Advice for new brides

My advice for new brides is:

• Get your name changed on your passport as soon as you have your name changed. It will save you a lot of hassle and it will be free. Otherwise, you have to pay $75.

Yes, my advice comes from my experience yesterday.

I am going to Nicaragua in January with my mom and sister and have been trying to get my name changed on my passport before we go. Well, I needed a paper that said I "officially" changed my name. After scavenging the house to try and find such paper, Reed and I concluded that it was lost. I thought, "no big deal, I go and get another printed." Boy was I wrong!

After calling SEVERAL courthouse phone numbers, I finally got someone to answer. The lady told me to come on in and they would print one out for $1.00 per page. Again, I was thinking, "no big deal, I'll go after school." I get to the Jefferson County Courthouse at 4:05. I walk in, and explain to the people at the counter what I need. They send me downstairs to the records room. This is where the trouble began. The man in the records room looked up my name and told me I wasn't in the system. Seriously! I'm not in the system! I ask him what I should do or where I should go from here. He just kept repeating "You're not in the system" I wanted to scream, "We've established that, what do I do now!" But I didn't. I kept my composure and simply walked away.

Back upstairs, this sweet woman asks me if I've been help. I said "yes," but continued with my story. I am just about in tears at this point. She calls Shelby County to see if the record is there and the people are rude to her on the phone. Why do people have to be rude?? It's really not nice. Anyway, she asks me why I need it and I explain that I am trying to get a new passport and she says I am chasing down the wrong thing! What?!?! After all this!! She said all I needed was a certified copy of my marriage license! She takes me to the other end of the counter and prints out the license. She didn't even charge me for it! I really wish I knew this woman's name because she was so kind and patient with me. I am so thankful that God put her in that building at just that time. He is so good!!

I mailed out my passport renewal application this morning, so hopefully it is all taken care of now!

If you have gotten married in the last year or are getting married soon, I suggest you take care of this as soon as possible!