D is Thankful her Rocky Mountain High School Football Family! [PICTURES]

I am thankful to be a part of such a great community. My Ashley and Colton went on to ready a place in Heaven for us 5 months ago this week and the Rocky football family continues to amaze us by remembering not just our Gentle Giant but our Princess as well.

At the beginning of the football season we went to the opener and for the rest of the season, I couldn't do it. Every time I thought, okay I'm gonna go tonight, I would have a panic attack and couldn't do it. Watching Colton play football was a special time for me, he started playing the game in first grade, it was a huge part of him and in turn a huge part of our family. Despite me not going to the games, the football players continued to honor Colton by displaying his number and initials in black tape on their helmets and the O line took turns wearing wearing Colton's number, #73. They honored my son and in turn my whole family. I will never forget this football season and what they did, I am thankful forever more to my Rocky Mountain High School Football Family.

Last night was the wrap up banquet, the awards ceremony, the ceremony that Colton would have dressed up to attend and would have smiled ear to ear to be a part of it. We got to talk to some of his coaches and tell tales again of this Gentle Giant (he was 16, 6'1 and 230 when he passed) We got to hear stories that we hadn't heard and talk to the trainer, who had her own fond memories of Colton. The ceremony itself was really hard for me, I cried hard a few times, but tried to maintain my composure for the boys and their families.

At the beginning of the banquet after our bellies were full at the Drake Event Center, Head Coach Brook took the podium and welcomed us all. Then, to our surprise he began speaking of Ashley and Colton and how the Rocky Community lost two incredible people this past summer, oh my tears started flowing. Then the O line that wore Coltons number got up and said words to us and presented us with a Lettermens Jacket in honor of Colton. What a fantastic surprise. Colton was a 4.0 student and we promised to get him a jacket this year, which would have been his junior year and he promised to letter in football. It was incredibly bittersweet, I just wanted to see Colton wearing it. But we are so thankful that our RM football family did this for us, regardless if for a moment it made us sad as these acts of kindness remind us that our angels are remembered and have left an impact on all of us.

We will always miss these two incredible people, but to sound like a cliche, we are grateful that we got to know them, even for such a short time. We are all more complete and whole because of them.