The name song

(You know the one, Manda, Manda, fo-fanda, fi-fye, bo banda...so on and so forth.)

My whole life I have been Amanda Mylastname. My last name has always been misprounced, mispelled and generally a big mess. I thought when I was younger that I would change my last name when I got married, it seemed an easy choice. However, as I've grown, I've learned more about the world and become a not so angsty teenager who loves her family. I have learned to love my name, because it is part of me. I have also come to the realization that my dad's name will not live on, my sister's and I are the last in the Mylastname line. It makes me so sad and that all combines to make my decision to change my name harder.

The feminist in me says, keep your name! It is you! The traditionalist in me says take his last name! You want to be a family unit! The crazy side in me wants to make a new combined last name! It's a compromise!

It's insane all the different options I have. It is good that I have these options but it is frustrating as well. With the wedding right around the corner I know that I need to decide and I know what I am leaning towards. Mr. Tal has been amazing through this process, which hasn't brought out my warm fuzzy side. Conversations like this have taken place more than once: "Why don't you take my last name? Why should I have to bow down to traditional, sexist sandards?"  To which he sweetly replied, "Okay, that's fine." God bless him. He deals with my rants so well. I am leaning towards this combination: Amanda Mymiddlename Mylastname Hislastname having my last name be a second middle name, which Mr. Tal has sweetly agreed that if I ask him to, he will also take my last name as a second middle name. I haven't completely decided, it's really hard, I'll probably end up deciding on the honeymoon.

Have you had a hard time with the name change decision? What have you decided if anything?

Tune in next time for more tales from a DIY bride.