Phew. It's done. The permanent thing I did to my body took all of 45 minutes and didn't even really hurt that badly. Weird. Now, I'm left with this strange feeling that I've done something I can't reverse. It's something akin to the feeling that kept me from sleeping with stupid boys in high school--it felt like this grown-up thing you couldn't un-do. I kind of feel like I've lost a bit of innocence. I really like the tattoo, but there is certainly a mark on my body now that wasn't there before. Hmmmm, weird emotions surround that for me. I need to think on it a bit more and really process through it.
But, the tattooing experience in itself was a breeze. I mean, it wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but it certainly wasn't horrifically painful. The guy who did it, David, said maybe 50 words to me the entire time...including how to care for the healing process. This left my husband trying to fill awkward silence, and in those moments husband tends to pick inappropriate topics of conversation...like asking what the strange devil/naked woman art on the wall was about. I felt like saying, please don't offend the man...he has a needle to my arm and is making permanent marks!!
The following is a pictorial review of our evening. Captions will follow the images. :)
Husband looking at the random art that drunk people choose when they come in randomly for a tattoo. One choice, naked she-devil. What is with the naked Satan theme? Another choice...an octopus eating a shark. I told husband that might make a nice lower back tattoo for him. JUST KIDDING.
My virgin little wrists...awaiting their new adornment. Notice my cute nail polish?? Chinchilly by Essie. Cute, cute.
The outline stenciled on and ready to go. I was kind of feeling numb (not physically, but mentally/emotionally) at this point...just knowing that I had already crossed the point of no return...I was ready to go. I felt almost disconnected from the whole experience.
David working on my little piece of art--and husband's great camera work. He shot it through the mirror and I think it's my favorite shot of the night. I never really looked at what tattoo-man was doing, partly because I didn't like looking at the needle and partly because I was nervous about the tattoo. :) Avoidance is generally not a good way to deal with scary situations. It worked out fine in this case, but let it be known that I do not endorse it as a way of life.
This is the finished result. (click the picture of a larger view--and a better view of my cute nail polish!) It looks harsher than it will end up being after it heals. There is very little that was actually done in black ink...most of the tattoo was done in a medium grey ink and it will fade as it heals to a nice subtle little tattoo. The intensity of the lines are freaking me out right now, but I love the design. He assured me that the end result will look much more nuanced and subtle. Yippee!
It says "set free" because I believe that it is for freedom that Christ set us free (Galatians 5). Galatians 5 has long been a favorite chapter of the Bible for me, and "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" is something I always come back to in my faith. I will not be burdened by the things of this world--not when He has set an eternal hope before us.
So, I'll show you what it looks like again in like 2 weeks after it's had time to heal. But, for now...that's what I leave you with. And, don't say anything mean about it, because it is permanent after all and that would be cruel...not much I can do about it now! :)
