When I used to go to the doctor's office and I faced medical questions asking me about previous illnesses or surgeries, my response would always be "I have all my original parts, and nothing additional" because that was the truth. It got quite a few laughs, so I used it for quite some time. I never had any surgeries to remove anything & I still had my tonsils and all my organs.
Then a few years ago, I had a wisdom tooth removed so I really couldn't say that line in all honesty. I DIDN'T have all my original parts, I was missing one tooth. I could still hang on to the fact that I had never had plastic surgery so I don't have any implants of any kind or even veneers on my teeth. So, the "nothing additional" part was still true!
Recently I really started thinking about my famous and funny line and realized that I DO have something additional... INK. It started out at 18, when I got a 4 leaf clover next to my belly button. My girlfriend and I walked into a tattoo shop and I picked that because I am half Italian and a mix of a lot of other things... Irish being one of them. So, the 4 leaf clover was to represent that part of my heritage I guess. My girlfriend had a small dove placed on her hip. My next tattoo didn't come until I was 21, and I had my 1st son's name added to my right ankle. It was a bad tattoo though, all in black and done very deep. In 2001, my middle son's name was added to my right ankle below the other name. Once again all in black, bad and done very deep.
I was never happy with those tattoos on my ankle, in fact I was a little embarrassed. It's not like I wanted to show off bad work. My body had also been through 2 pregnancies, so my belly tattoo went from a cute little 4 leaf clover to something more along the lines of a piece of broccoli or maybe a small tree. Yes, I know... you can stop laughing now.
I married a wonderful man in 2005 and he has been in the process of getting quite a few tattoos done by a great guy here in the town we live in. Not only is he a great artist who has been in the profession basically his whole life, but he's become a very dear friend of ours. Travis started with a pinup girl on his arm, and went from there. The tattoo that he has that has the most meaning (to me) is one that represents our marriage and our wedding location and date. We were married in Las Vegas on May 5th, 2005 - so he has a king, queen and three 5's on a deck of cards with a Vegas background.
I made an appointment with Dave in October of 2005 and he did a wonderful re-work of my ankle. I wish I had a "before" picture to show you, but I don't. You'll just have to imagine a very bad & deep tattoo with running, faded black letters. This is what he was able to turn it into. This goes all the way around my left ankle and he reworked the names, making them blue and added all of the wild irises and dragonflies to it. This particular tattoo took 1 hour for prep time and 4 hours under the needle, done all in one session. 
I went back to Dave in October of 2006 and he placed these stars on my arms. These ones took 30 minutes to prep and then it was 2.5 hours under the needle. These stars mean a LOT to me, for many different reasons. They represent different struggles I have gone through, people that I have lost and gained in my life and a reminder for me to stay grounded. 
Just last week, I had two swallows done. Swallows mate for life, so the king and queen crowns on those birds represent my husband and I. This one took 30 minutes to prep and 3.5 hours under the needle, and once again... I did it all in one session. 
In a few months I'll be adding my newest sons name to my ankle with his older brothers, the wild irises and the dragonflies. He was born July of 2006.
A lot of people are either against tattoos, or they just don't "get it". This is what I have to say to those people: This is MY body and this is what I'm choosing to do with it. Before you get the wrong impression of me because I have been inked, let me remind you that I don't smoke, I don't drink, I am a law abiding citizen, I don't do drugs, I am a good person and an excellent parent to my 3 children. They are all very well adjusted human beings and they have me and my husband to thank for that. Just because we have tattoos and we look different doesn't mean we are bad people.
I want to end this article with a VERY important quote that I'd like you all to remember.
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Comments: 44
I see nothing wrong either way. Like you said it's your body.
I liked looking at them though. Thankd for a peek into your life :-)
Fully agree!
I have been thinking of getting cover up done on my neck "at some point". I got a (don't laugh) tattoo of mickey mouses head on the side of my neck when I was 17. (please don't laugh) It is filled in so it is just a circle with his ears sticking up. It is about the diameter of the top of a soda can. To make it worse, the black faded to a really gross looking blue. (seriously, stop laughing.) Now it really just looks like a blue blob or a blue hickey.
