Day Forty Three

Hello there! I’m Gabby’s roommate, Hannah. Love can be between people who are living and even between those who are gone. This is how I found myself in a tattoo shop on my 18^th birthday. In 2004, my mom was diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer in connective tissue. In May, 2006 she lost her battle with cancer. She was 43. 

My sister got a commemorative tattoo once she turned 18 and it got me thinking about a tattoo for myself. I decided on her signature from my birth certificate and got it tattooed on my left shoulder, because she was left handed. It was also comforting to know I could look over my shoulder and see a little piece of her. I got my first tattoo and was in love with it. The tattoo artist did a phenomenal job and I couldn’t be happier with it. I got the tattoo as a permanent reminder how much she loved me and I know she will always “have my back.” (Yeah, that was super cheesy.)

 I recently got my second tattoo with my sister. We have always been super close and we decided it was a good idea to get matching tattoos. It took a year or so to go from the idea to actually following through. Keep in mind, this is a week old tattoo so it may look a little weird. We decided on the infinity symbol, because she will be my sister forever. We got matching tattoos on the right side of our rib cages.

These tattoos represent two separate kinds of love. My sister is the closest person to me and even though we live in different cities, we talk almost every day. I can’t imagine my life without her and she has impacted my life so much and made me the person I am today. My mom was also a huge part of my life growing up and even today. I think about her and miss her every day. Just because she isn’t here for me every day, doesn’t mean I love her any less. Life isn’t permanent but my tattoos are.