IsabellaLinton wrote:
Good thinking. People ask how it could possibly take me a year, but it's because of my lame executive function. Phone calls to government (NOPE), not understanding forms, needing to do the steps in the right order, or not having some paper that you need to get the other paper.
I feel that on a spiritual level. I really hope I don't screw this up.
IsabellaLinton wrote:
Then of course everything bureaucratic takes forever on their end, too. The only difficulty I had after changing back to my maiden name was that I don't match either of my kids. We have three different surnames lol. Flying with either of them when they were under 18 was a pain because I needed to take extra documentation to prove I wasn't a kidnapper (the long-form birth certificate with me listed as mother --another application I had to do --, and then all of my own change of name papers and marriage / divorce / custody papers -- and then written permission from her father to leave the country). In that respect you're very lucky not to have children together.
That sounds like a fantastic pain in the backside. Yeah, I'm glad I don't have to stress things like that now.
IsabellaLinton wrote:
It's very liberating to get your maiden name back. I remember being so happy to be myself again - even though I loved my other surname and still kind of miss the sound of it.
I'm not taking my birth last name. My early years left some things to be desired and I don't want that name raining on my parade. I am thinking of a family name though, I had been torn trying to decide between two of them, but I think I have it decided now. I'm going to go with my grandfather's mother's maiden name. I have nothing but fond memories of my grandpa...he was one of the few 'good' adults in my life, and I remember him talking about his mom with fondness. She died when he was young and meant the world to him. I think he'd smile about me choosing her last name. Seems a good way to honor his memory and let him know he meant a lot to me.