"Why?"

"Why?" was the response I got when my mom saw my newest tattoo. When I got out of the pool last Saturday she said, "Did you get another tattoo?" and I said, "Yes, isn't it pretty!" She answered my question with a question. LOL! Now don't get me wrong, my mom is pretty easy going and doesn't care what other people do, but I am her daughter, so I'm fair game! Really, my parents have supported the decisions my brother, sister and I have made over the years, even if they didn't agree, the one thing we could count on is MOM and DAD! They were always there, and I appreciate it so much!

But the one thing my mom doesn't understand is my tattoos. Why would I want one, or two or the NINE that I have. My reasons are all over the board, really. My first one is a small rose on my right shoulder blade. I got it 17 years ago with a friend. We just decided to get tattoos! There was really no thought involved, I just knew I wanted one. At that time my mom was a bit distressed and said, "Where are you going to get it?" I promised that I wouldn't get it in a place where I'd need to "get to know" the tattoo artist first! She was relieved when I got it on my shoulder blade. I had that tattoo for years and really no one ever saw it, unless I was swimming. The next one I got on my right calf. I think it was 1998 or 1999. It's a star with a Yin Yang symbol in the middle. I call it my "break up" tattoo. I was seeing a guy who was against me getting any more tattoos so when he was finally gone, I got a tattoo! Tattoo number 3 is a sunflower at the base of my neck. I have no special reason for it, I just wanted one. Tattoo number 4 is some vines around the sunflower, that part was completed about a year after I got the sunflower. Number 5 is one that I have no excuses for, except maybe one too many Margarita's.. It's a bear claw on the right side of my neck, up high near the back of my ear. My boyfriend Christopher has the same tattoo in the same place. He thinks that makes us married. On to number 6. It's on my neck (right side) and it's some vines and a flower. Tattoo number 7 has to be one of my very favorite tattoos!! It's on my left wrist. It's astrological sign for Sagittarius and it's beautiful! Christopher got the Pisces symbol on the same wrist on the same day. Number 8! This is one that starts on one side of my neck and flows around to the other side. It is a dragon fly of sorts with flowers that trail off as if it was flying from the flower on tat number 6. I like this one a lot as well. Levi, my son, drew it for me! And last but not least is the most recent one. NUMBER 9! It's on my left calf and it has a vine with flowers as well as a Celtic Motherhood symbol. It sports a blue dot right in the center that represents my son. I think it's beautiful! I think secretly my mom thinks it's beautiful too! Right mom! :-)

Back her question, "why?" Because I think they are beautiful. Because I like being different. Because I can! I'm 42, I can do what I want! The best thing is that I know I don't have to worry about my mom and dad not loving me because I have tattoos.. I know they will always love me no matter what! I love you Mom and Dad!

Here are a few pictures, I won't bore you with all nine pictures!