Potty Training: The Unexpected Lessons

Well, we have been potty training at full throttle around here since Monday, the day after Ethan turned 3. We've been telling him for awhile that when you turn 3, you don't wear diapers anymore and he has been sometimes using the potty when he feels like earning an M&M. But on Monday the diapers came off, on went the Lightning McQueen underpants, and the adventure began. :) I was prepared to just hunker down and clean up accidents and be annoyed and frustrated and just kind of hold my breath through the whole thing until he learned how and then we could move on. I've heard horror stories about boys peeing all over the floor on purpose just to be ornery, or getting into power struggles about the whole thing so I bought carpet cleaner and clorox wipes, and braced myself for the worst. But honestly, it has been one of the more tender experiences of parenthood for me so far. Ethan has been trying so hard to learn how to do this whole thing and to recognize what it feels like and to keep his pants dry--and when he has accidents he looks up at me with the most innocent look of apology and disappointment and it just melts me. As he says to me in tears, "Mommy, I want a new pair of underwear..." or "I'm all wet..." I just want to snuggle him to pieces and tell him it will all be okay. More than anything, I have been his emotional cheerleader just to say, "hey, it's okay, you'll get it next time!" or "we're alright, buddy, we can clean this up. It will be fine! You're doing great!" Ethan wants so badly to do it just right and be a big boy and when he doesn't quite make it he just falls apart, like there is no hope. It has been really touching for me to consider that as our Father, God feels the same way about us as I do about Ethan--He wants us to be like Him, to learn how to do the things He does, and He is eager to teach us and help us in any way that we can--but sometimes I fall apart when I'm not perfect and I don't feel like I measure up to all that I want to be. This last week, I have been picturing Heavenly Father right there by my side, throughout my life saying, "Hey, it's okay, you'll get it next time!" or, "We're alright, Em, we can clean this up. It's not a big deal. Just keep trying." As much as I want Ethan to learn how to use the potty, it's really not that big of a deal to me to clean up a mess as long as I can see that he is trying his best, that he wants to learn. Oh, it is amazing the things I am learning about the Lord as I do my struggling best to take care of my sweet kids. And who knew potty training would be so inspiring?!
Final thought on all this: Yes, I admit it, I got teary eyed watching Elmo's Potty Time on Tuesday. They have this song at the end that shows all these cute kids trying to do things--from riding a bike to eating spaghetti to pouring milk to zipping up a jacket--and at first they are really struggling as the song says, "It's hardest, the first time...the first time you try..." By the end of the song they show all the same kids having succes with what they were struggling with and the song says, "you're learning, you're striving, you're struggling now... and all of a sudden...all of a sudden you know how!" and a little girl rides away on her bike.
How true that all is. For all of us.
Good luck in whatever you're striving and struggling with. You'll get it. :) If you need Clorox wipes, you know who to call.