Dora completed her required bags of manure last night and came inside much calmer and more relaxed. She cleaned up and joined me in the “lower level” while I worked at arranging new furniture and completing the transformation from "unfinished basement" to family room.


One of the boxes I retrieved from the unfinished side of the basement contained the Cabbage Patch dolls that once occupied a space in our rec room, but were stashed in a box for several years due to frequent moves. These dolls represent my kids: Kyle and Steph, Tommy and Amy, Beth, and Big Amanda, our former foster daughter (“Big” as opposed to another foster daughter who was here for awhile, “Little Amanda”.) I wonder if I should go find one for Marie?


I placed the dolls in a visible but out-of-the-way location in the new rec room, behind the sectional couch. When I was finished, I called Dora over to view the display.


I said, “If you had a doll that represented you, where do you think it should go? Here with the rest of them, down at the end of the couch, in the bathroom, on the unfinished side of the basement … or someplace else?”


She thought about it briefly and said, “On the unfinished side of the basement.”


I said, “OK, follow me.” She followed me to the unfinished side where I picked up an unopened box containing the new Asian Cabbage Patch doll I had purchased over a week ago. The box was upside down in another box … on the unfinished side.


I said, “It just so happens that on the unfinished side is exactly where your doll is right now, so when you think she’s ready to join the family, you let me know!”


The look on Dora’s face was priceless. She had no idea I already had a doll.


While I continued to work downstairs, she hung her head over the back of the couch and eyeballed those dolls. About 15 minutes later she said, “Excuse me, Mom … when you get a moment, do you think you could move my doll to the bathroom?”


I said, “No, she’s where you wanted her to be originally … she’s fine until she’s ready to join the family!”


Nothing more was said.


During our rocking time, Dora volunteered that she always feels much better after her screaming sessions when shoveling manure. She acknowledged that her throat hurt from screaming, but she really does feel better when she lets it out. I guess in her mind, she has a good enough excuse to complain when she doesn’t want to shovel manure, and that makes it “OK” to let ‘er rip. Whatever she needs to tell herself, it is fine with me. I notice a huge difference in her after she does that chore, so we will continue to do what works.


I’ll let you know when the Dora doll decides to hang out with the rest of the doll family!


Photo Credit Nancy Spoolstra