Inked

January Reflection

This month I made a last minute decision and got another tattoo. Now I mean "last minute" in the way that my appointment was last minute, not the decision to get this actual tattoo. I have been dreaming up this tattoo for 2 years now, so don't start thinking I take getting a tattoo lightly. They are permanent, you live with them forever (unless you cover up or pay for painful removal). But all of the stars seemed to align in a very quick manner- so in the span of a week I went from this being a thought in the back of my mind, to sitting down for an hour and a half and getting inked for the 5th time. In doing this I started reminiscing on when I got my other 4 tattoos, and their significance.

My first tattoo I got when I turned 18 at Soul Survivors in Winnipeg. It doesn't have a lot of other significance to it, other than I was 18 and decided to get one, and I liked the look of it. It felt very freeing and exciting when it was happening, and it may not be my favourite tattoo of the 5, but it marks a big part in my life. The part where slowly but surely, my opinion began getting a heavier weight than everyone else's in my life.

The next I got with my now husband at a small shop in Kitsilano on 4th ave (Vancouver). We had been living in Vancouver for a few years and this was just before we moved back home to Manitoba. We lived there until spring of 2010 so my tattoo is a copy of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic inukchuk. The time we spent in Vancouver together was full of adventure, great friends we will never forget, and was an experience all our own. I love carrying around a little reminder of that.

In 2011 my mom and I went to a walk-in day at Living Canvas Tattoo in Winnipeg that happen to land on Mothers Day itself (super appropriate we thought)! We both got tattoos that incorporated "foget-me-not" flowers as we had just lost both of my Grandmas that winter. These were our little ode to them, mine in particular with both Grandma's initials and a saying "Life's not the breathes we take" which has significant meaning as they both died of lung diseases.

2013 Chris and I finally got married (not that I was getting antsy at all after 10 years of dating)! Our wedding date 07-06-13. On our first anniversary in 2014 we got our wedding date tattooed on our ring fingers as both of our jobs prevent us from wearing bands a lot of the time- he has the 7 and I have the 6 and we have both admitted these have been ever so helpful in remembering to celebrate our anniversary haha!

3 weeks ago- my latest tattoo- I got in last minute to see Ryan Street at Living Canvas Tattoo in Winnipeg. So thankful to have snuck in in time to complete my "INK" month haha. As I said earlier this has been in the makings of my mind since my son was born, and in the end I am so happy with it and was also just happy to do something for myself that filled my heart with a little extra joy. You may notice a double helix within the fence post- this is a representation of my first "baby" our dog Helix. The baby fox is for my son Kit who was named after a baby fox (a kit). The bird for now is simply a bird (our families really like birds haha) though it is a symbol of hope that our family will someday grow (don't get too excited just yet, I said ONE day!). The animals are positioned to be looking up at me, which will remind me constantly that there are littles looking up to me for guidance and love. And who knows, this may be added on to as the years go by. You never know what life has in store!

Tattoos to me, are very personal. Simply a visual representation of certain things or times in your life. Though others can see them (and they always make a good conversation starter) always remember that they are for you, and no one else.

Cheers and love to all!