Thursday morning, Mass had ended…and the boys left to help a dear friend.

The little girls chattered away in the backseat, as little girls do, excitedly describing all the things they wanted to do without the boys…

Turning into the gravel driveway, Charlotte sees the chicken enclosure.

“Mommy!! We have to put out the chickens! The boys aren’t here to do it…”

Oh, great. The chickens. I’d completely forgotten. Our “ladies” don’t as yet have a permanent outdoor structure. In the evenings they reside in their pen inside the workshop. During the day, they “free range” within the confines of a very large enclosure. It’s the big boys’ job to make sure they are taken out in the morning, fed, watered and secured for the day.

Now it fell to me. I wasn’t quite sure what the protocol was…and felt a little apprehensive.

“Well, girls. I guess I’ll have to do it. I’m not quite sure what to do…”

Charlotte and Emily pipe together: “Don’t worry, mommy! We know what to do we, watch the boys all the time…”

“That’s okay, girls. I’ll take care of it. You’re too small to lift that cage anyway. We’ll do it together. Let’s change our clothes and then we’ll take care of the ladies…”

We headed upstairs, the girls undressing and dressing much more rapidly than I. I heard their excited squeals outside, and figured they were assessing the situation and would tell me what needed to be done.

Entering the kitchen I glanced out the windown and saw the two of them struggling through the narrow entry way of the workshop. Oh, my goodness! They had the pen! They were moving the chickens themselves!

**check out that snazzy outfit Charlotte’s sporting!**

Seven and six years old.

I grabbed the camera, snapped a few shots of my big girls, and marveled at their diligence. They moved the entire pen…removed the six chickens, one by one, and deposited them in the enclosure. They filled the feeder and waterer and only asked my assistance in securing the feeder’s bungee cord. They were amazing…

How proudly they shared their accomplishments with their big brothers that evening. The boys were duly impressed and I’m quite sure will be utilizing the talents of these two big girls…perhaps more than they’ll want!

They grow up quickly, don’t they?

What a lovely bonus…I have two big girls, anxious to help, quick to step up when the big boys are busy…

Blessings,