Independence Day Assignment

Between snowstorms, ice storms and holidays, my 8-year-old has gone to school exactly 1.5 days in the past 8. And they're talking 5 to 10 inches this Friday. Crazy! Especially when she's still in school around the 4th of July.

UPDATED 1/20 -- and it looks like another snowday tomorrow with an expected 4 to 8 inches overnight tonight!

Inked

I got myself an early Christmas present. I got another tattoo. A few years back I posted about the one I had done to honor my daughter. I even mentioned at the time that if I had another child I would get one to honor him.

So I did.

Last Friday I took a 90 minute lunch and a terribly nice guy did the artwork based on an idea I had drawn up years ago. However, I don't remember the other two hurting like this one does. Its still sore but I totally dig it so it was well worth it!

Now, my wife is not huge on tattoos. When I came home to tell her I had new work done in the name of our son, she genuinely seemed excited to see it. And when I showed her she said she really liked it. That meant a lot to me.

Its the Chinese symbol for "family" with my son's initials.

(its still a litle scaley)

Then last weekend, we went to visit my parents for the holidays. While my mom would never lecture me about something such as that I just didn't want to deal with it. She didn't go wild about my others. I don't remember the comment, but there definitely was one. Again, I just didn't want to deal with it. Do you know what I mean?

We really had a terrific holiday visit and I think moms think of their kid's bodies as their own. So I guess that's why I usually reveal it on my own terms and that didn't seem like the time. She knows of my other two and she can find out about this one too; eventually.

Funny, though, Friday night my brand-new tattoo stained her sheets! Like ink and blood stains. Evidently, I rolled over onto my side and stayed there a while. Therefore, a direct mirrored replication of the tattoo was on her sheets.

Guess what we did? Tell her? No. Clean it? Nope. We bought new sheets even though they don't quite match. Knowing my folks, my dad will probably change the sheets and I can't imagine he'd notice. But if they realize, they may think my dog, wife, or child had an accident. I wonder in any event but we found it funny, our little caper.

Then I decided to cut out the swatch of fabric from the sheets we stole and scrap book it for my little guy. Who knows, maybe it will mean something to him some day.