Silence.

Yup, just as seems to be the norm, I have neglected my blog. Life just seems so busy, and with Facebook, Twitter, and three message boards, I feel like I complain enough about my life.

Ah, but tonight, I was editing photos for my Etsy shop after I helped hubby put the boys to bed. I was sitting on our couch downstairs, listening to the white noise of the fan and totally falling asleep (if you know me, 7:30 is no where near a bed time for me...think more like 3 am).

I LOVE the silence that occurs right as the boys fall asleep for the night. It's like a wave of calm peacefulness, stillness, and order comes over the house. It's as if the house, too, is settling in for the night. Getting a rest from the chaos, screaming, crying, throwing, noise of the day.

I used to not understand why my sister (who had a son in 2001, five years before my first was born), why she didn't watch much tv. I get it now. The silence that falls on this house each night sometime between 7:30 and 9:30 is much better than any noise I could imagine.

Of course, don't get me wrong. I love the kids with all of my heart. But like all humans, I need a break from them too. I relish in the silence for a few hours before catching a few episodes of whatever I've recorded on my Tivo, working in my studio until the wee hours (the norm is starting to become closer to 3 am these days).

And I love when I'm done in the studio and can creep up the stairs and quietly visit each of my boys to give them a good night kiss and watch for a few moments as they are still, peaceful, dreaming, and quiet. I soak in that peacefulness because I know all too well that all too soon, as the sun creeps over the eastern horizon, the noise returns, the house awakens, and the silence is gone for another day.

I'm off to edit more photos. And while I'm at it, I think I'll eat a snack. Because I really love to eat when I don't have to worry that someone will be clawing at my heals, crying and whining for whatever I am eating!