New Ink

I don't really have much to say tonight. Shocker for one of the most wordy people on the planet, yes? I've been pretty MIA because my mom and dad came down to NC for the week. They rented a condo on Emerald Isle and we enjoyed time together. I probably already told you all this... Anyway, there was barely any internet connection and crap cell service out there so I was even out of facebook and email world for a while - WOAH. You'd think after all this time, I'd have a lot to say but I just don't. At least not right this minute. I probably will when I get to thinking about it and will do a "real" post but right now, deal with what ya get, mmk?? Haha. Anyway, I finally got my "Jonny tattoo." You may be thinking, well Mrs. P, wasn't that your ribbon?? Well yes, in essence, but I wanted a more of a remembrance one as well. Hold on a sec, it dropped below 70 degrees tonight and I am FREEZING, let me run in and get a sweater. Ah, much better - I love writing on my front porch but I really don't enjoy shivering - when did I become such a southerner??

Ok so, the tatty... I'm not big on names or the typical "remembrance" tattoos, I like my tattoos to be unique and to tell a story. I like them each to have meaning. SO without further ado:
Please ignore the weird angle-age of my foot, it was up on the tattoo "bench" thing still and it's red because, well, a bunch of needles had been pumping in it only minutes before.

On to the explanation.. first the Button. Jonny called the baby "Buttons," when you say it, you have to pronounce the t's like t's... not the way normal people say bu-ins or however it is you strange people call it. Butt-ins. He said it like that because, if you can't already tell, I say it that way, and he thought it was cute. The first time he saw her on ultrasound he said she was cute as a button and Buttons, the name, stuck.

The Button is blue white and red, which is the French flag. Jonny, on his mom's side, was French, as am I. I also like that it is ALSO Red white and blue, American, he is an American hero. Works out perfectly.

The wording is in Italian, on his dad's side (and if you ask me, the more visible side - all the dark features... although he does look a lot like his mom, hmm) is the Italian. It means "For Eternity."

You may notice the font is very unique. It is my handwriting. I was trying to pick a font and the artist as well as some friends suggested just keeping it in my handwriting, to keep it more personal (and because I've got really neat handwriting). I loved it because not only will it make this tattoo one of a kind, but it also represents all the letters I wrote him while he was gone.

There ya have it, my tatt for my husband, as well as the relationship between my husband and our daughter. Like I said, ignore how weird my foot looks and the button looks a little oblong because of the way my foot is bent and the skin is stretched. It looks so sweet when I'm not all bendy. And check out the sweet flip flop tan I've got goin' on - true beach bum right there!

If you're wondering if it hurt, in my opinion - not that bad. The worst part was the button down on the side, the top wasn't bad at all. My ribbon on my thigh/hip area hurt the most, to me.

Since we're talking about tattoos, I'll just tell you the stories of my other 3, in chronological order.

My first one is on my left wrist. It's 3 pink stars. It is for my sorority, Phi Mu. The 3 stars are on our badge and they also represent for me Love Honor Truth - our open motto and something I strive to live by each day. I got it after our 3D ceremony, the one where we turn from active sisters to alumnae. It was pretty much a whim thing, my big and I went together and did it at the last second!

My second is on my ribs, right side. "Ceci Passera Aussi" in script. It means "This too shall pass" in French. My mom always told me growing up This too shall pass, when things were rough or I didn't want to deal with something. My mom's side of the family has a lot of French in it (I just don't like English phrases for tattoos, they're always prettier in other languages and then give a chance to explain the actual tattoo when someone asks what it says). I got this one when Jonny went to get his side piece. He was getting this big ol elaborate thing on his ribs and I decided, once again on a whim, that I wanted one as well. Lo and behold they had an open artist that day and I decided last second what I would get. Brad was with us and let me squeeze his hand while Jonny was getting his worked on.

The third one is my yellow ribbon (support the troops ribbon) which I posted about before. It's on my left hip/thigh area and I had them draw it up like it was tattered to resemble all the struggles us MilSpouses go through, (especially on deployments) but still remain intact. I got this with a fellow Marine wife Caitlin. She and I met because we were about a week apart in our pregnancy and grew very close over our time at CL. We had such similar struggles being the same amount in our pregnancies and both being our first deployment, etc etc. We got the same one in the same place. It turns out I got this one Saturday March 13, the day before Jonny died (2 days before I was notified).

Now you know more about my body than you probably ever wanted to, but hey what's life without a little sharing? And of course, what was meant to be a quick "Hey here's my tattoo" post turned into a freakin' book...