I have accidentally purchased yet another pair of shoes for my wedding. I cannot take the blame for this pair, however. They are all the fault of my wedding twin, Crist. I still have this pair as a backup, should these not work out.

They are gorgeous, yes?

(Kate Spade Charm)

One huge thing I left off the wedding to-do list in my earlier post is that we have to get a marriage license. In Multnomah County, you can get your license up to 60 days before your wedding and guess what? Our wedding is in 44 days (thank you TheKnot.com for feeding my anxiety by keeping me apprised of exactly how many days there are until the big day).

While figuring out the rules for obtaining the license, I observed this little gem:

THE MARRIAGE LICENSE APPLICATION REQUIRES BOTH THE BRIDE AND GROOM TO ESTABLISH THE LEGAL NAME EACH WILL TAKE AFTER THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY.  THIS INFORMATION IS CRITICAL AND MUST BE DETERMINED PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF YOUR APPLICATION.

(no need to yell, Multnomah County, I get it)

So, here’s the deal. I have NO IDEA what my name is going to be. Obviously, Bill would like me to take his name. But, I’ve been Rhiannon LastName for 31 years and I like being Rhiannon LastName. Also, my father has no other children, so I’m the very last LastName in our lineage. Additionally, I like to think (I could be wrong), that I’m known pretty well by my current name professionally and I’d like to keep it that way.

Here are my options:

1. Suck it up and give up my last name
2. Take his last name, remain Rhiannon LastName professionally.
3. Drop my middle name (which I love and is my one tie to my Grandma) and begin using LastName as my middle name, thus becoming Rhiannon LastName HisLastName.
4. Keep middle name and hyphenate, which would give me the longest name in the history of the universe.
5. Drop last name period. Just be Rhiannon. (kidding, sort of)

Questions for you…If you’re married, what did you do? If you’re engaged, what’s your plan?

Almost 23 years ago, I met a girl with a big smile and blonde hair. We were in the same class in the fourth grade, and while I don’t remember very much about the fourth grade, I do remember that she invited me to her birthday party that summer. I remember this girl calling me on the phone to invite me and I remember being SO excited. The party was held at the Canby Pool and I bumped my head against another girls while attempting to swim on my back. That girl has been my best friend since then. For 22 years, there have been sleepovers, singalongs, tears, laughter, a senior trip to Hawaii,  boyfriends, a wedding (hers), two babies (again, hers), an engagement (mine) and hours upon hours on the phone.

And, now she’s moving away.

During sleepovers in high school, we’d fall asleep signing (nerd alert!) one of the following: Stay by Lisa Loeb, When All the Stars Were Falling (also Lisa Loeb) or How Can I Help You to Say Goodbye by Patty Loveless (I come from a very small town, country music is REQUIRED). Part of the Patty Loveless song goes like this:

Through the back window of a `59 wagon
I watched my best friend Jamie slippin` further away
I kept on waving `till I couldn`t see her
And through my tears, I asked again why we couldn`t stay
Mama whispered softly, Time will ease your pain
Life`s about changing, nothing ever stays the same

And she said, How can I help you to say goodbye?
It`s OK to hurt, and it`s OK to cry
Come, let me hold you and I will try
How can I help you to say goodbye?

We sang this song before I left for UofO and this song has been in my head since she told me she was leaving.

I’m sad and I miss my Emily.

*photo taken June 1997 at Germaine’s Luau in Hawaii. Don’t hate on my overalls, you know you had them too.