai."

I just still can't believe my big sis is moving away. It won't be like I can visit her for a week as I did while she was in Boston, or like she will be able to stay here for an exteneded period of time.

She's moving...not visiting...not studying...but moving, and Jordan is faaaaaar away.

May Allah bring comfort to her and the family as this separation is not an easy one.

May Allah bless her and Faisal Bhai with all the happiness in the world and put noor in their every action.

May Allah bestow his barakah on their union and from it grant them the opportunity and ability to work in His cause.

And...Oh Allah, please please please, let Wafa get back to Herndon before they leave for Jordan so that she can say Salaams to her dear sister one more time.

Ameen.