Changing My Name, Part 1

This is going to be a few part series. How many? I'm not sure yet, the story isn't quite finished. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though and I'm hoping soon everything will be legally in my new name.

I see people complaining about the steps to changing their last name and I wish I could be one of those people. Oh to only have to change your last name after getting married. Instead I had to change every name I have: firt, middle, and last.

I was born Margaret Lane Lastname. I go by my middle name, calling me Margaret was never an option. Most women in my family are named this way, southern tradition. It used to make for an easy transition to take your husbands name. Drop your first name and take your husbands last name. Ex: Lane Lastname Husband's Lastname. I am told by my bffs at Social Security that was the case until 9/11. After 9/11 they have made it all but impossible for your to change your first name. They will literally let you change your middle name to whatever you want and your last name can be changed if you have documentation of marriage, divorce, etc. But to change your first name you have to hire an attorney, file hundreds of dollars worth of paperwork, go to court and stand before a judge, and then continue to file more paperwork. Oh and you will be making multiple trips to the local Social Security office and DMV (hence how we are now bff).

Thankfully my dad is an attorney and his co worker specializes in family law where he deals with these sorts of name changes.

Next we will pick up with my first steps to changing my name.