The Future Mrs. R'Vera

It is currently four months until I walk down, well there is no isle, till I get hitched. The plans are being made and so far so good. All the important things are here for a fantastic union, trust, love, common interests, future goals, goofy quirks. We have family and friend support etc., etc.

Yesterday we assembled the invitations and since there are two separate events going to occur on Nov.20th, there are two sets of invites. As Dan filled out those little pre-slugged spaces for our names, I burst into tears. It was weird and uncontrolled. I was suddenly just leaking. I saw the worry in his face for he is aware that I have been a runaway bride once before. As much as I tried to explain that the leaking was caused by the disbelief that I will be with such a kind and awesome man, I know he knew I was fibbing.

Truth is, I like my last name. I am not taking a feminist stand of any sort about ownership and all that jazz. One peep into our lives and you would know that there is no machismo in our home just he being him and me being me.

I just like the fact that I have two capitals and an apostrophe in my long standing but soon to be maiden name, D'Angelo. I love it! I love how people spell it wrong and how credit cards deny my apostrophe. How the students call me Ms.D out of laziness and how they ask me what the D stands for as if it was an initial out of their sheer doopyness. I love that on a trip to Italy my father insisted on posing for multiple pics with a photo of a menu from a Cafe D'Angelo. It is a very fun last name. My reasons for missing it's leaving are all lighthearted, I mean I have two nephews who will, most likely, carry on the namesake.

On the other end of this story is my future name, that probably does not even want to be near my first name after I have shunned it above. Rivera. It is a wonderful name. I am proud to be a part of the Rivera family. I mean it is the ethnic flair that I have been searching for my whole life. It speaks of Salsa dancing and table moving fun, of good Puerto Rican foods and people. By the way, it lies because my fiance refuses to Salsa with me or move the coffee table to dance and eats only white rice and no beans. Still, Rivera, it speaks of hot breezes and mango.

My idea to rectify my situation is to morph the two last names in writing not speech. The apostrophe taking place of the "i" in Rivera would work fine because it sounds of "re". The capital letters will be at home spooning the apostrophe quite nicely in this situation. So, R'Vera it shall be. All in all I will just be a proud R'Vera and roll in the excitement when people see my name and expect a long haired bronze, JLo goddess and instead my pale, no ass, purple haired self shows up. Ahhhh the future is looking good.