I also have a very ugly outline that I ended up hating before it was done, it is on my back and really faded now.
Curious who it was that did your pieces. I do not know how serious I am about fixing my oops because of money right now, but if I do decide to do it can I message you to get a referral? Kind of overwhelming to look into it without knowing a lot of people around that have tattoos.
you're slightly wrong about the birds though, those aren't sparrows, they're swallows and they're also supposed to bing you much luck-- so I hope you have it. And I bet your kids think you're one cool mom. That's far more important than my opinion. really you have guts--and I have to admire you for it, because I can imagine that you must get tons of flak--and it is really your body and your choice and you seem to have tons of style in making them.
Your's are beautiful and so colorful.
i have 14 total.. but are kinda all meshing into a few big ones
What makes them special is the meaning behind each of them. You didn't randomly go out and get them because "they look cool." And they're the folks who later regret getting them done.
Anne A. : It's never too late to get good tattoo work done. I know a few people who got their first ones in their 50s and 60s.
The swallows go WAY back to the sailor days, meaning MANY different things such as nautical miles traveled or the swallows carrying a message of hope because when sailors saw a swallow they knew that land was near.
Although tattoos mean different things, to different people... the sparrow tattoos mostly mean loyalty, fidelity, love, dedication and trust since they choose a mate for life and will only nest with that bird and no other. This is what the sparrow tattoo means to me. It is a symbol of finding my true love.
Your comment about your liver was pretty funny - thanks for sharing that with me. I appreciate you recognizing that my tattoo artist does a great job. As far as you asking if I have a lot of luck? Yes... I do. I have gone through many different hardships in my life (family dying, friends committing suicide, past drug/alcohol use, surviving domestic violence, going through intense custody battles, being diagnosed with chronic illnesses) - you name it, I've been through it and have been lucky enough to come out of it OK! My kids also DO think I'm a pretty cool mom, so that does mean a lot to me. Thank you also for saying that I have "tons of style" for making the choices I have made. I appreciate that!
anne, faith's beloved mom will be 60 on Feb. 9, and didn't start getting tattoos until she was 50, at which pont she said "i think i'm old enough now to do whatever i want with my body." she will be getting tattoos until she dies.
for faith-- that's my girl! :)
Thanks, Lisa M!!! The colors are especially bright because I took the poctures right after I got home. But, the tattoos that this guy does, for some reason, stay bright and vibrant for years. He's been doing this for a LONG time and has become very good at what he does, so he doesn't do them too deep. I actually just got a compliment on the colors today at the grocery store. So what is the meaning behind the 2 frogs and what part of your body would you like to get them on? You know... I don't know how they test to see if you're allergic to the ink before they do it, but I do know that when I have mine done I have to fill out a medical sheet that asks me about medications I'm on and about certain allergies.
Dolphi P: I appreciate that, thanks!
Wendy: Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment on this article. You and I talk all the time on instant messenger and since I know that you aren't a "tattoo person", I was a tad worried about what you might think of me with these new tattoos. But I figured you would at least enjoy reading my story with the meanings behind my ink. I love your comments about tattoos changing size. I'm sorry to hear about your scars and skin conditions though. I have stretch marks on my stomach now from going through 3 pregnancies & I will never show off my stomach anymore, so I know what you mean about having scars. I'm glad you enjoyed the addition of my quote from C.S. Lewis!
And you really DO have a great tattoo guy.
(And the broccoli/tree tattoo really cracked me up! :D)
I went to highschool with you and found you through myspace. :) There is a good chance you won't remember me (Glenda Launder). I only went there my last year and half of school.
What I do want to tell you is that I admired you in highschool because you were always you.
I learned a long time ago a if someone doesn't like you for what they see on the outside then a person doesn't really need them as a friend.
I have lived all over the world and the way a person looks never stops me from having a conversation with them.
Keep spreading the word and maybe people will become a little more open minded.
Glenna