Changing my last name?! And the reason why I don’t keep my race bibs.

This is random.  Just warning you.

At Disney they had you write your last name to put on the card for the top of the stroller.  I wrote in Jacobs and when they slid it in I started wondering why I haven’t even considered going back to Anderson (my maiden name.. do you still call it maiden if you aren’t married anymore!?!).  

I think for me I just really want to have the same last name as Brooke.  It would feel so so weird to me if I went back to Anderson and Brooke still had Jacobs for her last name.  Having the last name Jacobs doesn’t make me feel any sort of connection to my ex and it definitely doesn’t make me sad or anything like that to still have Jacobs as my last name. It would make me sad to have a different last name than Brooke.  

Yep, random.

Any divorcees reading?  Did you keep your married last name or go back to your old one?  

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Before the drive home (we stayed in St. George for the night at a friend’s house) I hit up the gym for some light ellipticalling (definitely not a word) and some weights.  Ummm how in the world do people pick up those 120 lb dumbbells.  

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The reason that I never keep my race bibs… for some reason I always forget to take the bib off before washing my race top and then it ends up looking like this.  

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The Megan came over and visited (because 5 days apart is just too long) when we got home.

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Our refrigerator is completely empty so it was a cornbread and chicken nugget dinner for the two of us.

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The sister stopped by too last night.  SHE IS 24 WEEKS ALONG.  I cannot wait to hold that little baby.  

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And like I usually do the night before Brooke leaves to spend the weekend with her dad… I sat on the couch and pouted.  

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While she is gone I will be meeting up with my college bffs in San Francisco for our annual girls weekend.

It is scary how many donuts we consume when we all get together.  

From last year in Vegas:

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Lauren Fleshman is one of my absolute favorites and this article (like all of hers) is amazing.

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And last but definitely least;)…  You can read my latest Women’s Running article HERE!

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What are your weekend plans?

WHO IS RUNNING THE CHICAGO MARATHON THIS WEEKEND?  GOOD LUCK!!!!

Do you keep your race bibs?  Do you display them?  Where are your race medals?

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172 comments

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Way to get back to the weights! 120# ?! Here, let my lift my weight in pounds and bust out a couple bicep curls?! ;)

I have a really cool medal hanger to hang my medals on, however I still haven’t put it up yet. Lazy.com over here :)

Have fun in San Fran! Have you ever rented bikes and biked over the golden gate bridge?! Did that with my mom once, and it was gorgeous! And a workout :)

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To be honest, I love your last name as Jacobs! Janae Jacobs just has a really cute ring to it and it goes really well together :) my mom was married once before I was born and went back to her maiden (for a good reason), had she not, she would have been Kelly Kipper!

The only marathon I will be doing this weekend is seeing how much apple cider and cider donuts I can eat :) I’m 30 weeks pregnant and my husband and I are taking a little boy that we mentor to the local cider mill and pumpkin patch!!! So excited! Happy weekend!

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Some race bibs I’ve kept and others not, no rhyme or reason really I’m just not incredibly organized. My mother in law always kept her married name even after remarrying, I’m assuming to keep the same name as her kids.

I read the article by Lauren Fleshman last night and loved it. So many great points and ideas.

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I love your name! And you gotta do what’s right for YOU! Friends of mine who are divorced changed their name back (and were also sad about having a different name than their kids…) and went on to remarry and have more children, with whom they shared their new last name. The kids aren’t at all concerned with having different last names, but I understand it’s a tough bond to break :-(

Have a wonderful weekend with your friends! Brooke will be back before you know it!
xx

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I’m 24 and my mom was divorced twice while I was growing up (at 3 years old and 10 years old). She went back to her maiden name both times and now has her current husband’s last name . It never bothered me as a child to have a different last name as her, it was confusing for my younger brothers (they are her and her current husband’s children) that they had a different last name than me. Mixed families get tricky, but I’ve definitely grown to love mine. God makes such beauty from our messes and without my mom’s divorces I wouldn’t have all three of my brothers.
Same last names or different last names, we all love each other and that’s what matters.

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Love this x

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me too! :)

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me too! :)

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Yes, beautiful!

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This comment made me cry. What a beautiful sentiment. I think we need to let God make beauty out of all our messes. Thanks for your thoughts. I needed this today. I feel like I make lots of messes. :-)

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I only keep my race medals and only because I donate them to kids who are ill.

My friend Tina Muir is running Chicago as an elite this weekend so I’ll be keeping tabs on her, it’s so exciting.

Have a great weekend!

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I recently separated and changed my last name within the first month. I wanted that separation and my old identity, even if it meant having a different last name as my little guy!

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I do my last 20 miler this weekend then I start my taper! I can’t believe how fast NYCM is coming up! Good Luck to all the Chicago Marathon runners out there!

I have all my race bibs in random stacks in different drawers and in my closet. I always feel like I should do something with them but have no idea what. My race medals are all in a box in my closet too. Same reasoning, just not really sure what to do with them.

I like Janae Jacobs! I think it has a nice ring to it and I can understand why you’d want you and Brooke to have the same last name.

Have a great weekend in San Fran!!

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Have fun in SF! I’ll be there next weekend running the Nike Womens Half, can’t wait.

I do keep my race bibs. I write my times on them and keep them on my medal holder.

Plans this weekend are my youngest is turning 3!! Family birthday party…pizza and cake, sounds good to me!

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I went back to my maiden name after my divorce. Sometimes I don’t like it because my children don’t have the same last name as me but after I got a divorce I just wanted to move on and that was a way for me to.

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I think that is a good idea. Honestly I don’t have any advice or imput for that situation. You know what’s best for you. I’m glad you’ve been finding that Janae. I do keep all my race bibs actually. I just keep them filed away in a shoe box so it isn’t like I do anything crazy with them…but I do keep them.

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Janae,
I never changed my name when I got married. It was really important to me. SO.. that being said, my kids never have had my last name and it hasn’t made a bit of difference to anyone. I am a HUGE believer in doing what YOU CHOOSE to do. At the same time, with all you’ve been through with “Mr. Jacobs”, I’d think you would want to drop that like a hot potato??
Great job on your marathon!

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My Mum kept her married name after my parents got divorced. If I got divorced I would keep my name as it is if I had children as I would want the say name as them. We were half thinking about picking a new married surname (merging our 2 surnames together) but he has a son from a previous relationship with his surname (and hers) so I thought it would be nicer to pick up their name. I much prefer my married name anyway and it’s just as much mine now as it is his :)

But you do what you feels right for you :)

I keep my rave bibs and peg them onto my home-made medal/ bib board. It’s very basic but it was dead cheap and quite fun to make. And no-one has one like it :)

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I do keep my race bibs, but I’m not really sure why! They are just fun for me to go through!

