My Signature, My Name

What's in a name? It identifies you from the day you are born. As soon as you learn how to write your letters, the first thing you learn is how to write your name. It's a part of you from almost the second you enter this world.

Today my FH and I decided on the DJ and the Florist. Busy wedding day. While we were enjoying our lunch, my FH says to me "I've been practicing signing your last name, just in case". For the last 2 months, I've been struggling with signing my new last name. Don't forget, I'm older than most brides and have been signing my name for a good 10+ years longer than most people did since they got married. It's not easy to break a 30+ year old habit in 11 months. So he signed, I signed. I signed again. He tried to give me lessons on how to sign his last name..."You just leave out all those letters, and finish with the e".  Yeah, right, you go back to signing MY last name...you try leaving it behind and saying goodbye to your name.

A lot of newly engaged brides go through this question and answer. There are articles in every magazine and website. Do you hyphenate, do you drop your middle name, do you even take your FH's last name? It becomes the topic of conversation in the office, dinner with friends.

So, I decided about 6 weeks ago, drop my middle name. I don't really like it anyway. Keep my last name and add his. So, JAH, will become JHM - wow I had to think about that. Maybe in the next 30+ years I'll finally feel comfortable with my new name. So, goodbye comfortable signature, hello new signature. I might start signing my WHOLE name, yup all 3, and then maybe in a few years it will trim down to first and last. Decisions decisions. Guess I'll keep on practicing!