I have figured out the main issue. It has nothing to do with my computer, local configuration, or my server.
The problem was the corresponding email tags for the form. Now that I have figured out that part of the problem and fixed it, I have all the fields rendering in the email properly except for the....check boxes, radio buttons, drop down menus, and file upload fields. These special fields are not rendering input information to me in the email sent from the form.
While I have read and followed the Contact Form 7 instructions religiously for setting up the email portion of the settings...I am still not able to get the information correct in order to render these specific fields properly.
I am not able to do the correct tags for the EMAIL portion of the set up. From the CONTACT>EDIT menu of the plug-in in WP.
Before you post the link for the instructions or for troubleshooting...I have them, and I have followed them over and over. I am either missing an essential step or letter or putting an extra space or something...or I am not understanding the instructions properly in regards to these special fields. I am trying, I just am not seeing it.