I'm glad you like the paternal/maternal idea.
So here is the beginning of my ancestor spread:
First court card: Knight of Pentacles.
I immediately thought of my uncle, who passed around five years ago. He was very family-oriented, with a slow, quiet, methodical way of doing things.
Second court card: Knight of Pentacles
The paternal side of my family, which is correct for the uncle I'm thinking of.
Major: The Lovers
Ok, so.....hmmm. This one has me a bit stuck. The phrase that eventually came to mind was "related by marriage". This would be true for my uncle, as we are related by marriage, not blood. But then, does this mean he is not truly my ancestor? He does visit my dreams more often than any of my blood kin!
I will have to think on this for a bit. I don't want to force meanings to fit just because I think this may be my uncle. Off to ponder.....