Hanging with the Home Team

Yep, that's Broncos' defensive star Von Miller you see hanging with the Dravenstott family. Rob had the opportunity to purchase a ticket through the C10 organization to meet 13 Broncos players and get footballs signed for friends and family. All proceeds of the evening went to benefit the Warrior Employment Project on behalf of veterans, so I gave the OK when Rob asked if he should get the ticket. (And I wanted to meet the Broncos players, too . . . .)

So the three kids and I raced through homework and a microwave dinner to be ready for Rob to drive us to the Performing Arts Center, the boys thoroughly hyped up in their Broncos jerseys. Their excitement level escalated as the evening went on and we met Von Miller, commiserated with Emmanuel Sanders on the crushing tackles he received last Sunday, and watched CJ Anderson beam when Daniel said he was his "favorite player." Louis Vasquez and Malik Jackson towered over us while the wide receivers and running backs seemed  much smaller without the cleats and pads.

I felt motherly toward some of them when I draped my arm over their leather jackets for a photo. When we told CJ Anderson to stay healthy and take care of himself he said, "that's the plan, but sometimes those big guys come down on top of you and there's not a lot you can do about it!" They were all gentlemanly and kind and we feel much more bonded to our home-town team.  When Rob's name was pulled for a door prize at the end of the night William said he thought his "heart would beat out of his chest!" Even our 13-year-old non-football fan was beaming by then, and it was worth five times the price of admission to see the kids bond over their mutual excitement and gratitude for a special evening.