CRAZY STORY – I was just in Bend, OR where Lauren Fleshman lives and I was just crossing my fingers the entire time that I would see her and I didn’t. But then two days later my best friend was in a coffee shop and SAW HER! They talked and took a selfie and then LF tweeted me and it was the best day everrr.

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My race medals are hiding under my bed in a box right now…My apartment is reeeally tiny, so I’m just not sure where to put them without being like “hey!! look at me, I run!”

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Last night I went to the gym to do a little ellipticalling and stationary bike just to get the old legs moving again – I was tempted to go for a short run (maybe even just one mile) but I am being good and taking my rest seriously.

How long as you taking off from running? I am pretty sure I will take this whole week off (until Mon) and then do a few short runs by feel next week.

I’ve picked up a 100lb dumbbell before because I like to do dumbbell squats! I started with the 20lb-ers and worked my way up. You should try them dumbbell squats! :)

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Me me me! The Chicago Marathon is my first marathon… at this point I’m pee-my-pants nervous!

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I’ve never been married and at this point if I were to get married I doubt I would take his name. I’ve had my name for so many years that it would just seem weird. I don’t intentionally keep my race bibs but I do keep the medals. They are hanging in my closet with my pants and skirts.
Have a great time in San Francisco! It’s so important to maintain and nurture those girlfriend relationships!

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When I was little my parents divorced (and not a friendly divorce) but my mom still kept the same last name as us and I always loved it when I was little. It made things at school easier and introducing her.
As I got older I wanted her to switch to her maiden because I felt bad that she was still attached in name to get past but that’s always something you guys can discuss down the road!

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Weekend plans are soccer mom-in’, jean shoppin’, and riding ski lifts to see the fall colors with my favorite 8 year old.

My cousin is running Chicago this weekend and I couldn’t be more proud of her!

I don’t keep bibs but medals are mixed in my jewelry wall with my long necklaces :)

And I kept my married name after my divorce to be the same as my son. But I recently remarried and now have a different last name than him anyway. I still feel strange every day signing his school papers with a different last name his but I’m happier than ever so I’ll get over it eventually I’m sure :) I’m sure it doesn’t bother him in the slightest so I need to stop thinking about it.

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I’m exactly the same with the name thing. I’m not married but I always thought the main reason for getting married would be that parents and kids have the same last name. :D

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I changed back to my maiden name as soon as we separated- we didn’t have children, and for me, that name was fraught with not only issues from my former husband, but his very controlling and manipulative family as well. I had made a lot of sacrifices in my marriage, and I was tired of sacrificing myself. I identify very much with my maiden name, and it was very healing for me to take it back.

I’m now engaged again and am debating whether to take my fiance’s name when we marry. I’m 30 now, and established myself in a new career under my maiden name after I divorced. I’ve considered keeping my maiden name legally and at work, but socially calling myself by the new name, but that sounds confusing. And I can’t decide how I would feel about having a different name than my children. I have some friends who didn’t change their name until they had children, and I may go that way so I have some extra time to adjust to the idea of being married again (I love my fiance dearly, and I know myself and what I want in a marriage so much better now, but it’s still a scary thought! He has been very patient with me, though, which I value).

Overall, I think it’s a very personal decision, and you just have to do what’s right for you!

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My sister is a dr. and kept her maiden name at work, and uses her married name in social settings. She thought it would be confusing too, but it actually wasn’t. They now have a 1 year old and she is very happy she has the same last name as him in those social settings.

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Cool, thanks, Erica! Do you know if she kept her maiden name legally? I’m guessing you’d have to when you have a professional license…

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She did keep it legally.
I listened to her go round and round, and in the end no.big.deal.
I wish I could have saved her the hours/weeks of stressing about the decision.

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Okay, gotcha- thanks again for your input! It’s helpful to hear about someone else with a similiar decision :)

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The great thing about NOT changing your name, is that you do absolutely NOTHING legally. No paperwork, nothing. Just stay YOU! :)
My husband could care less whether we share last names. We share two beautiful young men. My name is my name and his is his. Children took his, as I was fine with that.

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I kept my married name too – my son was 5 when the ex and I divorced. Nobody ever questioned it and I never really even thought twice about it.

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Any of my girlfriends who are divorced with kids (3 of them) have all kept the same last name as their kids.

I keep my running medals in a shoe box (running shoe of course!) and I do not keep bibs.

Have a great time in San Fran such a great city to do with girlfriends.

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I went back to my maiden name, but I didn’t have any kids at that time. I probably would’ve kept his name if we’d had children.

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I actually gave my son my last name, I have never been married, and honestly if it would ever happen, I doubt I would take his last name. I know it bugged his paternal grandparents, but it is much easier in school when you have the same last name, except I am constantly called, “Mrs. _______”

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I kept my married last name after I got divorced too. I didn’t have kids, and I DID want to actually change it back to my maiden name, but it’s such a hassle! And I didn’t wanna keep going back and forth because I KNEW I would get remarried again and have to change it again…
My mom got my a race bib/medal display holder this year for my medals & bibs, so I DO display them there and I LOVE IT!!!

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I too decided to keep my married name. I have three kids and the thought of me not having the same name as them was just weird to me. (Not to mention it makes everything a lot easier with school).
The Famous Dave’s in the background made me smile….we don’t have them around here but always look for them when we travel ;)

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I went back to my maiden name. The pride on carrying his name was gone and I somehow felt he didn’t deserve to have me keep his name!
It’s nice to have the same name as my family for now, and I hope one day I will take a beautiful mans name and we will have children to share it with.

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My weekend plans include a 9 mile run super duper early tomorrow morning, then swim class, farmers market and donuts with my girls!

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I trash my bibs (eventually…sometimes they sit on the sink in the bathroom til my hubs can’t stand it anymore) and my medals are all at work, so when I’m stressed out at work I can think about how awesome running makes me feel.
Love the shout-out to Lauren Fleshman. Such a great athlete and good all around human being. Definitely one of my favorites.

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I really need to do something cool with both my bibs and my medals—I’ve been thinking about having a bag made with my
Bibs though—that would be insanely cool !!

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I will be spending the weekend snuggling with my new born son! And maybe a little walk with the new family to enjoy the weather.

