My Daughter’s New Tattoo

December 30, 2015

I wake up to this Email:

As I sit here in my living room at 6:51 am, I am trying to find the words to thank you. I have been reading your Tattuesday series since I finally got out of bed at 4:00 am after tossing and turning and struggling with where I went wrong.

Now, with tears filling my eyes, I see so much hope! My daughter just got her 3rd tattoo (this one on her foot for ALL to see) 🙂

And it’s going to be okay! We have a good struggle ahead and I so thank you for giving me the courage to face it. She IS such a wonderful daughter and I am blessed by God to have her in my life.

And I think back to the text messages Annemarie and I exchanged ten days ago.

December 20, 2015

Annemarie:

ok in the interest of full disclosure:

(and if this ruins your day I really am so sorry)

it’s my yellow ribbon in memoriam of Pastor Speyer.

$20 to get it done.

Cheri Gregory:

Oh heavens, what a relief!

Annemarie:

yellow because that was the color, a ribbon because the whole tie a ribbon around your finger so as not to forget something.

Cheri Gregory:

You had me in abject panic there.

Annemarie:

I discussed it with my bosses beforehand.

AH SORRY

Cheri Gregory:

And it’s just a tattoo?!?  WHEW!

Annemarie:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

WHO ARE YOU

WHO

I ASK YOU

Cheri Gregory:

And it’s beautiful, visually, emotionally, and timing-ly.

Annemarie:

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I’m not crying.

Cheri Gregory:

I’m proud of you.

Annemarie:

(I’m definitely cryin.)

* crying

Cheri Gregory:

The only way you could ruin my day would be by not being in it, Chickie.

Annemarie:

I thought it would be nice to get it around this time… december’s been hard for me long enough.

OK NOW I CAN’T SEE

I love you ❤️❤️ thank you ?

Cheri Gregory:

I love you too, amazing daughter of mine who teaches me so much and helps me grow!!!

Annemarie:

same back to you!!! (but mother, obviously) ?

 

A Prayer of Gratitude

It’s been three years since Annemarie and I first talked about her tattoos.

A year-and-a-half since my first Tattuesday blog post.

We’ve had a good struggle and I so thank you for giving me the courage to face it.

I have SUCH a wonderful daughter. I am blessed to have her in my life.

I see so much hope.

It’s definitely going to be okay.