It’s permanent, baby
Nov. 19th | Posted by Nicky
24 comments
A month ago I hinted in a post that I was researching Amharic fonts… well today I put it into use and got my first ever and probably last ever tattoo.
Pressing the font stencil on.
It’s to commemorate my kids. I never got a tattoo before because I couldn’t think of anything that permanent I wanted to celebrate. Well, kids are about as permanent as it gets.
I have a huge fear of needles. Serious. So I did a lot of breathing exercises.
Such fine work – the guy is really good. It DID hurt though, for the few of you readers who don't have tattoos.
So, in case you are wondering, it’s the Amharic word for “family.” Thanks to my awesome friend T who spent the day with me in Vernon and cheered me on, my husband who, despite not liking tattoos, supported me, and our Ethio friends M&G, who checked the word and made sure I wasn’t putting “cheeseburger” or something else ridiculous on my arm. Better to triple-check these things, you know.
I was pretty lightheaded after, and had to sit there for 15 minutes sucking on a red lollipop to get my bloodsugar levels back.
It’ll be a few weeks before it looks totally normal, but here’s a freshly un-bandaged view.
"Family"
PS: thanks to L&B for the referral. Troy at Freedom Tattoo was a consumate professional and I felt like I was in great hands.
Sweet! Hopefully you can hold my hand when I go to get mine in a couple of years!
and what would be wrong with the amharic word for cheeseburger? The tatoo looks great! I think having the word family done was a perfect choice! You are much braver than I am. I dont even have my ears pierced!!
Wow, I love it!!!
I did the same thing in Vegas in March. I had wanted a tattoo, but it had to be totally meaningful and like you said, what’s more permanent and meaningful than celebrating your children?
I got two little stick-children, one with and N on his shirt and a smaller one with a J for each of my boys. It hurt sooo much and I nearly hyperventilated and got very light-headed. I had to sit for a while, too. I posted the pics on my blog in March. Now I know when our daughter comes home, I need to add to it…it freaks me out, but will be worth it!
Claire
OK, I had to go re-live my post…it was actually posted in May! May 11th, if you want to check it out!
It looks AWESOME! Congratulations.
I’m still thinking about it for me. But now that I’ve found out red lollipops are included, ….
[I think I've seen at least a couple of episodes of Miami Ink where a non-English word or symbol was tattoed on an English-speaking person and the tattoo-ee soon found out it was wrong. Made for fun television, but sucked for the person stuck with a cheeseburger-like tattoo.]
Karen
Love it! Congrats on being so brave! I would really like a tat but I’m a chicken….don’t know if I can ever get up the courage!
Steph
LOVE IT!!! Looks fantastic! Way to be brave!
Love the tattoo. And the girls look great!
Cool tattoo! I have two, both with special meaning), and I don’t regret them for a second. I actually slept through my second one (a fist-sized ladybug on my back).
Hey, I just went to Troy too, for the start of a back piece, he’s great eh? Looks good, I really lke the idea of using ahmeric, the script is beautiful.
LOVE IT!!!!! It is beautiful Nicky! (and I love the place you got it too!) A permanent reminder of such a big, big love!
I totally understand about the “waiting for something so permanent” I only have 2 tattoo’s but the first one I ever got was our wedding ring which my hubby designed after a celtic infinity knot. Pretty great way to say “forever” ? The second is in commemoration of my children and the transformation that came into my life through midwifery. I held onto the image for 10 years before I was ready to go permanent. Now every time I catch a glimpse of them it reminds me of something so very key to my soul.
Claire – I checkedout your tattoo – very cute.
It’s funny how popular it is – I read in a consumer behavior book that one in every seven adult Canadians has a tattoo – we were the second most tattooed western country after New Zealand… and the book anticipated we would be the most tattooed by a couple years after publishing.
Hurts today too, BTW. Just like a nasty sunburn.
Looks great. I can relate to the experience since I did the same this summer (not on my public blog though). If you send me an email, I send you a pic.
Looks great! I got mine on my hip so with plenty of padding there it didn’t hurt so much – just in case you are interested in a second! Mine is a maple leaf with Canada weaved in but will need to be added too once I have a child home.
Wow! Looks lovely. He did an amazing job and what a beautiful word. But you are brave! It looks like it was painful…
No tatoos for me (yet) but congrats on being such a rebel…
Oops I can’t even spell tattoo right, haha.
Looks great! The girls will definitely appreciate that when they are older as well! I would also only consider getting a tattoo if it was something that represented my family because what is more permanent than that! And since I am still childless…:)
Hey, is that Zemed then in Amharic? Cause that’s what her name means..M&G told us that.
Hope to play soon!
Hi Nat- it’s another word that means family… this one sounds like “betäsäb”… apparently “zämäd” Zemed means “family member”… like they are “family” whereas the one on my arm is like all these people are in my “family”. Does that make sense?
What a perfect way to commemorate your family! Good for you… I’d never be brave enough.
Heidi
Awesome! I think you picked the most painful area of the body, the inner arm, for your tattoo. Brave woman! It looks great and such a wonderful celebration of your family. I like the mirror images on the first couple of photos!
Hey, [Nicky] – nice tattoo! I am still “planning” mine (aka gathering strength) – plan to get: Always in my Heart in Chinese on my right forearm – much the same place as yours – but closer to the hand.
Will let you know!
The girls look great, btw!
Allison
Love it! Good decision on the location. Also, my husband went to highscool with Troy and had all his tattoos done by him! Small world!