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oh my goodness, it’s been a YEAR since i got married and i’m still in the process of changing my name to my new married name on all of my accounts. every time i have to fax/mail/email/scan/bring in our marriage certificate and all my IDs, i think how i will never ever change my name again. haha. it’s just such a pain!

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All my race bibs are in a drawer waiting for me to do something cool with them and my medal are hanging on my bedroom mirror waiting for me to buy a cool medal hanger from Etsy :). Long run tomorrow and Fall Fun Night with our church tonight unless it gets rained out :(

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We have lots of fun plans for the weekend! My mom is coming to visit and we’re going to a little fall festival/farm place. Plus an 8-9 miler is on the schedule. I still have a few PR bibs stashed away somewhere in a drawer with all my medals. One day I will do something with them ;) I don’t have any personal experience with divorce, but I think you just do whatever makes you comfortable. I actually can’t think of anyone (friends or friend’s moms) who went back to their maiden name after getting divorced.

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I am going through a divorce now and feel the exact same way as you – I never even considered going back to my maiden name, mainly because of our two kids. I also don’t think of my last name as “his” anymore – it’s been my identity for 7 years and that’s who I am now.

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I have kept my married name for now-been divorced 5 months. Once my kiddos are older, I may decide to change it. I have no issues with having the last name of my ex husband. It doesn’t bother me-it is just a name. It doesn’t define who I am or what I will do….the same with being divorced. :)

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We have toddler swim class Saturday! So fun!

It would really bother me, too, to have a different last name than my daughter. I think you have a fantastic attitude about that… and everything else, for that matter. You rock!

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My parents were divorced when I was 10, and my mom remarried, and I hated when she had a different last name than I did. Granted, I was a snotty teen at the time, but it made me sad. She and my dad later got back together, so we all went back to being the same.

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Whoa! They got back together, after she married someone else? That’s crazy, and awesome. Are they still together now?

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Yep, still together :)

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I got divorced after being married 24 years. To be honest I wanted to change my name back to my maiden name but my kids didn’t want me to. So I think Brooke will be happy that you made the choice you did! =)

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I changed my name back when I divorced, but we didn’t have children. Keeping the name, to me, felt like I was taking something from him, if that makes any sense. Changing back to my maiden name was a clean break for me.

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I am the exact same way for my running bibs. I Jace only kept two. My very first running race and my very first triathlon. The rest never seem to make it out the washer alive. Have a great weekend in SF. I am going antique shopping. On the hunt for a cute dresser.

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I couldn’t change my name fast enough back to my maiden name when I got a divorce. BUT I do not have children. I don’t blame you one bit for wanting to have the same last name as Brooke and that is your right to decide. As long as you are comfortable with it that is all that matters.

San Fran sounds fun! Have a great weekend and keep yourself distracted while Brooke is away!

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I’m running Chicago – only my 2nd full. My first was such a disaster it took me three years to do another. Nervous gut has set in and I can’t sleep. So excited to put my training to use.

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I think Janae Jacobs is such a cute name! I’m a sucker for alliterative names, though.
I had a different last name than my brother growing up and our last names were different than our moms and I really didn’t like it as a child. Now I think, “who cares?” But as a kid it did bother me.

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Chicago is this weekend…woo hoo!!!
I have never kept a medal or bib….well, I’ve kept buckles from ultras.
Last name: I kept my last name, but my divorce was very amicable. I’m now remarried with my new husbands last name:)

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Cheering on running in Chicago is a must this weekend! I however am running a local 5k (first one in a long time). Race bibs and medals are all on a shelf of a bookcase, in a big pile, not organized nor looked at. I tend to forget about them.

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I kept my ex’s last name so it would be the same as my son’s. I don’t even really think about it anymore-it’s just a name :)

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My mom and dad divorced shortly after I was born. She actually kept her married name for years! I always asked her why she kept it, and she never really had a good answer. I don’t know much about their divorce, I was literally a month old when the divorce was finalized, but I do know it was nasty! So I am positive the reason had nothing to do with my dad or feeling closer to him. I would venture to say that it had to do with my older sister and me, even though that’s not what she told me. I can tell you as a parent who doesn’t share her last name with her child, I don’t like it. I especially hated it in the hospital when she was born. Her bassinet with her name tag said, “Baby Kerckhove.” I remember being upset that they didn’t use her name, they knew she was taking my fiancé(her father) name. I don’t know. It bothers me. Maybe it’s just me.

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I read that article too! It was great! It’s all about strong not skinny.
My weekend plans are a 5k and then some 800’s aka the worst speed distance in the world

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I changed my name back. It was empowering to take my identity back. I had lost myself in my marriage. I wonder if I would have felt differently if I had kids. I think your reasoning is a good one!

My mom changed hers back. I was an older kid, though, so I understood and didn’t care that she had a different name. I could see it being confusing for a child at first. My step-brothers and sisters on my dad’s side all have different names and we haven’t had a problem. :)

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Your reasoning is spot on–I felt and did the same after I got divorced. I was so glad to take my old name back; it just felt right. But I can totally understand wanting to have the same last name as your little one!

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I keep my bibs and write my results on the back, just to keep track of which race was which :) I don’t display them because I haven’t found a creative and non-braggy way to do so!

It’s Thanksgiving weekend in Canada so I am going to be relaxing and eating for three days straight :)

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When my husband and I divorced, I kept his last name for the same reason you are. I wanted the same last name as my kids. It ended up being a good decision b/c two years later we got back together and two years after that we remarried. Life is weird.

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I have been counting down to this weekend for a while…FAMILY VACATION! We are heading to a cabin in the Smokey Mountains and I’m just a tad excited :)

I do keep my race bibs – I have a stack of them in my running shoe boxes (which is also where I keep my medals).

Have fun this weekend!

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I changed my name back almost immediately once I separated from my now ex. My two kids do have his last name so our names are different but I just told myself “I’m still their mom and a different name won’t change that”. But I have friends that have kept their married name. It’s all what your comfortable with my dear.
Congrats on rocking that marathon and rocking Disneyland with a 2 year old. You are my hero :)

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Janae, whatever you have decided with your name, is what is right for you!
I haven’t kept my race bibs, except the one from my 32 miler…I will keep it forever!
My kids are now into running and we are thinking that we are going to put our race medals on a Christmas tree. :)

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My mom went back to her maiden name after my parents got divorced. It did cause a few complications later on since we had different last names. Nothing too dramatic, but kind of a pain.

