After going through an internal struggle about how to change my name, if at all, I reached a conclusion that made me happy.

Now I just have to start the seemingly straightforward process to make it legal... and make the government happy: get marriage license, get married and sign marriage license, go to social security office to get a new card with my updated name, go to DMV to get new license, and then update everything else with my married name.

Voila! Simple, right? 

Well, let me lay it out for you:

1) Get marriage license.... Done. This process was actually pretty quick, easy, and painless for me. In fact, Lu didn't even have to physically be there. Although you should definitely check the rules in your state to make sure you have the right paperwork.

2) Get married.... 12 days!!

3) Get new social security card.... Hmmm, about that. I can't seem to find my old card! However, I do have W-2s, a birth certificate, and a passport. Hopefully, one (or some combination) of these is enough to prove my identity. I'm actually on hold with the Social Security office now to check -- 15 minutes have gone by so far. :-/

4) Go to DMV to get a new license..... Note the first two words: "go to." As a PhD student who's held on to her out-of-state license through two degrees and three states, this was more complicated for me than for most. First, I had to officially become a Michigan driver... or spend several hours on my second day as a newlywed sitting at the DMV in Maryland... or wait until Christmas (my next trip back Maryland) to start the legal stuff... or wait and change my license and residency at the same time, which isn't an easy feat in Michigan. Soooo a few days ago,  I just bit the bullet and trekked to the DMV to change my insurance, license, and registration to Michigan.

Word of Wisdom: Always bring a good book with you to the DMV.

5) Update everything else, including: mortgage, insurance (car, home, and health), information with the school for my transcript and ID, information with my doctor, information with Maggie's vet, bank accounts, checks, retirement fund, professional items (website, business cards, and CV), prescription drug information, credit cards, and email/magazine subscriptions.... That's all I can think of right now, but I'm sure there's more.

On one hand, the majority of places simply require my word, my new license, or at most, a certified copy of our marriage certificate. However, it'll still involve a lot of waiting in line, listening to elevator music while on hold (good thing I like early-90s soft rock), and repeating the phrase, "Hi. I just got married. I need to update...."

Is it really fair that I have to deal with all of this and Lu doesn't? Not at all, but I'll make sure to even out the load by giving him a big, fat pile of "Thank You" cards to write!