The Problem with being a Mom with Tattoos....

Is that my kids are always drawing on themselves to make "tattoos". Check out Camryn's new ink! She was very proud of her new tattoo and had to show me immediately.

The girls always tell me what kinds of tattoo they want or ask me when they can get one. "When you are 18", I say. I really won't mind if they decide to do that. I just hate that by doing so they will probably be judged for it. Or maybe not, maybe by 2021 (when Avery will be 18) tattoos will be pretty common.

It seems weird to me really. To think that changing my outside appearance with something permanent (tattoos) or not so permanent (piercings) would change who I am as a person. I haven't had anyone say anything to my face about my tattoos or my nose piercing. But I don't really know what people might be thinking when they see me out with my kids. I can pretty much cover all of my tattoos up and no one would even know. But I didn't get them to cover them up. I want to show them off! They all mean something to me and they are a part of me. Funny, I didn't start this post to talk about this at all, but I guess it was on my mind. I think that's the cool thing about blogging.

Since we are on the topic of tattoos, I'll let you all know what I am planning next! Like insider information! My next tattoo is going to be the quote, "Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree", across the top of my back in really pretty flowy lettering. I'm going to get some more autumn leaves around it. I can't wait! I'm pretty much obsessed with the season!

The Title Of My Blog

Since the title of my blog is "This Mom Has Tattoos" I thought I should maybe share some pics and the stories behind them. How's that sound?

I got my first tattoo when I was 18 and away at college in Grayson, KY. I was friends with this guy who had alot of tattoos and that's kinda what got me thinking about tattoos. I had decided to get 3 stars on my foot. I went with Jesse, my roommate Wendy, our friend Rob and our friend Chris (with all the tattoos). The place we went wouldn't do tattoos on feet so I ended up just picking a small star design and getting it on my back. I handled the pain OK. I did get really pale and had that tunnel feeling. You know, where things get dark and you can't hear. But I never passed out. It's really small and very faded now. Some people ask if I am going to cover it. I don't think I ever will. It's a memory for me. Wendy, my college roommate later passed away from cancer a few years later, on my birthday.

My second tattoo is the letter "S". My sister and I got matching tattoos. She is Samantha, I am Sara and I guess it could stand for Sisters too. Oh, it took us forever to find something that we both agreed on. The night before she graduated college we found this tattoo place in IL and had them done. Mine on my left arm, hers on the inside of her ankle.
My third, fourth and fifth tattoos (if you count them individually) are fall leaves. I love Autumn and the leaves are my favorite. All the reds, oranges, yellows, and browns are so pretty. So now I can see the fall leaves all the time. This is my biggest tattoo so far and took the longest. Maybe 3 hours or so. I don't really remember. I went with my friend Trischa. She got her first tattoo, two violets and some ivy. It's really pretty and she is getting her second tattoo on Saturday! I am so excited for her. It really is an addiction!!

I can handle the pain much better than I did with my first and just have to talk through it. Either someone talking to me or me talking to whoever will listen. Maybe it's because I've had kids, I don't really know.

The red area under the stem of the folded leaf is just bruising from the tattoo, it's not like that now

My sixth and seventh tattoos are my most recent. I got them a few weeks ago and they are my girls names. These probably hurt the worst of all the tattoos I have. But it was over quickly and totally worth it! I love how they look.

That's Nathan, my tattoo guy and me in pain.

If you have tattoos then you understand how addicting they are. You always have your next one planned. As for me, my next one is going to be either Jesse's name on the back of my neck, or Jesse's Girl, or a heart..I haven't decided yet. I've also been looking at my left shoulder thinking it looks kinda bare. Uh Oh!!