legally change my name

My paperwork came back, now I just have to submit it to everyone, starting with my school, so I can get my diploma printed the way I want it. I’m calling it done.

I put went to city hall and submitted my paperwork, now I have to send it to the newspaper. When that is done, I have to take the whole business over to the University and order a new diploma.

I paid for a name change with Legalzoom, and it was too complicated for them because I don’t live in my legal state of residence. Back to square one.

Update – it took them two months to refund my money. Lame.

I have to do this or my diploma will not carry my maiden name. For whatever reason, my school needs it to be legal. Whatever, I wanted to do it anyways. For me.

But I am due to graduate in May so I have to get cracking.

When I got married I wanted to keep my maiden name and add my married name with no hyphen. My dad has no sons and his brother has no children so his family name is not carried on through his four daughters at all. My husband was opposed because, well that’s just not what you are supposed to do, and no one in his family did that, so he didn’t want me to do it.

I happen to think that my reason for keeping my name is better than their reason for not keeping it. I’m graduating next year with an MFA and I want my maiden name on my diploma. When I applied I used the name I wanted to appear, but just for me, I want to make it legal.