Alex

and Tender Mercies. So I don't really like those 2 words very much. It's not that I don't like them, I just don't use them. I didn't grow up hearing them, so I have never really thought of things in that context. Well after today, I really feel like I know how they work.
Some of you know that I have had 3 extra children in my home. They got here early Saturday morning and they will be here until late Sunday night. It is my 2 nieces and 1 nephew. We are happy to have them, my kids love it, but it does require some extra planning to make sure everything gets done. So today was going to be the busy day. The ONE REALLY BUSY DAY!!! So many things going on after school. So my afternoon was going to go like this.

• Dentist appointment for me at 1:00. (Kruz at a friends, thank you Kerri)
• Pick up Kruz, and girls at school at 2:45.
• Drive to the other school and pick up 3 more kids at 3:05.
• Achievement Days for Kylee from 4-5.
• Scouts for Cole at 6:00.
• 2nd grade music concert for Kylee at 6:00. (be there at 5:45)
• Mutual for Taylor at 7:00.
• 6 baths and bedtime is supposed to start at 7:00.
• Pick up Taylor when she calls at 8:30 or so.
• HOMEWORK....maybe, if there is time.

So that was the rough idea of my afternoon. Here is what happened:

I get out of the dentist a few minutes early. (about 1:45) I get in my car and it doesn't start. Doesn't even turn over. I can't start it, can't put it into neutral and have no jumper cables. One of the girls come out from the dentist to see if she can help me. I tell her the problem and she goes back inside. One of the techs has a pair, so she comes out to get them for me. Great----except I have cars parked on both sides of me. The three of us divide and go into the dentist, Subway, Post office, Hair Salon and Video Store to find the owners of the cars next to me. Finally at 2:05 we have found him. Getting his hair cut. We wait for him to get finished and he nicely moves his car. Did I mention it was 102 degrees today?? The hygienist has a truck, good thing, my car is a v8. It takes about 6-7 minutes to actually jump start my car. FINALLY it gets started and I thank them too many times and head over to Checker. Josh has called the Ford dealership by now and says my battery is under warranty and not to buy a new battery if that is the problem.

I leave the car running, go inside and a nice young guy comes out to check my car. "Alternator is fine, but to check your battery we will have to turn off the car." "OK that is fine as long as you will help me start it again." "No Problem." Battery is DEAD, DEAD, DEAD. He asks if I want to buy one. No thank you. Just get me started and I will be on my way. Nope, nothing. The portable battery won't start my car. So he gets his personal truck to try it, and it is a NO GO. 10 more minutes trying, and NADA. Did I mention it was 102 today??? I am not going anywhere. It is 2:30 now and I am making phone calls to have the girls picked up from school.(thank you DeAnna) and getting Kylee picked up for Achievement Day (thank you Trish.)

"Are you sure you don't want to buy a battery?" No, it is covered under my warranty if I could just get it to the dealership. And actually the dealership would have come to me, but I didn't have that much time. I had to be picking up my 3 extra children. How could I get them the message that I would be late?? My prayers to make my car start were not answered. What do I do?? This young guy says, just a minute and goes back into the store. He comes out and says "Are you sure your battery is under warranty? They will replace it for free?" Yes, my husband just hung up the phone with them. Here it is...young, married, my Tender Mercy Alex at the Checker Auto Store...." How about if I put one of our batteries in your car. I will put your old battery in the back of your car. You can drive it to the Ford dealership, they can test it and replace it, and then you can bring me back my battery later today." What??? Are you for real?? What is the catch??? Yes, for real, NO CATCH.

I thank him, leave at 2:50 to pick up my nieces and nephew, and for the most part continue with my day. (besides a quick trip to the dealership)

I take the battery back at 7:15 tonight. He is gone, but the assistant manager that approved the whole deal is there. I tell him that I don't know if that was a normal thing for them to do, but it saved my day and I was soo grateful. He said thank you and appreciated me acknowledging their efforts to help me, and I was on my way.

Talk about a Tender Mercy, and someone going ABOVE and BEYOND to help. I am truly grateful for someone else's kindness today.