Apparently, it CAN get worse...

Last night, you know, in the -30 weather, our van broke down. Died. Dead. At night. With the 4 little kids in the van. And no cell phone.
It died on the over pass, but we got it started again. Praying and praying to just make it home. We're wearing our Sunday nice clothes and shoes. We don't want to walk, we can't walk.
Then it died again. And it would not start. Donnie tried pushing it for a little bit. Why, I don't know, so he felt like we were getting somewhere? It just would not start again. So I sent Cody off to a friend's house to come rescue us. They were a good 6-7 blocks away, but he was at least dressed for the walk with warm Polaris boots. We were about to give up and start walking because what if they weren't home? Where would Cody go? Another 7 blocks to our house? Come back? And it was better to start walking before we HAD to go because we were freezing. And NO ONE would stop with our flashers on and my dh pushing the van. All the houses were dark like no one was home or they were sleeping already.
But, just after we got out of the van our friend showed up with his truck and towed us home!
We had been at a friend's house, and they knew the van had acted funny on the way to their house, so they were going to come looking for us if we didn't call them. We called them just before they left to come find us!
Cody, however, did not do so well. The running with the cold air really hurt his lungs. He feels better now, but the rest of him is feeling hot and miserable.
This is how cold it is: our school NEVER takes a snow day, even when ALL the towns around us do. NEVER in the 5 years we've been here. Today they are 2 hours late JUST because of the COLD, not snow.
The up side to this, not that the van breaking is an upside, but we haven't gotten our taxes back yet, but all that needs to be done is bring our stuff in and they will put the money right on a credit card for us! We've already signed all the papers and everything! So Donnie dropped the papers off this morning. (if they were open) So, maybe today we will have the money to fix the van. In the meantime, I can't leave the house. And if you know me at all, thats fine with me! I HATE going outside, and when its cold, its even worse. All my kids are staying home from school except the high schoolers. And I'm glad, I don't want them out in this weather.
Update**
Donnie got to work, and got the tax stuff in, but his heater doesn't work in the car! He had to drive for an hour with no heat!