My tattoo and the road to a new beginning

I have always wanted a tattoo ever since I was younger.  I just never had the nerve to jump in and do it.  After my divorce I was determined that I would get one just to be a visual reminder to me of a new beginning.  I made the decision to get one now I had to decide what to get and where to get it.  I played around with a few places and a few ideas and decided that I wanted a daisy on my big toe.  Next step was to find someone to do the tattoo.  I work with a lady who in her forties started getting tattoos and so she recommended the lady who did hers to me.  I emailed "The Tattoo Lady" and asked if she would do mine and my little sister's.  "The Tattoo Lady agreed and told me to send her over email a copy of what we wanted.  Joi wanted a Celtic knot on her lower back and so we found one and sent it to "The Tattoo Lady" who said she could do it and so we scheduled a day and time.  I told her I would bring mine with me because it was small and I had drawn it. 

The big day came and we were both nervous.  Neither one of us had ever done anything like this and even though we were excited we were both a bundle of nerves.  Joi decided to go first since hers was bigger and more elaborate than mine.  Plus she told me later that if I had gone first and had acted like it was painful she would have chickened out.  After lots of encouragement, hands nearly being squeezed off, and lots of leg twitches Joi's tattoo was done and it had taken almost an hour.  It was my turn.  "The Tattoo Lady" created a stencil/stamp of my daisy and she positioned it on my toe.  Then she started.  It was slightly uncomfortable but it took less than 5 minutes.  Yes, you heard me less than 5 minutes.  I couldn't even act like it hurt at all because Joi had spent almost an hour in pain and I refused to look like a wimp.  I did just get an outline and that is why it did not take very long.  "The Tattoo Lady" said that it was the smallest tattoo she had ever done:)  We both went home with promises of touch ups and fill ins if we decided to do so.

Here is what my tattoo looked like that day.  It was not flip flop weather yet but I spent the day walking around in flip flops just looking at my toe.  I was in love.

Several months went by and I decided that I would get it filled in.  I love my tattoo and at first just wanted the outline but I just went back and had it touched up and filled in by "The Tattoo Lady" and I am very happy I did.  I have one more appointment to get another layer of color because white can be difficult and hard to see.  Here is what my tattoo looks like now.

Did I mention that I love my tattoo:)  I am very happy with the results and I have a daily visual reminder that new beginnings are possible and although painful can have a beautiful result.