Well, where to start...

I've wanted a tattoo since I was 6 years old. It was this silly like, flaming eagle tattoo (temporary of course) and I thought it was the COOLEST thing I've ever seen, so i asked my dad if I could have one, of course since I was only six years old he said no :( probably for the better I may have Barney on the side of my face right now :).

I decided I would get one when I turned 16, and waited... then on my sixteenth birthday, I asked my parents if I could have one for my birthday, and they answer, in unison I might add, NO NO NO tattoos are gross! No son of mine under my roof will ever have a tattoo!!! You can get one when you move out and pay for it yourself.

In a little over a month I’ll be moving out. I was finally getting my tattoo, which by this point I have already drawn myself, its a leafless tree with branches (hard to explain I know!) but it flows really nicely.

After a grueling two years of waiting until graduation I call the shop and make an appointment, YAY I'm finally getting a tattoo!

I took the drawing to the shop and ask if it should be changed or made different in any way and after a few minor tweaks she asks if it looks alright, its perfect! We go to the upstairs in the shop accompanied by my overzealous brother-in-law and my nervous friend, she puts the transfer on my outer bicep and I check it out in the mirror and its center.

After some discussion with my brother-in-law and friend about the placement and whether it looks alright or whether its too high or low, I sit in the chair and we begin. I've heard in the past that a tattoo is unbearably painful and takes a really long time, so I am white knuckled on the chair, grinding my teeth and whatnot and she says she is going to start with a small spot (a discreet spot so if I chicken out its not a weird looking blob of a tattoo), and then its finally happening!

The pain was NOT bad, it was more irritating than anything.

After and hour and a half the process was over, I was ecstatic!!!! I wanted to kiss her!!!!! I looked at it and it was beautiful, finally after all these years of waiting it is mine forever!

It’s healing really well and I took off the bandage today. I take as good care of it as I could, polysporin twice a day for the first little bit and all that other stuff.

I’m still amazed that I finally have it, even my mom doesn't mind it, she actually thinks its kind of pretty (probably cause I drew it and she doesn't want to hurt my feelings, she still hates tattoos lol.) So far I have encountered many people who love my tattoo, even ones who don't especially like tattoos!

I think that tattoos are a prefect way to mark times in your life, this one (and only so far) is to celebrate finishing school and my second will be to commemorate my new life. I choose a tree tattoo because tree’s symbolize regeneration and rejuvenation, vivid reminders of the cycle of life. Tree’s look cool, too.

All in all, my artist was great, the experience was great, I never have and never will regret it (even when I’m so old and shriveled you have to stretch my skin to see it ha ha!) and when its time for my next one it will be with her, I'm just so glad that I found an artist who knew what I wanted and listened to me. The whole process was well worth the wait.

This isn’t a great picture of the tattoo but it gives you an idea what it looks like: