updated picture

darian took this picture last night.....still have more healing to do, but the redness is gone....everyone that has seen my tattoo says i look like mom....makes me feel good.

i told darian that when i look at the tattoo in the mirror, something looks different to me than when i look at the photo.....she brought to my attention that my arm is curved so it looks a little different than the picture that is flat....she flattened my arm and made me realize that it does look just like the photo kat used for the tattoo..
it's pretty amazing....i couldn't have asked for better!
i'm very pleased :)

new tattoo

here's a picture taken halfway through my tattooing today....will post the 'after' once the redness has gone away...

darian and i went to true tattoo and kat von d was so nice....i wasn't sure what to expect--didn't know if she would be 'celebrity' acting since she's been on a tv show and is a tattoo artist to famous actors and musicians....but she was so down-to-earth....seemed to be very 'real'....she greeted us with hugs and was talkative/just really, really friendly.
the experience was great---kat has a very light touch and i would have to say that i can't even use the word 'pain' to describe any part of the tattooing process....
it was a pleasant experience...

kat said she hopes mom likes the tattoo....and she wants me to come back in a few weeks after it's completely healed to show her the final result....
she gave us both hugs then we went to meet up with david, who went to see a movie while we were at the tattoo shop....

darian said it looks like the picture was 'just put right on my arm'.....the likeness is AMAZING! I AM COMPLETELY PLEASED and can't wait to see it once it's healed.
:)

Jacki's Tattoo(16) Apr 12, 2007

new ink (soon)

for quite some time i've wanted to get a portrait tattoo of mom and the only tattoo artist i would want to do it is kat von d.....i found out about kat von d on a tv show called 'miami ink'....she specializes in black & gray portrait and pin-up style tattoos...kat lives in los angeles but had been flying to miami for the show taping...she's finished taping and is back in LA....
the process to get an appt w/kat is to email the request through her website and there is a statement on her site that says even if you request an appt, it doesn't guarantee you will get an appt.....apparently kat is booked out a couple months in advance.....
on 3/8, i emailed the request for an appt....

AND......the other day i received a call from aaron, kat's assistant, who said he read my request, and since i live in the area, they are able to get me in on friday, the 13th.....i can't believe it!! so, looks like i'll be meeting with kat on friday at true tattoo in los angeles and getting mom's portrait inked on my arm.....i want to have it placed where it is easily visible by me and others....

by having the tattoo, my mom will always be at my side :)
i love you mom!!!

Jeremy Camp (3/29)

jen and i went to see jeremy camp at the house of blues on sunset blvd and just like when we saw him in november, the show was amazing! one difference was that security at hob was so strict about people taking pictures (jen did manage to take a few, though).
we got there early and had dinner, which enabled us to go in the 'pass the line' line so we were able to get in the venue before the long line of people that had been waiting outside....we were right up front (well, one guy was in front of me)...
opening band was The Myriad. we hadn't heard of them before so didn't really know what to expect. we both enjoyed them and after the show jen and i got to meet them at the merch booth--they were there to meet people and sign stuff for everyone....really nice guys..
there was a camera guy in the crowd filming for a documentary on jeremy. he talked to us and asked us to say something into the camera.....we ended up telling him that i had gone to see jeremy in arizona and that jen flew to LA for the show that night...he ended up getting us on camera a few times during the show (which was kind of cool, but also kind of strange because i just wanted to see the show and not have a camera around me (he kept walking either right in front of me to film the crowd behind me, or right beside me to film jeremy and the guys on stage)....but over all the show was awesome!
jeremy has so many songs that just touch the heart.....and bring people to tears...for me, it's the fact that his songs talk about what so many of us think and feel and what some of us long for---that close relationship with God...
he talked of his owns struggles dealing with hardships/trials and how the Lord has always been there for him...he talked of losing his first wife to cancer a few years back and how he was angry at how God could let that happen but that he knows he couldn't have made it through the hard times without God...he is now remarried and blessed with two beautiful little girls....basically, we don't know the big picture of what God has in store for us---we only see a fraction--which is why sometimes we don't understand why things happen in our lives......his words are very inspiring.

he kept saying he couldn't believe how welcoming and excited the crowd was---said it was the best house of blues show he's had and that he'll definitely come back to LA! :)
set list:
Lay Down My Pride
Tonight
Take You Back
What It Means
Right Here
Beyond Measure
I Still Believe/Walk By Faith
Beautiful One
We Give You Glory
This Man
Feels Like
Stay

his wife, adie, came out to do a couple songs with him--they sang My Desire and Give Me Jesus....that was supposed to be the end of the show, but the crowd couldn't get enough and they sang a couple more, ending with 'Take My Life' (which seemed to be a crowd favorite)....
we got the set list after the show and even though jeremy didn't come out, jennifer was able to get three of the other guys to sign it...
overall, it was a very spiritual, uplifting, fun night!