A story about my tattoos

One thing I've never really talked about on this blog are my tattoos. I've mentioned previously that I have three. Every person who has a tattoo has a story behind that tattoo. I've heard all sorts of stories about why people got their tattoos and people seem to have strong opinions about whether they like them or not. I had to overhear to former co-workers discussing that one of the bridesmaids in a wedding over the weekend had a "dragonfly tattoo on her bare back!". They were horrified. I sat right next to them, apparently they forgot that I had tattoos or maybe they just never saw them. I made sure I wore a pair of capris the following day to show off the tattoo on my leg just for them. :)
I figured it was time to share my stories ...

The first tattoo I got a couple months after A was born. I had wanted a tattoo forever (my best friend has tons and I was always jealous) so after having my first child I thought I needed something to document the occasion (as if a baby wasn't enough - ha!). I wanted something to remind me of A's birth month, June. Each flower has six petals and features the color purple - all reminders of the month of June.

My second and third tattoos happened the same day. I have very sensitive skin and reacted to the color in my first tattoo so I knew any others that I ever got had to be black. When I was pregnant with J, I read another mother's blog where she said that having her second child made her feel like a mother. It sounds strange but that was the exact feeling I had. I was a mom when I had A, but having J made me a mother. That's where the tattoo on my foot came from. The Chinese lettering has always fascinated me and I thought why not put this word that means so much in this beautiful script.

I also wanted to document something that means a lot to me. Pretty much any of my friends or my husband's friends who have gotten married, have also gotten divorced. I've heard a million pieces of advice and warnings about getting married young and whether or not I was making a good decision. I always believed that marriage was about love. It doesn't matter how old or young it all comes down to love. So that word inspired my third and most visible tattoo.

They say once you get one tattoo that you can't stop. It's like an itch that you have to scratch. We'll the itch is coming around again. I think I know what I want and I definitely know where I want it. So maybe sometime soon I can add to my tattoo collection.