This weekend my mom gets here for a visit! I haven’t seen her in over a year so I’m really excited! :) Sunday is also my 6th half marathon, and I’m hoping to break 2 hours :)

I keep my bibs and medals, but don’t really display them. My boyfriend got me a cool hanger for my medals for Christmas last year, but we haven’t put it up yet. My bibs are all over the place, but I still have some from high school cross country!

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I have only a small collection of race bibs so far, but I am tacking them to a discreet wall in a spare room. LOL I call it my very expensive wallpaper.
Enjoy your weekend! It;s so hard at first without your baby, especially when she is so small, but it will be okay. So glad you’re using the time to be happy. That is really important, for you AND for her.
Your marathon posts lately really have me wishing I’d registered for a race this fall. But those weights are not tempting, at least not the 120 pound ones.
: ))

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Tonight is Fright Fest at Magic Mountain with the BFF’s and tomorrow we’re taking the middle one back for his bday weekend! I cannot believe I have a 9 year old.

I actually keep all of my bibs and hang them in my classroom. The hubs made me a super cool medal hanger that is in our office/work out room.

Have fun in San Fran!!

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I’ll be running the Staten Island half marathon Sunday! My knee has been wonky so I”m prepared to take it slow and have lots of ice at the finish to wrap it with.

I’m not divorced, I’m a widow and I kept my married name. For one, I love the way it sounds as it starts with the letter S as well. I do love the 2 J’s in your name so from a complete aesthetic perspective I say keep the married name. But then I TOTALLY understand you wanting to have the same last name as Brook. The best thing is that there is no right or wrong option. So there ya go.

I save all my bibs in a drawer (i keep the pins too). And all my medals are hanging on my wall in my home office. I have great medal holders that say “Run Like a Girl” that I got as a get well gift after having surgery.

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I’m running in the Hokie Half at Virginia Tech (my alma mater) on Sunday! I can’t wait!

I have my old race bibs in a file folder with my times and place written on the back. Way back before athlinks.com it was the only way I could keep up with my times! Our medals are hanging in our basement gym.

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I kept my ex’s last name for the same reason,my 2 girl’s.I liked the last name and never had bad feeling’s towards the name.
Disney looked like so much fun!Brooke in her picture’s are priceless.

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I absolutely kept my married name in order to have the same last name as my son. I have no intentions of changing it. Should I remarry, I guess I would hyphen but I won’t drop it….I too leave the race bib on my shirt by accident, in fact the last time I did it the pin left a rust mark on my Lulu Run Swiftly shirt and I can’t get it out!

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My divorce was finalized in March and the day I got my maiden name back on my drivers license the most freeing feeling. I felt as if I had gotten the me back that I had lost during my horrible separation. I don’t have children, but I think if I did I would totally feel the same as you and keep the same last night as them.

I don’t keep my race bibs but have been seeing lots of cool ideas online lately for how to display them :) I actually was in Chicago last year watching the marathon, but this year I’m just gonna be training for my own half marathon in 2 weeks!

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“I felt as if I had gotten the me back that I had lost during my horrible separation.”– That’s exactly how I felt, too, Courtney! It was so freeing to reclaim my identity. Congrats on your half-marathon and your new life :)

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I absolutely LOVED that Lauren Fleshman article. She’s so intelligent and articulate and I love to see her weighing in on feminism in athletics. I am so glad that feminism seems to be picking up steam again in 2014 after so many people have declared it “dead” or “no longer needed” because it is hard as a woman to ever imagine how someone could make either of those arguments. Thanks for sharing the article, Janae!

By the way, I remember when I was in middle school and my mother decided to change her last name back after divorcing my father, I thought it would be such a big deal for us to not have the same last name…and it ended up being a total non issue. Now I think it’s even more common than it was back then for children and parents to have different last names as more people are having children when they aren’t married, more people aren’t changing their last names when they get married, etc. Just food for thought…if you ever want to get rid of that signifier that you were married to Billy, it’s probably not as big of a deal as it might seem to have a different last name from Brooke.

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I keep all my race bibs and hang them up on my wall at work. As for my race medals, I hang them on the mirror I sit at to get ready in the morning. I like to look at them and remember those accomplishments.

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Divorce lawyer here and I see most women with children of any age keep their name the same. Frankly that’s why I changed my name in the first place so I don’t see why I’d change it back now that I have a child.

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My mom divorced twice while growing up and is now re-married. After each divorce she changed back to her maiden name and when she re-married she really didn’t want to go through the hassle of changing it again! It never bothered me growing up that we had different last names, I think it was more confusing to everyone else haha. Like Phoebe in Friends learned, you can make your name whatever YOU want it to be :)

The only marathon I’ll be doing this weekend is how many Gilmore Girls episodes I can watch on Netflix :)

I don’t really keep my race bibs – I don’t have anywhere to display them!

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My sister in law got divorced and went back to her maiden name, but she didn’t have any kids. I think that makes it different. You should totally do what makes you comfortable. I also had a friend in HS who was raised by his mom (his parents were divorced) and his mom had gone back to her maiden name so they had different last names. When he was old enough he legally changed his last name to be the same as her’s. I thought that was really nice. But in his case he didn’t really have a relationship with his father, so that is a factor as well I think.

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I never keep the bibs. They’re always faded and sweat soaked. I have my medals and that’s wvough for me!

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Love that article by Lauren Fleshman. This weekend will be pretty low key for me as I am still recovering from my marathon. My husband and I might go out to the pumpkin patch or do something fall-ish depending on how he is feeling (his leg is in a cast).

I keep all of my race bibs and little memorabilia I gather at a race. I have an office/workout room where all of the bibs and medals are hanging. It keeps me inspired me when I am on the trainer or getting a workout. :)

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I kept my married name for my 2 daughters sakes and it was the right think to do, so if you keep your name I think you will be happy with that.

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I keep my race bibs for about a year. Then, when I get on a cleaning tangent (usually after watching an episode of Hoarders), I end up throwing them out. This year though, in two of my races I got the same bib number and placed second in both races–with the same bib number!?! Coincidence? I think not. I will be keeping those bibs.

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We are celebrating the hubby’s bday all weekend (because bdays are not just one day). Plus going to hip hop cycle, which just makes me happy :)
Not running the Chicago marathon, but know quite a few people who are. Run fast!
I do keep my bibs. I have a board that I clip that to that also displays my medals. I can’t help it, I show everyone who comes through our door ;P

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When I went through my separation and divorce I kept my married name (even with no kids) until one day it just didn’t feel right, then I went back. You just have to do what feels right for the time and stage you are in and you are allowed to change your mind!

