The will to wed (and the changing of the name!)

Lieutenant and I have been engaged for one month now and everything seems like it is getting down to the wire. The semester is over in December and it is already almost mid-September! Yikes! I am cringing with fear, nervousness, and excitement. Yesterday we were discussing how many bedrooms we wanted and how much it would cost to get married in a courthouse, as well as realizing that my name was going to change. That, for me, is perhaps one of the scariest parts of realizing that I am going to be a wife. Giving up my birth name, my maiden name…well that is a big aspect of who I am. My last name is completely unique in such a way that any one else that has it is blood related to me in some way. It is not such a common name as Smith or Johnson that you have to wade through piles of names before you recognize any. Also, my maiden name is special to me because in a way, it defines parts of me. It gives me character and mystery. It brings out my humor and makes me a part of a rare group. But I digress, to put it blatantly, I have a lot on my plate right now. I am so thankful that Lieutenant is here to support me and put up with my stress levels!