Licensed to Wed!

Welp, kids...the Sealman and I officially applied for our marriage license and, I've gotta say, it was exciting.

We began the day by finishing up the very last of our church paperwork and - despite an onslaught of relentless rain - decided to take care of our license too.

At our local parish waiting for our letter of permission to get married in San Francisco.

(Don't mind my hair - we had just taken refuge from the torrential downpour outside. Mr. Seal was mocking me, but the joke is on him because I've just shared his goof-face with the world wide webzzz.)

Thankfully the town in which Mr. Seal and I live also happens to serve as the county seat, so we didn't have to travel too far in the storm to take care of our soon-to-be-married business.

I was well aware that I'd need to have made my name change decision by the time we applied for marriage and, thanks to some wondrous advice from all of you, was prepared to make my choice. (In case you all are wondering, I agreed with the majority and decided to drop my middle name, replace it with my current last name and take Mr. Seal's last name as my new one.) Despite having made said decision, I did have some mixed emotions upon seeing my new name written on its first official document - part of me was giddy, and another small piece of me was reluctant to bid adieu to my current last name (even if it is just shifting to the middle). I think it was more that I felt filling in a box on an application wasn't ceremonious enough - ha, but I suppose that's what the wedding is for, eh?

Anyway, the very sweet clerk had an infectious smiled and seemed to really enjoy helping us which greatly contributed to the experience! We both left with huge grins on our face.

Mr. Seal diligently reading "Your Future Together," the  booklet given to us along with our marriage license.

Wow. We're getting married! It's official ;)

Have you gotten your license yet? Are you changing your name? Was it weird!?