m&b + be brave

"[a] genuine tattoo.... tells a story.  i like stories and tattoos, no matter how well done, and if they don't tell a story that involves you emotionally, then they're just there for decoration, then they're not a valid tattoo.  there has to be some emotional appeal or they're not, to my way of thinking, a real tattoo.  it tells people what you are and what you believe in,

so there's no mistakes."

(leo, tattooist, 1993, quoted in margo demello, Bodies of Inscription, 2000)

so this happened last night.

i had never planned on getting a tattoo, it was never on my bucket list. but after my last round of scans, i decided that i wanted one and i knew what i wanted the design to be. i wanted something visual to show that i always carry the two of them with me. i love it. it seems like it was always meant to be on my wrist. it seems like it just took longer than it should have to get there.

my friend christina came with me when i booked the appointment and she rallied back to see it all go down and was the official photographer. i tried my best to convince her and barrett to get one too, but as you can probably guess, they didn't take me up on that offer.

my last picture of my wrist without a tattoo.

getting my wrist prepped for action.

getting ready for the needles to do their thing.

my sister had planned to get a tattoo with me, but when my appointment had to be scheduled on a tuesday night (she lives 5 hours away) that plan didn't work out. but after my tattoo was done, barrett sent her a picture of mine, and she surprised the hell out of me by sending this one back.

she got a tattoo yesterday right before the hour that i got mine. how awesome is that? i know,  pretty awesome. hers is in the same spot as mine. when she posted hers, she said "my new 'be brave' tattoo. if my sister can be brave then i can too. #mysisteristhebest" i could not agree more. my sister is the best. amazing that she has my motto on her wrist. love it.

i always carry them with me.

i have always known that.

now others can as well.

xo