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I am divorced and went back to my maiden name, so my last name is different than my daughter’s and it hasn’t been a hassle at all. I am getting married again (in 42 days) and will likely change my name again.

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I’m not actually running Chicago (tear

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My Mom kept my Dad’s last name for the same reason you are doing so, until she remarried. It was definitely nice to still have that “connection” to my Mom and was less confusing when I was younger. But it definitely didn’t bother me when she changed her name later on when she got remarried!

Weekend plans include sleeping in, brunching, concert-ing, and relaxing! :D Have a lovely weekend!

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Yes I am in Chicago for my first Marathon and I am beyond excited!!

I have no advice about the last name change except that I have been married for three years next Wednesday and I still struggle with my married name. Maybe it will come around with time :)

I keep all of my race bibs and I hang them up with the date, distance, time and how I placed. I like to look back at them and remember each race and the fun that I had. Although races may not always go as planned and may not be my best but I always get something great out of them, from a good laugh, a joke or just meeting great people I am fortunate enough to correlate those things with each race.

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I’m not divorced but my parents are. My mum said the same thing as you, she would prefer to have the same last name as me at least until I’m 18 and she didn’t think it felt right for us to have different last names! But it’s funny because people started automatically addressing her by her maiden name and still do even though she hasn’t changed anything, so weird and kind of annoying!!
I’ve only done two races but I’ve kept the bibs for both, I like sentimental things like that and I wouldn’t feel right throwing them away! Have a fab weekend with you girlfriends :)

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LOL I try to keep my race bibs but I do the same as you- they often go through the wash and I’m just glad I don’t have a hole where the pins were! I have a few aunts who have been divorced and they kept their married last name for the same reason :) They only changed it when they got remarried and their kids were older!

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Sounds like you’ve gone with your heart concerning your last name – it’s all good!

Thanks for the link to Lauren’s post – so empowering!

Yes, running Chicago on Sunday, even with a case of PF. Just praying to finish, but if I have to get a DNF, it won’t be the end of the world.

Have a great weekend in SF!

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bah- that is so tough with the name situation! I agree with you, it’s good to have the same last name as brooke! As long as it doesn’t bother you to keep that name, that’s the important part! :)

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My parents divorced when I was 10 months old and my mom kept my dad’s last name precisely so me and her would have the same last name. I was very appreciative of that when I was younger. It was really important to me that my mom had the same last name as me. When she remarried (I was 5 at the time) she hyphenated her name so that she had mylastname-stepdadslastname. As an elementary school-aged kid it was important to me that my mom had the same last name that I did. If she had gotten remarried when I was in Jr. High or something, then I don’t think I would have cared if we had different last names.

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As for the last name, I agree with many who have said it is a very personal decision. I think it is great you are asking for input & opinion of others, though. That being said…I kept my married name (mainly to have the same name as my son). I am not thrilled to have my ex’s name…like others there are some negative emotions that come with the name. I do think it can be a little easier to have the same name as your child(ren) when it comes to doctors, school, etc. If (WHEN…I am optimistic :) ) I were to re-marry, I think that I would hypenate my name.

Now…on to the good stuff!!! :) Weekend plans are soccer for the kiddo, beutification day at the salon for mama…and SEATTLE SEAHAWKS FOOTBALL ON SUNDAY! Woohoo! Go HAKWS. :)

I do keep my race bibs. I have all of my times written on them. It has been fun to go back and see my improvement as I went from a casual runner…to something I am taking a little more seriously. As for my race medals, I finally bought a display for them this year. I went through Allied Medals (https://www.medalhangers.com/). Running for me has become very personal. Not too often do I feel “proud” of myself or that I have accomplished much, but seeing my medals hanging on my wall makes me feel proud…and darn it! I have accomplished something! It’s not easy to run 13.1 miles! :)

Have a great weekend in San Fran!! Love that city!!! Eat lots of chocolate!!

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I’m with you 100% on the name issue. My parents were divorced, and when my mom remarried, she took his last name. It always felt like they were family (plus with their new kids) and I was not. I am keeping my married last name, because it is the name that designates my daughters as my family.

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My mom and dad divorced when I was 5. She kept his last name until she remarried when I was 17. I loved having the same last name as my mom and it certainly made things easier :)

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Love your Race Day Tips on Women’s Running! I did all of those at St. George this weekend and I had an awesome race. Imagine Dragons really pumped me up around mile 16 right after the beautiful Snow Canyon. Amazing.

Weekend plans: going into San Francisco today with the in-laws, then flying home tonight (I have been home all week with my son) and my husband will pick us up! He was in NYC for work all week. We will probably start baby proofing the house this weekend.

I keep my race bibs and medals in a memory box. I am thinking someday I will display them when I have 20 rooms in my house (haha, not).

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Me!!! I fly to Chicago tomorrow and I am so excited! This will be my second time doing it, and for whatever reason I am not real nervous. I’ll take it! :)

Have fun in San Fran!

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that’s great that your last name doesn’t make you upset about your ex or anything– and i definitely understand wanting to have the same last name as brooke! as a teacher, i know it definitely takes a lot of confusion during everyday things away :) have a fun weekend!!!

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I keep my race bibs in a scrapbook thing where I can write on the side paper all about my race :)

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I’M RUNNING CHICAGO!!!!!!!!!!! and could not be more excited.
I keep all of my race bibs and painted a few canvases a metallic gold and then attach the bibs in a bit of a collage. Some of my medals are hanging from my rearview mirror in my car, others are in a box. I’ve just always liked the bibs better than medals.

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Good Luck this weekend!

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Chicago!!! I can’t wait to run and for all the festivities surrounding it.

And I hang all of my bibs up on hangers with my medals. I just started doing it recently because I had them stored away. Gives me something nice and meaningful to put on the wall.

