Nothing to Show But This Brand New Tattoo...

I high school, I would have probably been voted "Least Likely to be Covered in Tattoos."

Now look at me. My dad really doesn't understand them. I think my mom was on board until I got the leopard spots around the horseshoe. (That's a new one.) But I absolutely love them...

At 19 I got my first tattoo in Columbia when I was a freshman in college. The Kanji symbol for "eternity" on my hip. It's slightly lame. I wanted a tattoo because I was an angsty kid who had just broken up with her first boyfriend, and I wanted to be a badass.
So I got $60 of my parents money from an ATM on campus and walked downtown with my friend Robert.
I picked eternity because in Bible study, someone had said something like, "live your life in the light of eternity." Perspective and such. Aaand the lame-o-meter climbed from "slightly" to "very" after I typed that.

Then came the rest....a creeping addiction. Tats are not cheap. (good ones, anyway)

With my first few, I thought they all had to have some deep meaning. Now, not so much. It's basically permanent jewelry!
I like the way my tattoos make me look, I like the vibe it gives me, I like the experience, (yes it hurts!)

I do have some rules for myself: I don't spend "bill money" on tattoos; and I make myself think about it...for awhile before I get one. I don't have one certain "guy" I go to. I think I probably miss out on discounts by not staying loyal, but this way every piece has a different story.

I prefer not to debate religious do's and don't's when it comes to this. I'm not a Bible scholar...and I know where my heart is with God.

I'm eventually going to have a half-sleeve on my left arm. I'm going for a country/rock 'n roll/vintage theme:

Roses, guns, leopard, favorite-song-inspired, cameos, paisley print...

I want to get at least one more piece done before the wedding. Lucky for me, I'm marrying a guy who thinks my tats are pretty hot! (and I think the same about his!)

Speaking of wedding..3 months?!?!?