T is for [tattoo]

I never thought that one day I would actually get one, but last Monday night Jerod and I went to Femme Fatale Tattoos in Raleigh. The tattoo shop is owned by Blair who is fabulous! She also has a sweet dog named Sumi (ink in Japanese) who hangs out with her in the shop! I really did not want to get a tattoo from a big burly man, and on our date night to the Cup a Joe in the same shopping center, we decided to walk in a check out her shop! We met Blair's brother and just started talk about what we wanted. She sketched two different designs for me and I loved both, so Jerod was the tie breaker. We decided to get the birds I wanted filled in instead of only an outline.

Getting the actual tattoo felt NOTHING like I thought it would. It was painful during certain parts of my back but not all. Jerod and Blair reminded me not to tense up and they were right! The more relaxed it let my arms and back get, the less it hurt.

After it was all done it felt like a bad sunburn. The funniest thing was, even before I sat down for Blair to start, I stated sweating. I'm talking like, dripping sweat from my arm pits. I have no clue why?! It was very strange. But Blair says that happens, but I couldn't find anything in my Google search about it.

I was sad because Nicole and I can't get the pictures from that night off her memory card! So these are what I have from Jerod's camera. My skin has healed really well and I have had almost no scabbing. Right after my tattoo was finished, I leaked a little plasma from my red bird and it looked I was bleeding right out of my back. But that stopped really soon too. Since that Monday I just put lotion on it twice a day and no problems!





I originally found several tattoos with birds that I really liked. I've been thinking about getting a tattoo for a little over 3 years now, but I never found anything I really wanted to put permanently on my body! That's a big commitment!

Lately I've been very aware of what God has brought me from-- out of a struggle with fear, anxiety and guilt. I have lived free from that stronghold for several years now. Matthew 6:26 says, "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow, nor reap nor gather up in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? " I love that verse. When I'm anxious, nervous or fearful I remember that I'm a daughter of God. I'm not defined by what other people think, my failure or my sin. Its freeing.

So now that's permanently on me! And I love the reminder.

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow, nor reap nor gather up in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? matthew 6:26

dmj.