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Hi Janae-
I’ve followed your blog for about a year but have never posted. I’m an LDS single mom and have really appreciated your discretion, honesty and optimism. Your blog has been a great source of inspiration, fun randomness and great insights. (I’m taking my kids to Disneyland in 2 weeks so your Disney posts couldn’t have been better timed!) :)
My divorce was finalized almost 3 years ago after 12 years of marriage. It was devastating and earth shattering, but I chose to keep my married name for the same reason you mentioned above. We had 3 young children who were old enough to understand the reason for the divorce, but still young enough to not fully grasp the severity of the changes it would bring. I never thought twice about going back to my maiden name because my children are my family, and that was a connection I wanted to maintain. I feel no connection to my ex through my last name, only a connection to my children. Almost 2 years ago, he asked to no longer have any contact with our kids and gave me sole physical and legal custody. They haven’t had any contact with him since then, at his request. Now, I am SO grateful I made the decision to keep their last name. It’s an insignificant thing to a lot of people, and I absolutely respect that, but for my kids, it was a connection to me. While I’m sure they would have been just fine if I had gone back to my maiden name, I’ve appreciated the consistency and confidence it’s provided them, especially since I’m the only parent they have now.
Thanks again for your amazing blog. You’re an inspiration and source of wisdom to a lot of people. I can’t wait to try the chocolate dipped marshmallow at Disney! :)

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I just want to say, yay you! I cannot imagine what kind of weasel of a man would be married for 12 years, get divorced and then ask to never see his kids again!!! I’m sure you’re all better off without him, but gosh, your poor children! What an unbelievable turd. Hugs to you and yours. . .

BTW, I’m separated from my hubs, but amicably, and if I ever change my name it’ll just be to hyphenate my maiden name with my married. I’ve actually been thinking about doing that for the last few weeks, so this post was really timely for me.

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Thanks for the awesome tips on the marathon! Perfect timing as we read them while on the train from Michigan to Chicago for the marathon. We will channel our inner Janae this weekend. Whenever the running gets tough I like to think of something I learned from you…I too can do hard things!

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I just recently split and while things aren’t completely final I have thought about the name thing a lot. Though I have been with him for over half my life, (16 years total and married for 8 )all my lifelong friends still call me by my maiden and always have… I’m not sure if I will change it back for the same reason..I don’t want to have a different last name as my daughter nor should she have one different than me. I do have a question though..how do you let go of the guilt of knowing that your daughter isn’t getting the same level of care when she is with her father or always eating her veggies etc.. I consider reconsidering the split often just so that her life can go back to normal.

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Woah! It’s not necessarily an automatic thing that the other parent doesn’t provide the same level of care, is it? Divorce or separation can be about the relationship between the parents, and does *not* have to mean they love their kids less, right? I think it is a great thing for Brooke that she still has a relationship with her dad, even though her mom doesn’t. I hope she realises (as she gets older) that that is more important than surnames.

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It makes sense why you’re keeping Jacobs. You have to do what makes YOU happy!! :) Plus, it’s got a cute ring to it and it totally suits you! Oh, and have I mentioned that you are making me want to go to Disneyland sooooo bad?! So thanks for that ;)

xo

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I have been through it and I changed my last name back to my maiden name. I did not want to keep it…for me it was still being attached to him. My last name is different from my children’s, but I am fine with that. Having my maiden name back makes me feel normal again.
: )

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Janae, I’m divorced and chose to keep my married name. I do not have children so my last name does not tie to that. My reasoning was that I was living 800 miles away from my legal residence and knew that I would be moving within 6 months. I thought it would be ridiculous to change my residence to a state that I knew I would not be living in 6 months later just to change my residence again all because of my divorce. Some members of my family have expressed their displeasure in my decision but I decided it’s my name and my decision. I think when it comes to all issues of divorce everyone just has to do what they feel is right for them!

My plans for the weekend are to hit the elliptical and just have a lazy weekend at home!

I do not put much thought into my bibs, some I’ve kept some I haven’t with no real reason for either. The one bib I can think of that I have sits in my junk drawer :) Maybe one day I’ll do something with it :)

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I have a question for anyone who cares to answer: I think I’d like to keep my name when I get married, but I’m happy to give my children my fiance’s name. What are some of the difficulties you’re talking about when you say it made things so much easier to have the same last name? My mother shared my last name, so I never experience any of those challenges myself, and I’m just not sure to what people are referring. Thanks!!

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No difficulties at all, Katie! In social settings, most people generally use first names only. I live in the NYC/NJ area and it’s extremely common for women to keep their names. Getting married should not necessarily mean giving up something that has been yours for your whole life. People address invitations, etc. to Mr. ____ and Ms. ____ for us. Never a big deal. My sons do have my husband’s name. If they were daughters, they would as well. I would encourage them to stick with that name for life. Again, it’s a choice! :)

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The only difficulties I experienced was that I went to a school where very few kids had divorced parents so at school it was weird that my mom had a different last name. And just random times when I would write my moms name down and it would be different – I would explain that my mom’s name is different.
Nothing big, just little things that as a child makes you feel different than your friends – but as I grew up I learned to embrace it. Having a single mom is a big part of why I am so independent and self-sufficient today. Same last name or different last name, it’s the “mom” part that’s important.

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My sister is going through a divorce and she’s keeping her ex-husbands name for the same reason as you. She wants to have the same name as her kids.

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I keep my race bibs and medals! I have my bibs on a cork board in my office. I write the date and my times on them. They bring good memories, almost like pictures.

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My parents divorced over 20 years ago. My mother kept her married name, and my little sister (by my mom) has her fathers name. She likes my father’s and my last name, and has no intention of changing it. I think it just depends on how you feel about it or what you want from it. To me it seems like no big deal.

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When my friend got divorced she changed her last name and her kids last name. Have you thought of that? Then you two would still have the same name! I have another friend whose last name is different than her kids (they’re not married and the kid got his name) and dealing with medical and school stuff is difficult because they always question who she is because their names are different.
Ps Disneyland looked like so much fun!

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Love this. Why do the kids automatically get the father’s name, especially now when so many women don’t change their names?

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I tried to do that for my daughter but the family court system is FL didn’t allow it :(

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Although not a divorcee, I chose not to take my husband’s last name when we got married. For no other reason than my parents gave me my name and I wanted to keep it. Since having our daughter I thought maybe I should change it to match with my husband and daughter but I don’t think I will.

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Hang in there with your name! My sons are 23 and 20 and they could care less! :)

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If you changed your last name BACK it’d be the same as mine!

Probably more important to have the same last name as Brooke, I guess

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I changed my name back to my maiden name when I divorced for a couple reasons. I always felt like changing my last name was a little like ownership in the first place, I understand when you get married and have kids you create a new family and would make sense to all have the same family name. But I do wish society could come up with some other way besides the tradition of the wife always giving up hers. The second reason was that I never really felt like Mrs. X. My identity was in the name I was born with, so that name always felt a little like wearing someone else’s shoes. I divorced before my son turned 1, so we have pretty much always had different last names. I do wish we had the same name sometimes, but we have different first names too and don’t love him any less. :-) I’ve since remarried and kept my birth name. I am who I am and that just feels right for me.

