I remember from my own experience, being the oldest girl gives you many
opportunities to learn “home ec.” As many of you know I was cooking
meals at age 8 (almost 9) while my mom was upstairs taking care of my
newborn brother and recovering from a C section. And, I remember too
that first evening I made a meal entirely on my own, how Beccah kept
wanting to help and (like my mom did to me when I was younger) all I
would let her do was set the table. 
Miriam has spent the last three years closely observing every move I
make, and she is starting to imitate a bunch of things at once. I guess
it couldn’t have come at a better time, since I am really going to need
her help this coming year. Jireh too is pitching in wherever she can.
Yesterday I gave the girls some dinner and after Jireh decided she’d
eaten enough, she dumped it on the floor. Miriam was johnny-on-the-spot
and ran to get the dustpan and brush, and swept all the
food into the dustpan and into the garbage! Also yesterday, she was
entertaining Soren for me and I heard her say “Be still, be still, it’s
okay, don’t cry” and all of a sudden heard him give an unhappy squeal.
I saw she was holding his head steady with her hand and as I went over
to see, she showed me on her finger, a piece of mucus she had retrieved
from his nose. LOL. Better her than me, her fingers are smaller. 
Jireh is not to be outdone, she has been routinely putting toys away
when I least expect it, and is always happy to throw things in the
garbage for me or clean up. Her character strength is perseverence. She
does not stop until a job is done. Miriam is easily distracted but even
from a very young age, Jireh would stick with a task (like putting
blocks in a bucket), doing things methodically, one at a time, until
she could not see any more to be done.
So of course now that I have mentioned that the girls are helping me,
they will spend the next 24 hours proving me wrong. But that’s okay,
it’s always a few steps ahead and a step back. Eventually we’ll get
there.
Have a great day!
Socks on the Line 
Well, what can I say – they have a most wonderful teacher at home!
I love how they love to help at this age, I hope it never changes! I never have to get up to go find baby wipes anymore, and all my diapers are deposited into the trash for me. No one tells you that the more kids you have, the easier it gets and the less you actually have to do! (but that is a secret best kept to ourselves so we can still acquire as much sympathy as possible!)
How cute! You gotta watch ’em putting things in the trash for you though. I think we’ve lost 80% of our Ikea kids utensils that way, lol! It’s great that they’re such good helpers. They must have a good role model. 🙂
That’s great. My kids help out and keep me sane in much the same way (although I guess they add to the insanity in other ways!)
your post made me smile, such sweet kids 🙂
That was a great post. It is easy to grumble and focus on the messes they make or the inconveniences they bring about (at least for me) than to rejoice in the victories when they first accomplish a new task and do it well. Thanks for the reminder.Your description of Jireh sounds like Joseph. He finishes his jobs as well as Jacob’s, who has run off to kill a bad guy or some other calamity. We read a great new book the other day called The Yellow Sled where three brothers work for their mommy to earn a new sled. Well, Jacob has decided to work to earn a two-wheel bike. He keeps reminding me that he’ll do his jobs and not complain. Until, that is, I have to remind him that he wasn’t supposed to be complaining! Ha! He is doing very well though.
i remember those “meals” you made at 8 (almost 9) years old.
Pizza soup.
need i say more?
nah, just kidding. that one soup was the only bad thing you ever made in your whole life. we missed you so badly at the seder tonight- you are the queen of food presentation and we really needed you.
xoxo
Oh please, with Mommy there who needs me. I don’t know anything she didn’t teach me…I didn’t make pizza soup until I was about 13 – lol. That is when I decided I was good enough to make my own recipe.
hah pizza soup!! yummy. Little helping hands. That is great. I love it!!
Thinking about it, I think the soup would have been edible if I had not mixed the cheese into it, but just used it for garnish. And I think I was a tad too heavy on the oregano. LOL.