How hard can it be?

My m-i-l called my husband Friday afternoon, asking if she could have our two kids spend the night. She wanted one of us to meet her by her office, which is on the other side of town, when she finished work, which would have meant trying to get there at the height of Friday afternoon traffic. Husband called her back and said it wasn't going to work for one of us to drive down there, but that if she wanted to get the kids, she could come to our house.

She called my cell phone at 5:00 and left a message telling me that she would try the house phone. Then she called my cell phone five minutes later to tell me that she hadn't been able to leave a message at the house (which has me stumped because I was at the house and never heard the phone ring) and asked me to call her back right away.

I didn't get her messages until an hour later because my cell phone was in my car, where it always is. I never carry it with me. I called her back, and she asked if she could come get the kids. I said that I'd have them ready.

Two hours and four phone calls later, she finally showed up. I was stunned that it seemed to be so hard for her to deal with this. She called to tell me that she'd call me when she was on her way. Then she called to tell me she was running late, and again to tell me she was finally on her way, and then again to tell me she was almost there. Six freaking phone calls! total for something that should have taken two at most.

When I told my husband about it, he said that it's what he goes through with her every time he arranges for his mother to see the kids, but he has learned to not answer his phone when she calls.

But honestly, how hard can it be to just call and say, "I'll be there at x:xx" and then stick to that time instead of having to push it later and later and later.