Most marriages are by license and ceremony. If a marriage certificate was filed after a church or civil ceremony, then you will need to get a divorce. Georgia has historically recognized common law marriages. Common law marriages occur when an adult couple openly lives as married, even though a marriage certificate was never filed. Common law marriage was outlawed in Georgia in 2010 and the law explicitly states: If you entered into a common law marriage before January 1, 1997, it is recognized by the state. Therefore you will need to get a divorce. If you started living together without going through a marriage ceremony after January 1, 1997, even if you told people you were married and acted married, you do not have to get a divorce. #Confirm your eligibility to seek a divorce in Georgia. In order to access the Georgia state court system, you must establish that you or your spouse lives in the state. Under Georgia law, there are three ways to establish the residency standing your need to file your divorce. You must have been a bona fide resident of the state for at least six months before you file for divorce. You don't need to have lived at the same address, but had to have maintained residency in the state. You will swear to your residency in your petition and may be asked to prove it in court. Proof includes drivers license, voter registration, utility bills, and rent receipts. If you live in another state, you can still file for divorce in the Georgia courts if your spouse has been a resident of the state for at least six months. If you have been a resident on any "United States army post or military reservation within this state" for at least one year, you can file for a divorce in a county adjacent to the base. Be prepared to document your residency on base or in military-controlled housing. Generally, in Georgia, you file for divorce in the county where your spouse lives. If your spouse has moved out of the state, you may file in your county of residence. In an uncontested divorce where your spouse consents, you can file the divorce in your county. The state law has no specific requirement of how long you or your spouse has to live in a county before filing, but it is a good idea to wait at least 30 days to make sure you are in compliance with local rules. You need to include specific information in your divorce petition. A good way to get started is to complete the questionnaire developed by Legal Aid of Georgia. The staff attorneys of Legal Aid are well-versed in Georgia divorce procedure and prepared this as a guide to help in your pre-divorce planning. If a section doesn't apply to you, cross it out. If one spouse assumed the other spouse's name during the marriage, they have the choice to keep their married name or revert to their original name. Whichever spouse prepares the documents needs to take this into consideration and include it in the petition. There is a fee of approximately $200 to file for divorce in Georgia. There may be additional fees for a process server, document preparation, and for administrative costs such as copies. If you are low income, you may be eligible to have the filing fee reduced or waived by the court. This is called proceeding In Forma Pauperis. Legal Aid of Georgia has a fill-in-the-blanks application you can file with your petition. If it is accepted by the court, your case can proceed. If it is denied, your divorce will not be put on the court's calendar until the fee is paid.

Summary: Confirm that you need to get divorced. Decide your county of filing. Gather the information for your petition. Decide on name changes. Prepare to pay the fees.

In addition to seeing what your parent's opinion might be about the contact, you might also request their help in making a connection. Talk to the parent with whom you and your half-siblings are both related. Ask your mom or dad if they are willing to assist you in reaching out to your siblings. You might say, "I'd really like to get to know my half-siblings. Will you help me find them and/or make contact?" If you live in the same town or region as your half-siblings or have mutual acquaintances, it might help to have an ally helping you make contact. Reach out to a relative or family friend to act as liaison. This person can cushion the blow once your half-siblings receive news of a sibling they never knew about. What's more, this person can also serve as a source of support for you if the response isn't what you hoped. Ask this person to contact your half-siblings on your behalf. You might say, "Could you please reach out to Harry and Beth for me? If they are interested, I'd love to talk to them. Here's my number" Social media has made the world so much smaller. People who currently live across the globe from one another are accessible with the click of a cursor. If you are able to find your half-siblings on Facebook, you may be able to send a friend request, asking them to connect with you. Keep your initial contact brief. You might say, "Hi, I'm from the Bay area, too! I think we might know some of the same people." If you can locate full names of your half-siblings, you might be able to find a personal or work email account listed for them. In some cases, people often have their email addresses connected to their social media profiles. You might find this information there. An email is a more formal way to reach out to your half-siblings. Because you can type a longer message without seeming like a weirdo, you will have a greater opportunity to introduce yourself and explain the circumstances of your relationship with them. In your note, be sensitive to their reaction since they do not know you exist. Keep your words positive and enthusiastic, but avoid assuming they will want to have a relationship with you. "I know this may come as a surprise to you, but we have the same father. I've known this for many years. However, I was recently diagnosed with cancer and it gave me the desire to know you." Briefly explaining the connection and your reasons for reaching out may be a good start.

Summary: Ask your parents for assistance. Find a liaison. Message them on social media. Send an email.

Allow the shells to dry for at least one full day and then rub oil on the shell. Mineral oil not only restores the shine of the shell, but helps to preserve the shell. Similarly, you can use WD-40. However, when using this material, be sure to use gloves to handle the shells. You can use satin-finish polyurethane or coat with clear nail polish. This type of finish preserves the shell's organic look while giving it an extra glossy shine. Do one side of the shell each day. Allow the shell to dry completely before starting on the other side. Each side can take about a day to dry.
Summary: Rub mineral oil over each shell to give it a deep gleam. Spray the shells.