Page 27 of Do It Yourself

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I may have an appointment for us this Wednesday…

Elle

Fine.

Paul

Harold Godwinson: The Last Anglo-Saxon King of England

The Three Claimants to the English Throne: Harold Godwinson, William of Normandy, and Harald Hardrada

England Before Hastings: Edward the Confessor’s Death and the Succession Crisis

The Battle of Hastings (1066): The Battle That Changed England Forever

Come on, twinnie, you know you want to.

Walk on the wild side with your favorite siblings

Lola

Coordinating how?

I was thinking, pick whatever you want but a grouping of 4. For the 4 of us?

Paul

Love it. Down. Can we go tonight?

Elle

I like that. Come on, Lola.

Lola

Fine. Can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.

Yay! I love you all

Iwould never have thought that Elle would have the easiest time getting tattooed. Elle’s getting a bouquet of wildflowers on her shoulder, a beautiful mix of our family and the new family she’s growing with Patrick.

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus: Engineering a Marble Forest of Columns

The Antikythera Mechanism: Engineering of the World’s First Analog Computer

The Nasca Aqueducts: Peru’s Ancient Underground Water Spiral Systems

The Great Zimbabwe Ruins: Ancient African Masonry Without Mortar

Lola and Paul in a very twin move, decided to get both of their tattoos on their thighs. Ladybugs for Lola and a forest for Paul.

Stars for me, sparkling on my side. I think I chose the most classically painful location, my right hip-slash-love handle.

Each choice means something special to all of us.

I was honestly surprised that my siblings agreed to getting tattoos so easily but I’m overjoyed that they did. Getting these was something I’d been planning for awhile but something had always stopped me. Whenever I tried to book an appointment, a vice wrapped around my heart until it felt like I couldn’t breathe.

Until the thought of doing this with my siblings came to mind.

Thinking of having this memory with them, it helped me push through and finally get it done. I suggested the four groupings to represent the four of us and the closeness we’ll always have.

I wanted a way to always remember.

Not that I’d ever really forget, but this needed to happen.

Inked with empty stomachs, we make the decision to head to a small cafe in downtown Honeyville for lunch. I can’t stopthe feeling of contentment that washes over me. The simmering anxiety that I do my best to ignore all but gone at this moment.

“I love you gremlins.” I try to keep my tone teasing but a small crack escapes on the last word. Elle’s brow wrinkles as she studies me but the moment is broken when Paul wraps his arm around my head and tries to give me a noogie.