Manila Envelopes of Doom-Glad to be rid of them

All I can say about today is Thank You, God, it's coming to a close. I had a God-moment, tell you about it in a minute..

Let's see...where to begin. I got the call-F-I-N-A-L-L-Y that my taxes were done. I turned them in on February first and have called repeatedly to see if they were ready. This is our Monday conversation:
Me: Are my taxes ready? (since she told me last week to call the first of next week)
Her: No, but I'm sure they'll be ready in 2 or 3 days.
Me: Do you know that the 15th is on Wednesday? (meaning in TWO days)
Her: I know exactly when it is! I've been working for 21 days straight, and I KNOW what day it is!
Me: Ok (insert big pregnant pause), (insert you need a big fat night out then!), so, you'll call me when they're ready?
Her: Yeah.
Me: Thanks (NOT!)

So, when she called at 8 this morning, I was glad to hear from her (kinda), after having done some intense praying about the exact amount I'd be gifting the government later in the day. Then I got a call from the Actual Accountant to explain the return (big giant sum I owed). Then, off to get busy on errands, pick up the nasty Manila Envelopes of Doom, get a yummy paint sample (BM Peony-a luscious hot pink!), and to Fabric Gallery to check out some fabrics and trims (they have such cute stuff!!). Then to grab a burrito and nachos-it must be Mexican week-and to get the kiddos (again with the no bathroom break..I'm working on it!).
This is where my day/wagon began to go further downhill...
My gas light came on. I had to stop to get gas (five minutes to pick up the kids!), dropped my debit card (this is probably how I lost the last one, do you remember?), then got the babies. Then dropped Isabella off, dropped Ethan off with Ches (to sleep), and ran up to the school to make more stick horses. Then brought the kids home, got busy with snacks, playing outside, painting (and Mary Claire got acrylic paint all over her skirt, I washed it immediately, and NO, it didn't come out; it's making its second round currently), new pool guy trying to fix the pool pump, Ches working in the yard, etc.
Well. Hmph.
I'd forgotten to mail the taxes!! At 4:15, I remembered them, ran in the kitchen, opened the Envelopes of Doom, and didn't understand much. I read through them, signed (the first one I signed on the wrong line, in turquoise ink, and didn't want to white out so they wouldn't think it was fraudulent, so I scribbled it out, and wrote, "Sorry!"), wrote the icky checks, and got them ready to mail. I chased Ches down, got him to sign, and headed to the post office.
This is where my wagon really gains speed...
(Should I mention that Mary Claire is now in holey jeans, rolled up-because of the paint) I got to the post office, took her in to get my taxes mailed, and the lady told me my total, and put on the little pre-printed stickers, and then. I. Had. No. Wallet. It was still on the counter from when I wrote the checks. ugh. Illness washed over me. No. Money. So, she pulled off the stickers, and gave me my Manilas of Doom. And said, we close in 8 minutes, so if (If?) you come back, bring them to the inside dropbox-we'll take them inside until 6. (Can I just say what happened to them staying open on Tax Day?) So I went back out to the van, got in, started digging for money (found about a dollar and 42 cents!), and started praying. Then, it was hot so I tried to start the car. It. Wouldn't. Start.
My wagon is now hitting bumps and flying through the air-think Calvin!
It wouldn't even make a noise. NO noise. Ok, real praying for help, now. Called Ches, no answer. Again, and no answer. I thought to call Susan (first Miracle-thought to call her), and she was in south Fayetteville. She said to call her after I called my neighbor (who thankfully, was in her car, in the neighborhood-second Miracle) and her boys ran out back to tell Ches to call me. Then at the same time I'm trying to call Susan back, Kelsey pulls in the parking lot (third Miracle)!! I am so thankful that someone else is just getting here to mail their taxes!! and I get out and flag her down, hug her, then again since I need it, then ask for two dollars, then slowly find out that Susan called her to help me. I can't believe it. (After talking to Susan at 8 tonight, I find out that there are tons of other people she could've called, but Kelsey was the only one in her mind, and Kelsey was at Neighborhood Market in FRONT of the post office-fourth Miracle?)
Still bumpy ride...
So, Kelsey gives me money, she sits in the van with Mary Claire, and I go in to redeem myself. Not. The. Gates. Are. Closed. Humans are gone. It was after five. So, I go back out, and ask Kelsey to take me to Neighborhood Market to get stamps. We go, and long story short, they only sell books-$8.40 (and I have $3), so Kelsey paid for them. We went back to the post office (still no Ches and a drive-able car), and I mailed them inside. Task One completed-Manila Doom off my hands.
Ches showed up, and I gave my undying affection to Kelsey (and tried to pay her-she couldn't take it-sweet girl). She doesn't realize how she was part of my God-thing that had just taken place. She was happy to help, but I was soooo indebted to her for saving me (and my Doom and I'm sure a penalty on the Doom). I don't think she can understand how happy I was to see her-seriously. God gives us the most blessings in our friends. They are here when we need them, and I'm eternally grateful. My heart had grown three sizes (especially after my Very Long Day), and I really needed the reminder that God was still there, I just had to ask for help.
So, we are trying to jump start the van off Ches' car, and it won't start. I look up, and a sweet man from church is standing there (fifth Miracle), and moves the black clippy-alligator-teeth-thingie on to the black post, and.... It Starts!! Yay! There was much rejoicing!! In both vehicles! : ) We got everyone buckled up, I called Honda and said to Wait For Me!! (Oh, and Ethan has not shoes on, as Ches had to wake him up from a dead sleep) We head down there, get there at 6, and Jon had waited. I handed over my keys, so they could close, and went back to get the kids out. The door wouldn't open! (and the lights hadn't been able to go off, and the doors wouldn't lock.. and the dvd player went off, then came back on during the drive there!) So, I ran back to tell him to check the electrical system too!

We'd had a long day (and there was no dinner at home waiting for us) so we went to Chick-Fil-A to let the kids play it out while we discussed what had gone down. Come to find out, when I was trying to call Ches, he was out back opening a bag of mulch, and out came tons of termites (he thinks)! So we had more problems..
We got the kids home, and I fed them and got them into bed while he went out to spray them with all the buggy chemicals we could find. I offered bleach, but he didn't want to kill the grass. How kind of him. He'd slung the bag over the fence (into the empty lot), and had to go track down the little monsters. With poison!

So, the day has come to a close, and I can't say thank you enough to God for amazing mercy, and friends, and my church, and prepared food, and a beautiful day for the kids to play outside, and bug killer, and now, my bed. I'm worn out. Mentally and physically.

G'night, and we'll do it again tomorrow. Oh, and hair tomorrow-a bright, shiny spot in my week! : )