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February 19, 2021

Dear Kip,

One week prior to February 19, 2020, I was frustrated with online dating and giving up on the hope of meeting someone to spend my life with, to love forever.  Three weeks after February 19, 2020, the world entered into a year of stay at home orders, quarantine, teaching and working from home, mask mandates, overloaded hospitals, loss of loved ones, racial protests, dipping oil prices, job loss, and lack of respect in the government.  In 2020, the world lost its sense of normalcy; but in 2020, I met you and found my forever.

Can you believe that it was precisely one year ago today that we met?  We spent way too much of the day texting, and by the afternoon, I was so captivated by you that I knew I needed to meet you.  I had to put a face and voice to the words in my inbox.  You agreed, and after my kids fell asleep, I snuck out to your pick-up, and we talked and talked...and now here we are today.

As I have been anticipating our one-year mark, I’m not going to lie; I have been daydreaming quite a bit about marrying you.  Maybe it’s because of the new year?  Maybe it’s because you are making so much progress on the house remodel?  Maybe it’s because you made my heart skip a beat when you gave me a ring at Christmas! Whatever it is, marriage has been on my brain.  And with marriage on the brain, I have been thinking about my name.  Brandy Lynne Spitzer-Tjelde. 

Seventeen years ago, I had no intention of changing my last name. I was a Spitzer, and that meant something to me. Not only was I very proud of my Spitzer heritage, but I was also a wee bit of a liberal feminist and wondered why in the world any woman would want to change her name. So rather than completely changing my name, I compromised, and I have officially been Brandy Lynne Spitzer-Tjelde since 2004.

Now, here we are in 2021, and as I daydream about marrying you, I am again contemplating what to do with my name.  (I know that we aren’t even engaged, but I am a planner, and having a plan for my name is important to me.  I do not want to make a rushed decision.)  So, should I stay Brandy Spitzer-Tjelde?  Or should I change to Brandy Spitzer?  Maybe Brandy Spitzer-Hurley?  Brandy Tjelde-Hurley?  Brandy Hurley?

Here is the thing that I know for sure right now, I am who I am, no matter what my name is. I am me, Brandy Lynne.  I am a teacher, a daughter, and a friend. Most importantly, I am Jeffrey and Macy’s mama and I am your partner forever. 

Love you always,

Brandy Lynne...