EXPERIMENT CONCLUDED: DRAMA CAN FOLLOW YOU A-N-Y-W-H-E-R-E

You know how sometimes the planets seem to perfectly align and things just fall into place? And at other times things just go crap? Well, I had one of those crap experiences last night. I guess I had spoke too soon telling you how well Riley had adjusted and was even staying alone with Baba and Dedo so I could get some free time.

I had gone over to Biba and Rade's house after dinner to use the computer. Riley and I talked before I left and she was fine staying with Baba and Dedo and I told her I would be back shortly. Well, not long after I had arrived Baba called saying Riley was crying. I got on the phone with her and she was hysterical. There was no consoling her. I needed to leave - immediately. Unfortunately Rade had just left to pick up Truman and Tea who had been hanging out with friends. He would be another 15 minutes so that wasn't going to work. Biba said, hold on and I will walk with you but as we started out the door she realized she didn't have an extra key to lock the door. Tea and Rade had them. I said, no problem and headed out on my own.

It is about a mile's walk from Biba and Rade's apartment to Baba and Dedo's. Thank goodness this is a safe country so I wasn't worried about anything happening. But, I am sure many people driving by were wondering why this pregnant woman was out at 11 o'clock at night hauling ass down the street alone. I finally get there and rush into the apartment to find NO RILEY.

Dedo said she and Baba went out to meet me in the parking lot. WTF? So, back down I go looking for them. The parking lot is fairly dark and there aren't a lot of places in my mind that they can go. I start calling out Riley's name. Nothing. I walk around the neighborhood trying to find logical places they might be. I go back up to the apartment. Still not there. Dedo goes out to look for them. At this time I call Biba and Rade as I am starting to freak out. Then Dedo returns and says he can't find them. The man who walks every single day all over the city of Skopje and he can't find them. Great! And it's not that I am primarily worried someone has taken Riley but that I am more worried about Baba taking care of a hysterical Riley. What if Baba decides to carry this 41 lb. child around and has a heart attack or something? What four year old would know what to do in that situation much less in a country where she can't speak the language. More panic sets in.

During this time Dejan calls. I tell him what is going on and he says not to freak out; she is with Baba and they are fine. Ok. But I'm not fine. I am a hormonally challenged pregnant woman thousands of miles away from home in a foreign country with my kid missing. I then head back downstairs to search again when Rade walks up carrying a sleeping Riley Ivana, followed by a very panicked Biba and a worn out Baba.

Just a small series of events, mishaps, misunderstandings, normally meaningless things and I am in freak out mode international style. The planetary screw ups are as follows: 1. Rade walked out the door to pick up the girls 5 minutes before Baba first called. 2. Biba didn't have an extra house key to accompany me back to the apartment. 3. Truman and Tea were 5 minutes late meeting Rade which allowed us to miss crossing paths on the road to the apartment. 4. Baba assumed I would be walking the shortcut to their apartment which is around buildings and through some parks. Which being the "sensible" chick that I am - I know even in Macedonia a woman walking at night doesn't go through dark areas alone so I stuck to the well lit walkways along the road.

And the biggest faux pas was me not telling Baba to ever mention the word SLEEP to Riley Ivana. Yes, the magic word that throws her into fits should Mommy or Daddy not be within the immediate vicinity. She could have said it Macedonian and it probably wouldn't have been a problem but no, Baba knew the word in English and didn't think a thing about saying it. I can just picture Riley's eyes going wide in shock at hearing that horribly, evil and cruel word. Her realization that her Macedonian grandparents might be crazy enough to try and get her to go to sleep without her Mommy. Heck, no. Riley proceeded to wail hysterically and continued to no avail until she feel into an exhausted sleep in Baba's arms.

Note to self: First, get warning label tattooed on Riley's forehead that says to never say the word sleep in front of her. Second, try to figure out a way to bribe my husband into getting Riley to sleep in her own bed when we return home. Third, stop worrying I am going to have trouble finding interesting things to put on my blog.