Who am I? I am Zalaine Anne Linder Hoffer.
Soon after I was born, the race for my name was on. Literally, my parents raced to fill out my birth certificate. Dad won or else you would be addressing me as Heidi.
I believe our name should reflect we really are. Whose blood flows through our veins. History would tell you that my maiden name is Daniels and my married name is Dille.
My grandfather and his younger sister were adopted out by their father when their mother died. Their father didn't feel he could raise all of the children so the two youngest had to go. My grandfather was adopted by the Daniels family. I do not know if the girl was adopted by the same family.
I am no more a Daniels than I am a Dille. I married a Dille. I took my husband's name. It doesn't make me one.
I have felt strongly about this for years. In this day of adoptions, remarriage and turning into a mobile nation, who we are is getting tougher and tougher to determine. I believe we should keep the names of our bio families for our lives. Your mother's biological name and father's true surmane. You keep it all our life. It is who you are. The blood that coarses through your veins. Your true heritage.
If I ever find myself a widow, I will change my name to Zalaine Anne Linder Hoffer. I always said as soon as I was 18 I would change my name to something that anyone could pronounce. Sandy was the my name of choice. I never did. Now, I am use to it. Would it be the same with my surmane? Maybe but I like to think I would follow through. Strong feeling about this, will see...
