Random November stuff

On Thursday, we had family pictures taken. We went over to Grant City, where the photographer lives. She lives on a farm, so she has some cool places around there to take pictures. I haven't seen our pictures yet, but I've seen a bunch of others that she has taken and she does a great job. We couldn't really afford it, but I really wanted outdoor pictures and I wanted them done before it got too cold. We had them taken on Thursday because it was Veteran's Day and John had the day off work. That was about the only day we could do it, because she was booked on the weekends this month. It turned out to be a pretty cold day. It was supposed to be party sunny and around 60 but instead in was really cloudy and gloomy, and more like 50. We were all freezing - especially Mikayla, so she didn't enjoy posing for pictures like she normally does. But the kids did great. She said that our kids were probably the best kids that she has photographed, which of course made me feel like a proud mom :)

Friday was the day of the Benefit, and I was crazy busy all day. I didn't get a chance to relax at all. Hy-Vee donated the stuff for me to make chili, but I couldn't pick it up until Friday morning. That was kind of a mess. When I went to pick the stuff up, nobody could find it. The guy in charge of getting all that together wasn't there. I probably stood at customer service for 30 minutes. In that time though, Mikayla attracted a lot of attention. She was sitting in a fire-truck cart, so one guy was making fire truck noises at her. One guy told her how pretty she was. One guy gave her candy. And another guy gave her some money. I am sooo not joking. She was just sitting there doing nothing, and attracting all sorts of attention. Why don't men ever shower me with gifts and compliments when I go to the store? So anyway, I finally got all million cans of beans and stuff hauled home and got to work. By the time I got to opening the last can, I broke my can opener. Somehow, with a big knife and a spatula - I got the can pried open. By the time I got everything in the roasters, it was time to go meet John during his lunch break and get something notarized, go to the store for some last minute stuff, go pick up the key and pay for the senior center, go pick up Dakota from school, go back home and load everything up, and then get started setting up for the benefit. The benefit did fairly well, though I completely over-estimated how much food to make. We all had tons of leftovers to take home. But the important part was that we raised $900 for my brother and his family. I must admit that I am really relieved the event is over, but I felt really good about being able to help out. I woke up the next morning feeling like I had gotten hit by a truck. Every muscle in my entire body hurt. I had a headache for 2 days straight. Nothing I did would make it go away. I always get bad headaches after a stressful event, but they never last that long. I've been told that my headaches are related to a brain chemical or something. I never get a headache while I'm stressed, it's after the stress is gone. It's strange...

Anyway, today was Dakota's checkup with Dr. Watson. I told her about Dakota's moods and she upped his dosage of Abilify. She said that Dakota has grown since she last saw him, and when kids grow, their dosages need to be adjusted. Hopefully it will mellow him out so he won't be so angry all the time and have as many meltdowns. I also mentioned to her about Dakota's leg hurting him a lot. It's been going on for months, but I always forget to mention it. I figured it was just growing pains, but wanted to mention it since I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at an early age. That makes me a little paranoid - he is taking after me in so many areas. And the fact that it's always the same place that hurts... Anyway, the doctor went ahead and took an xray of his knee this afternoon - I should hear something by tomorrow. On Saturday morning she wants me to take him to the lab to get blood work done. She wants him off his medication before the do the test. That should be fun. He is not brave at all, and has never had his blood taken. I'm afraid he will be hysterical. But even if all this is for nothing, it will at least ease my anxiety about him having arthritis. And since he's been on meds for awhile, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get his blood checked anyway.