What's in a name?

So, today is day number 54! I love today more than yesterday, and I anticipate the same feeling tomorrow! I do regret to inform you, however, that my name is still legally Katharine Reynolds Ireland. I was so excited to receive our marriage certificate in the mail, and I went straight to the Social Security Administration office and changed my name with them in five minutes flat! And it was free!! Easiest government experience of my life, right? Well, that should have been my first clue that something would go wrong. Two days later, I get to the DMV bright and early with my venti Starbucks coffee to comfort me in that early hour (8am). So I am waiting in a line to get a number to wait in another line, all the while praying for patience and kindness and sipping my latte. Once I am finally helped I explain that, "Well, I have recently lost my former driver license, moved, and been married, so I need a new license to cover all that jazz." He looks confusingly (if that is a word) at all of the paper work I hand him, and doesn't say anything. I re-explain, "I just want to change my name to Katharine IReland Kidd, and update my address." He looks down and replies, "Oh, you can't do that, that is illegal in the state of Nevada." To which I laugh thinking he is joking, and say, "Excuse me? Illegal?" He goes on to explain that it is illegal to change your name in the fashion that I had requested. I was still praying for patience, but trying to understand what he kept using the work "illegal" as if I were harming someone by choosing to keep my maiden name. He said that my only options were to a) keep my name as it was, b) hyphenate Ireland-Kidd, or c) drop my maiden name and be Katharine Reynolds Kidd. I inquired about Nevada state law versus other state laws explaining that I am from the south and that it is commonplace to keep your maiden name. He just handed me my paperwork, explained that the best I could do is get a license with and said "I am only responsible for Nevada state law, your request is ILLEGAL, and perhaps your southern states have not caught up with the law." UGHHHHH! I smiled my meanest smile, took my number, and had a seat!

I was hoping that I would be able to speak to a woman who could understand what I was trying to do, I mean, maybe the man I spoke with was confused. I hardly understood why my request was so difficult. I could change my name at the Social Security office with no trouble, so what was Nevada's problem? Luckily I got a women, but all that that got me was an understanding empathetic look. "Yes" she said, "unfortunately keeping your maiden name as your middle name was considered illegal," and that I would need to petition for a legal name change in family court. Heaven help me! Family court?

So off I go to Family Court (saddest place I have ever been), and stood in line to get a number to stand in line. I was helped my a nice old lady who was very understanding. She said that I cold purchase the paperwork to represent myself in court, but that the DMV was mistaken in sending me to family court because I would have to file the paperwork downtown at the court house. I was relieved that I only had to spend $5 to buy this nonsense paperwork, but then she informed me that, "But I hate to tell you sweetie, but it costs $270 to file the paperwork and another $80 to run your name in the paper for 3 weeks in a row." I wanted to cry. I just want my husband's last name!!!!

Gavin and I decided on a different approach for changing my name in the state of Nevada. We went to the post office and picked up the information for a new passport. It turned out that all I had to send them was a certified copy of our marriage certificate, and a check. I got my new passport with my new name (katharine Ireland Kidd) in the mail last week. So, I am still not sure how I can change my name (hassle-free) with the agency that is responsible for the accuracy of my identity as it pertains to the USA and to foreign countries, but the Silver State wants me to petition this change for consideration in front of a judge.

I am going to the DMV on Monday morning with my new passport and my new social security card to try my luck at a license again! I will let you know how all of that goes!

(Sorry if this was long and detailed. I omitted a good portion of the story, but for me the quotes were to frustrating to leave out.)