bacon

I never had a brother. Growing up, it was just my sister and me.  Now I'm the mom to three girls and one boy.  Really, Drew is a teenager, and will turn fourteen this Friday.  What does one do with a fourteen year old boy?  This is new territory for me.  But, I do enjoy a challenge.  When Drewby was little, it was easy.  I was his mom, and he loved everything we did together.  We read books, drew pictures,  sang songs, and built lego spaceships.  I always had ideas for us to spend time together.  But, how do you spend time with your fourteen year old boy?  My video game skills are lacking, and I'm not very good at lacrosse.  How about bacon?  That's what Drew and I did together last week.  We made dinner.  I set Drew up as the short order cook (bacon and sausage).  We talked about grease control and how to cook the perfect piece of bacon (crispy, but not burned).  And, while we were cooking, we were talking about other things.....not significant things, but things.  And, I realized, that I missed Drew.  So, a few days later, I took him to lunch, and we shared onion rings. And, he talked a lot, and I loved every minute of our time together. Parenthood is an amazing thing, you get out of it what you put into it.  Not always on the timetable I'd like.  Sometimes the "payoffs" don't come for years.  But, like I said, I enjoy a challenge.