Tattoos... and the foundation for my belief system.

KJ has been talking about wanting to get a tattoo. He wants a half sleeve and his idea for it was actually inspired by our honeymoon. In Mexico, we learned a lot about the Mayan culture and about their religion and spirituality. He loved the idea of their version of the "tree of life". In the Mayan culture, they believe the world is made up of the heavens and the underworld, and linked together by a tree whose branches extend into the heavens and whose roots delve deep into the underworld, making the tree the center of the universe. When Mayans died, they believed that they entered the underworld through a cenote (very deep, water-filled caves that are interconnected - we went swimming in one on our honeymoon) and reborn into the sky world... or something along those lines.

His other idea involves some version of snake skin, with two separate scales colored red (for him and me). He is terrified of snakes and feels that by commemorating them into a tattoo, it will help him combat his fears.

I love the ideas for his tattoo and I want something equally inspiring and meaningful. The best I could come up with my favorite flower, Gerber daisies - which was also our wedding flower.

... and that is the best I could come up with.

So, I started thinking about quotes or single word inspirations, like "believe" or "dream" or "hope". It is cheesy, yes - but to have that constant, permanent reminder to be myself and believe in myself seems wonderful. I then changed gears to thinking of what word I would choose if I actually did it. "Believe" vs. "Dream". I'm not a dreamer - I set goals and I work to achieve those goals. I know myself and I guess that when I set my sights on something, I expect to get it - if I work for it and really want it. Maybe that makes me cocky, but I don't expect to be given any of it - I just set my sights on the final product and keep pushing until its mine. Swimming, softball, running, vet school, graduating college with honors, the past and present men in my life... I went after all of it, it didn't find me. And while I have some belief in fate, in the sense that things happen for a reason - I think we choose our own destinies and allow the things that could happen or were "meant" to happen, happen to us.

I guess the monkees had it right - I am a *believer*.