The Name Change

My maiden name was Kelly (Renee) Rice.

That name now belongs to my brother's wife, Kelly (Rita) Rice, which is the main reason I didn't revert to that moniker after The Big D (divorce..... such an ugly word. But sometimes oh-so-necessary).

For the past 22 years, I have been Kelly Wade. I will admit that it's a fun name. People love it. No one ever just calls me Kelly, it's always KellyWade, three syllables that roll off the tongue so easily - yet just freakin' make me twitch. Some friends have shortened it to a catchy and cute KDubs, KDub, or simply Dub. Others call me Wade. When I posted on Facebook - because it isn't official until it's on Facebook - that I was going to have the privilege of marrying Patrick Topolinski, one friend asked me if they could still call me Kelly Wade.

Um, no.

I get to be Kelly Topolinski, and let me tell you, I'm owning it. The day that I started this blog, I secured kellytopolinski@gmail.com to use as my future email address. I logged in and nervously typed in the desired name thinking this: NO ONE BETTER HAVE MY NAME! IT'S MINE!! MINE!!!! ALL MINE, I TELL YOU!!!!  Kelly Topolinski cannot have an email address that includes her (soon to be) former name. That just doesn't feel right.

For now, I am still technically Kelly Wade. But if I ease you into this Kelly Topolinski business, maybe it won't be quite so confusing later. Right?

Right.