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You have articulated my feelings about changing my name so incredibly well. I have always felt so torn about it, but ultimately a choice had to be made. I do wish there was a better way.

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When I got divorced, I briefly considered keeping my married name because that was what I’d come to be known by professionally. Then I remembered how much I hated my ex and wanted to break any and all ties with him, so I went back to my old name. But we didn’t have any kids (THANK GOD!), so I didn’t have that to think about.

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It bums me out seeing in these comments how many of us have had to deal with divorce :(

I come from a split family, too. I have a half sister from my mom’s first marriage. Both remarried, so my sister has a half sister on her mom’s side (me) and two half siblings on her dad’s side (I don’t even know what to call them in relation to me). I wish I knew the other half of her family better, but it was always awkward between the “adults” so we never really got to know each other, which is such a shame to me. It’s crazy that my own SISTER who is so important to me has two other “me’s” that I barely even know. It actually really bums me out to be honest.

I don’t know if my mom ever went back to her maiden name in between. I changed my name when I got married, but I was incredibly torn about whether to do so. I wanted to be a “team” with my husband, but I also wanted to keep my identity. These choices are so difficult and personal; we should always respect others’ choices.

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I’ve thought about that before… Our marriage has been rocky. and you know what.? I love his last name. haha. So I don’t know if I would change it.. I wouldn’t want to also because of the same reasons you have, but if I remarried than I would. I think out of respect to the new guy. ?

maybbeee. you’ll meet a new special guy someday ; ) and that’ll change your mind.

Brooke is a cutie and so smart.! I’m sure she would understand either way. It’s your personal choice, everyone is different. :)

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Hi Janae. I don’t know if you have the time to read this, but I just wanted to thank you for your blog. It’s kept on inspiring me for YEARS – you’re practically a role model to me. :)

Just thank you. I hope you’ll keep blogging for years to come! <3

Nora

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I’m 31 and my mom recently got divorced…and i actually asked her and kind of assumed she would go back to her maiden name…didn’t really know how that worked. After i asked she said the same thing you did “but I want to have the same last name as you guys” – and my sister and I are both in our 30s. haha. I didn’t really understand why it mattered to her so much at first, but after reading your post, I understand a bit better.

Glad you had a great vacay at disney! love your blog!

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Hi, I have been divorced for 8 years and kept the married name b/c I wanted to have the same name as my son. He is 17 now and I am thinking about changing my name when he graduates high school back to my maiden name. It didn’t bother me at first but now I feel more of a connection back to my name (but I do know I wasn’t ready to do that at the time of the divorce).

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I kept my married last name when I got divorced, because of several reasons:
– I wanted to spite my ex-husband (petty, I know)
– I would be the only other person in the area with that last name, so when people said “Do you know X?” I could say “Yes, that’s my ex-husband, he is a horrible person.” (I told you I was petty)
– At the time, I was very set on keeping my own identity separate from that of my parents/family name, which is very common in my area.

Now, six years after my divorce, I regret not changing it back. I am seriously dating someone and I hope it proceeds to marriage, and I hate that I am carrying some other man’s name.

I have established myself professionally under a name that I no longer want to have any association with, and if I were to change it back, I would have to deal with people asking why I changed it (none of their business) and how that would change their perception of me professionally, which is a Thing (TM). I don’t want to be viewed as a “name-hopper”.

But now, if I ever marry again, I hate that I am carrying some other man’s name, even though it is a part of me. I wish I had changed it back.

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Don’t worry about what other people think! Do what you want :)

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When my parents got divorced, my mom kept the same last name as us, so it wouldn’t be weird with her having a different name than her kids. She’s kept it for 27 years and even remarried and still kept it.
Now that we are both about to get married, she’s considering changing it back to her maiden name- haha!!

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I have asked myself the same question recently and decided to keep my married name. I now associate the name with my kids more than my ex. I also think it is important to the kids (5 and 7) that we have the same family name. Although, I do think this may be a problem if I was ever to remarry.

As for race bibs… I toss them but I do hang my medals.

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I went back to my maiden name and regretted it. It makes it difficult (ish) to travel when my son has a different last name than me. I also find it challenging at school and such when completing forms! New people will ask who I am!?

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I’ve always had a different last name to my Mum and it was never really an issue. The only thing that was awkward for me (and maybe her) was when people called her Mrs. Parks at school events etc. but in reality, Mrs. Parks is my step-mum not my own Mum. We never corrected it but I always felt a bit funny about it as my parents did not have a good relationship at all.

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Where I come from it is illegal to keep your ex husbands name, so I never thought about it.

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When I divorced 9 years ago, I kept MY name. It just felt like my name. I liked it. I don’t ever think about it being my ex husband’s name. I don’t think it would affect my kids if my name was different than their’s. I am just Mom to them. Even if it were different, people at school, sports, friend’s parents would still call me Ms. Jones just by assumption, so the only person it really matters to is me, and I like MY name. Now, what does bother me is when people call me Mrs. Jones. I know it is just habit, but Mrs. just gives me that nails on a chalkboard feeling.

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I’m going through a divorce. I’m keeping my married name. It’s who I am today and I don’t really want any association with my maiden name. My marriage wasn’t a mistake, it just didn’t work out in the end.

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If it does not bother you to have his last name, then I say go with what lets you feel more connected to Brooke!

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I’m super excited about going apple picking this weekend! I don’t even care if it rains.
Although the family might.

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What I find so beautiful in you and no other person in the WORLD is that, you have so much freaking love, that even having the feeling of wanting to have the same last name as your daughter just says something profound about you and the wonderful person you are.

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Kept the married name. Thought it would be nice to have the same last name as my children. Turns out no one cares what my last name is. I wish i had changed my name. I have been asked multiple times, when people find out my last name, if I am related to people in that family. I would rather not be reminded of them. I will always be Mom to my two fantastic kids, the teachers know me, their friends know me, no matter what my name is.

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I changed my last name as soon as it was legally and feasibly possible. In fact, the judge had to hand write an order to allow me to do so because I refused to leave the court room until it was approved. Everyone’s situation is different but there was a lot of trauma associated with my first marriage and I wanted to get my name back. Having a different last name from my daughter doesn’t make me any less of her mother, it doesn’t make her any less of my daughter, and it doesn’t make our relationship any less special. But again, my situation is different, and you need to do what feels right for you and Brooke.

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Several of us divorcees have had this conversation. I changed my last name through the court but never changed my paperwork (SSN card, license, etc.). When I realized everything I had to change, I put it off and now it’s been over 5 years! But like you, I want to minimize confusion, at my son’s school, everyone knows who’s my kid or that he belongs to me!

