My Mom Fail

Do you ever have "mom fails"? You know what I'm talking about and I'm not referring to what you can find on the internet when you google "mom fail". I'm referring to normal "mom fails" like when you forget diapers or wipes for your baby. Or you forget to take your potty training toddler to the bathroom before you send them off to nursery. Or you forget the field trip and pack lunch in the wrong bag and dress your child inadequately for the weather. Or you forget to take the birthday cake out the pan before you go to bed just to find it good and stuck the next morning. Or you forget when the Pinewood Derby is and tell your husband it is okay for him to travel for work the week of the derby. There are others and my list could go on and on and on and.....

So last night I had one of those "mom fails." I actually have them quite a lot. As I write this, I see it seems to be related to forgetfulness. I'm not usually a forgetful person, but the recent sleep deprivation is taking it's toll folks. 
Last night was Bliss and Zade's Pinewood Derby with their cub scout troop at church. I come from a family of girls and have no idea about scouts or derbies or merit badges, etc. And yes, I told Blasen it was okay to travel this week without thinking of the derby happening on Wednesday. He was able to help make Zade's car and Bliss just wanted to use his from last year. We weighed them and thought we were good to go, but apparently our scale is wrong. Now that I look back, I think the troop's scale was wrong as most of the scouts had to make adjustments. 
Oh well, I did the best I could as I was holding a not so happy two month old and just taped whatever coins in my wallet to the bottom of their cars. Well, apparently they hung down too far and would rub the track in places and my boys did not win one race. And they were DEVASTATED...especially Zade. This was his first derby and he was so excited and has been looking forward to it since last year. 
They wouldn't let you make adjustments to the cars after the races started so there was nothing we could do. I had to sit there and watch my boys near tears at the end of each race. Zade would eagerly get his car each time with hope that he would do better this time. And each time, no such luck. I was CRUSHED. I wanted to sit there and cry too. I know it's not that important, but to Zade it was. He gets so frustrated if he can't do something right or doesn't win. Last weekend, he was in tears after his soccer game because he scored 1 goal and not 3. (We're working on how to handle disappointments.) I tried pointing out all the other boys have similar problems and they can't see that. All they see is the boy with the fastest car. 
Late last night, as I finally got all the tears wiped away and ice cream served (because ice cream fixes everything) and people in pajamas and teeth brushed and scriptures read and prayers said and kids to bed and babies feed and the house was quite for the first time all day...I lay in bed thinking about the night's events. The connection finally came between my night (my "mom fail") and my Heavenly Father. How crushing it has to be for Him to watch his children all over the world and watch them suffer. Just as He lets us fall and lets us fail and cry and lose and be sick and be wronged, etc...all with the knowledge that it can make us better if we look to Him and our Savior, we must do the same. When our children fall and fail, we should help them see what to learn and point them to the Savior who can teach and heal and sends the Comforter. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I am so grateful for teaching moments...for me and my children.