Will everyone just please be quiet for a minute?!?

I want to sit on the beach. That's it. Just sit. And be quiet.

For the last 4 days, I've been surrounded by noise. Constant noise. Some of it good noise, some of it bad noise, but all noise.

There has been work noise: socializing after a summer off, meetings droning on and on, confusion and chaos over schedules and student lists, the screeching of desks being shoved and pushed into place for a fresh start.

There has been Mommy noise: "When is Dada coming home from his trip?" "How many days 'til school?" "Aidaaaaaan, let goooooo of myyyyyy toooooyyyyys!" "But I don't waaaaaannnnaaaaa share my popcorn with Grandpaaaaaa..." And from the other one: "Waaaaaaaaaaah!" (which translates into: "Hey Mama, I'm up. I don't care if it's not even 6 a.m. yet and a Saturday and you've been working all week and I woke you up twice last night because I couldn't find my blankie. I'm up now. So come feed me and then play with me with great enthusiasm.")

There has been socializing noise: The hours and hours of talking with friends who come over to keep me company or help with bedtime routines while Hubby is away (I know: I have good friends).

Tomorrow there will be more noise: the noise of the first day of school. For both "Me's": the teacher Me and the Mommy Me.

I just want to be silent. Literally and figuratively. I want to sit on a beach and breathe and not speak and not listen and not tend to and not make small talk and not discipline and not have any demands placed on me. I just want to Be.