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As someone whose mom didn’t keep the same name, I ask you to keep it. As you don’t have a negative thing about it, it will be easier/better for Brooke given how our culture is. In Italy (and other places), a woman keeps her birth surname forever. It’s super hard to remember when I sign Italian/EU documents!

SF? Ummmmm….

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My mom went back to her maiden name, but my parents divorced when my siblings and I were adults, so it didn’t phase anyone :) My “marriage” ended before the wedding, but thinking about it, if we had actually married and later divorced, I’m not sure what I would do! I think it’s a-okay to want to have the same name as your daughter, and besides, legally changing everything is a pain!!

I do keep my bibs and medals, and they are in boxes and scattered around. I saw some ideas recently on Pinterest for how to display them, and I think I may try one! There are some cool ones where you attach a board to the wall, with hooks on the bottom of it to hang the medals, and a place in the middle to pin the bibs up with thumbtacks or cup hooks or the round clasps or something. It’d be a kind of cool DIY!!

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I divorced about 4 years ago when my daughter was 1. I kept my married name, because I wanted to share the name with my daughter, but also because my married name is who I’ve been for so long! Most of my friends and colleagues have never known me by my maiden name! Some people think it’s weird, but I don’t associate my last name with my ex at all. It’s just who I am!!

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We have a blended family. I kept my married name until I got remarried then went back to my maiden name. I know, kinda weird. I didn’t want my daughter to be the only one in the family with a different last name. And it just didn’t feel right keeping my first husband’s name (it was also a nightmare of a name – Russian). So we have a 3 last name household. We’ll blend it into one when we talk about something “official” like the upcoming “Sterdenolf” family vacation.

Enjoy your time in SF. It’s going to be another beautiful weekend!

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When my parents divorced in 1970 (I was 15 months old), the judge wouldn’t let my mom change back to her maiden name, he forced her to keep her married name. She married the man I consider my dad when I was 3, and had three more kids, so Even though I did (and still do) have a relationship with my biological father, I made the choice to start using the same last name as the rest of my family so I wouldn’t be different from all of them.

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My mom kept my dad’s last name after their divorce for the same reason – so she would have the same name as my brother and me – and nobody ever thought twice about it or commented. It makes sense!

Although it’s not necessarily a good thing to think this way – an added bonus was that it drove my dad’s new wife nuts..muahahaha…

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I think your name has a nice ring to it, however when you meet Prince Charming and change your name with marriage, you will have a different name then your daughter. But you can worry about that at that time. Until then I say keep Jacobs ;-)
I do keep my bibs but do not do anything with them so I should probably discard them too…. I have an organized Racing Metals Display that I bought at the Air Force Expo and it is a great way to display your metals!

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Hey! My mom divorced my dad when I was about 12 then he passed away when I was in my early twenties and my mom has always kept his name. She said the same thing you are, that it would just feel too weird to be different from her kids. If that’s what feels right to you, do it! It doesn’t mean you are connected to your ex, it means you are just THAT connected to your kid. Don’t let anyone ever make you feel bad or awkward about that! :)

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Yes, I am divorced, twice. Not proud of it, nor does it make me happy, but it is what it is. I went back to my maiden name both times b/c I didn’t feel like it was me. I was no longer what that name implied, but that was just me. I know many people that have kept their married name. It is completely a personal choice and one you have to make for your own reasons!!! I know a someone that kept her married name for a few years until things got really, really bad with her ex and then eventually she went back to her maiden name. So to each their own! No worries about your choice, it is yours!!!!! Just try to think about what you might do if you remarry…..now there is a not so pleasant future thought for you!! {HUGS}

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I wallpaper ed my exercise room with my race numbers and I love looking at them every time I go in to work out.

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The last name of my son was a fight between his father and I. His father strongly believed that our son should carry his father’s name. But since we weren’t married and I was uncertain if we ever would be down the road, I felt strongly about not having the same last name as my child. When I was filling out the hospital forms, I hyphenated it, since we never did come to an agreement. His father almost wouldn’t sign the forms because of that and I think is the one thing that meant the most to him. Part of me feels badly that I was so stubborn about it and feels like I should change my sons last name to just his fathers.

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My mom kept her first married name (my last name) once she divorced and even once she re-married for the same reasons you described… she liked having the same last name as me and my sister.

I don’t think it matters one bit — same last name or not, she’s my best friend and I couldn’t possibly love her more — but you’re not the only one who wants to keep that connection with your daughter :).

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I don’t keep race bibs either – except I did my half ironman one and I will if I ever do a full ironman and/or Boston.

Everyone I know who is divorced and has kiddos has kept their married name. My mom did too (although after 33 years of being married I’m sure she would have no interest in going back – plus she and my dad are still friendly – no bad feelings).

If either the married name or maiden name was a really awful last name it would be different (I googled unfortunate last names for fun and there are some doozies! ) http://tinyurl.com/ku9ozeh

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I went double barrelled when I got married and my kids are double barrelled, when I got divorced I dropped the ex’s name but our sons kept both names. It confuses people sometimes but as my name is in their name and so is his it all seems logical in the end!

My sister kept her married name when she got divorced (no kids). I wanted my name back!

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When my parents divorced, my mom kept “our” last name. She also wanted to have the same last name as my sister and I. It will be 10 years since they divorced and it would have been totally weird if she went back to her maiden name! So even though I am not divorced, I get it :)

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Catching up on my blog reading. I had a girls weekend at the beach in Orange Beach, AL. So, so fun!

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My mom kept her married name after she got divorced for the same reasons. It just helps a lot with kids and school, etc.

I met Laura Fleshman at the women’s half I did in August and she is AMAZING! And so nice! And I would kill for her body!

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I’m about to get divorced and hadn’t contemplated changing my name until some guy friends of mine seemed outraged that I wouldn’t! It was so funny, and kind of sweet. Things have been messy so their input was that they thought it would give my ex the impression that I wanted to hang onto him. Not sure if that’s true, and I’ll make my own decision, but their perspective was hilarious because they felt more strongly about it than I do!

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I do keep my race bibs but I am not entirely sure why – either way I am going to have the memory from the day and there are always the medals from the bigger races! Part of me wants to do something cool with them one day, a framed collage or something like that!

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My Mom kept her married name so we would have the same last name. When I got married my Mom actually considered changing back to her madien name after 30 years. I didn’t want to change my name when I got married and the deciding factor was I wanted my kids to have the same last name as I did.

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