nothing for granted

So of all the places to have an enlightening experience, I would have never thought it would be at Walmart.  I don't usually write a lot of posts like this, but this experience had a profound impact on me and I just had to share.
I was walking through the store pushing the cart with Easton in it and Graysen was tagging along, well more like jumping on and off the cart and running around the stands of clothes, but who is keeping track right.  We had just finished coming out of the baby section and headed to the checkout when I heard a woman's voice ask me "what is his name?"  I asked which one she meant, the baby or the toddler, and she said the toddler.  I told her it was Graysen and then she came over and got teary eyed and said "Graysen, you know what? I have been watching you throughout the store and you have been such a good boy and listened to your mommy.  Make sure you always listen to her and treat her good." At this point tears were streaming down her face and I could feel that she had experienced some type of loss.  She told me her son was the same age as Graysen with blonde hair and blue eyes too.  I thought that she was going to tell me she lost her son, but then she said she was sorry that she just lost her daughter.
When someone says that to you there are no words that come to mind to express your deep sorrow for that loss or to even comprehend what they might be going through.  I expressed my deepest condolences and asked her how old she was.  She told me she was only 5 weeks, and my heart crushed a little more because that hit really close to home for me since Easton is only a couple months older than that.
I really felt like an idiot after she walked away because I felt like all I was doing was blubbering out things for the sake of trying to find the right words to say but I think I failed in that department.
I felt so sad as I walked to the checkout stand as I could see them in front of us buying their things.  When we had finished checking out she came over to me again and asked if she could see Easton (he had his car seat cover on so she couldn't see him).  I flipped back the cover and looked at her as she longing gazed upon his face remembering what her own daughter looked like.  She told me he had the same angel kisses on his eyes that her daughter did and she was choking back her tears as was I.  I felt like I should give her a hug so I did.  She said she was so sorry to do this to me and I answered right back that it was no problem, and that I couldn't even imagine what she must be going through.  I told her that I am sure her daughter was an angel now watching over her as she left and I rambled some other nervous words that trailed off as soon as they left my mouth.
I got out to my car and I just cried because I felt so bad for this lady and I could feel her sorrow and pain at loosing her child and then I started to think what if that had been me, what I would even be like.
It really got me to open my eyes and not take what I have for granted.  The new born stage is hard and there are times I find myself wishing Easton was older, but now all I want him to do is stay little like this forever and enjoy every moment I get to spend with him and my other kids.
Life is so fleeting and you never know what is going to happen.  I had been telling myself since Easton was born that it will be only a short time and that I need to enjoy him being so little while I can because he will be grown before I know it, but it didn't really resonate with me until today.
Instead of wishing he would sleep more than an hour at a time during the day, I am going to pick him up from his nap and enjoy the sweet smiles he gives me and snuggle him even if I have things to get done.  Instead of wishing he would sleep through the night, I am going to hold him tight when he wakes up to eat and drink in his sweet face and take it all in.  I am going to kiss my kids every chance I get and let them know how much I love them.
It is one thing to tell yourself to enjoy the moment, but it is another thing entirely to actually live in the moment and I feel like I finally know what that truly means.