There is a description of the word boy that goes something like: noise with dirt on it. When you have two boys that noise and dirt multiply.
If they aren’t running around screaming, skateboarding inside, dressing in costume fighting the bad guys, creating life size hot wheel tracks, building forts out of every blanket we own or putting on a live rock show Bash on guitar Lij on the new drum set…they are sleeping. These boys can’t even be quiet in their sleep. Bash snores or grinds his teeth and Lij has pretty bad allergies which makes his breathing wheeze like. Don’t even get me started on the dirt these two accumulate.
Two days ago I woke up let our dogs out and got the boys ready for school. Bash is now a First grader (I can hardly believe THAT!). Lij has started Kinder prep which is an immersion preschool he goes to three days a week.
When I returned home after dropping them off there was an odd sound in our house. A sound I can’t remember the last time I heard. I think the name of the sound is…
Silence.
It was almost as if life had pushed the pause button and time stopped. I didn’t hear anything but the gentle sound of the wind blowing and birds chatting. It literally shocked me. I had no idea how loud our house was until it wasn’t.
I’ve been trying to combat the noise. My husband is a big fan of air conditioning so our windows are mainly closed which only makes the sound bounce around. I began reading about ways to minimize the loudness… I read that plants help. Apparently they serve as a barrier. My thumb isn’t quite as green as it should be so I’ve been limited to the easy to grow houseplants. I have to admit, I’m pretty impressed with the positive affect they have had.
Now that the humidity has left our state the fresh air is welcomed in and our once sh
eltered noise can be heard from a block away :/
I’m beginning to learn that life happens within the noise. In all of my years I can’t remember one silent time where I actually had an immense amount of fun.
We might be the noisiest house on the block, but we’re probably having the most fun. The next time I hear silence I’ll soak it up but I’ll still be counting the hours until the noisemakers come home.
Much love and peace,
Jes xoxo