Faith Family Football

Chapter One

Dedicated to @5sos0280

** First Chapter is up! Just kind of setting the tone and giving you a feel of family life with the Watts. Hope you enjoy! **

"Noah, come on babe. We have to get to the stadium if you want to see the game." I peaked my head into the playroom to find him laying on his stomach crayons and markers sprawled about the floor as he colored a giant piece of poster board in Texans colors, "What are you doing?"

I walked further into the room, trying not to freak out about the mess that surrounded him. He was in creative mode and the last thing I wanted to do was disturb that.

"Making a sign for daddy." Noah didn't even bother to look up at me as he put the finishing touches on his masterpiece.

"That's beautiful. He's really going to love it." I smiled feeling proud of the little boy JJ and I were raising. He had such a big heart and was always treating others with such kindness and he always felt it was important to make a special sign for JJ before each game, "You almost done? Your sisters are waiting, we don't want to be late."

Noah gave his sign a good look over, inspecting every angle before giving me a nod, "Yep. I'm ready."

He capped his marker before jumping up from his place on the floor, carefully grabbing his poster and holding it up for me to see.

Watt-ch out for my dad!

I laughed at the words that spread across the paper and I knew Noah had tried his very best to muster the neatest handwriting he could. Bless his heart. The sign was beyond adorable and I knew JJ and the team would get a kick out of it. Noah was always so creative with his signs and while I don't always know what he's going to write, I'm always happy to answer him when he asks how to spell something. Today the word he needed help with was watch, but spinning it into Watt-ch was all him.

"That's perfect Noah." I kissed the top of his head and there was nothing I could possibly love more about this moment then the proud smile on his face, "Daddy is going to love it."

"Ok mom lets go. We'll be late!" Noah quickly jogged out of the room, his poster in sign as if he had been waiting on me the entire time and not the other way around.

I chuckled as I turned to follow him, the words Mini Watt on the back of his jersey quickly disappearing as he went around the corner. JJ had that jersey personalized last season for him and I swear that he'd wear it every day if we let him but he definitely makes sure he gets to wear it to school at least once a week. It could certainly be worse and I was just thankful that Noah had such a positive role model.

Before I could even make it back to Avery who sat on the bench in the foyer monitoring Piper who was strapped into her car seat , Noah was standing in the driveway waiting for me to unlock the car. To say that he was in a hurry was an under statement. I ushered Avery out the door and draped the diaper bag over my shoulder before linking my arm through the handle of Piper's car seat. Sometimes I wondered if I was raising kids or running a circus, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Today was a big game for JJ and the team. Winning today means the opportunity to enter the playoffs and it turns out my son may be more excited than my husband at this point. JJ's passion for the game has become very reflective in Noah as the years went by. The two of them eat, sleep and breathe football but I'm okay with that. The bond they share because of it is special and let's face it, they are outnumbered in a house of girls.

"Noah, hold Avery's hand please." I often counted on Noah to be my helper because my hands are so often too full, "And you guys stand right up against the car and stand out of the way of the parking lot. I just have to get Piper in her carrier."

The kids followed my instructions closely as they stood right up against the side of my Escalade. JJ had bought it for me a couple month back during his off season and even though I insisted on another Tahoe, he insisted on the Escalade. Of course because it was a purchase he was making, the Escalade won. Not that I was complaining by any means, I had just gotten so comfortable with my Tahoe that I wasn't sure I was ready for a change. Safe to say JJ was right, I love this gas pig even more than my last one. If you ask me, he picked it out because hated to get behind the wheel of our Tahoe for fear he was part of the status quo. As he so often reminded me "Tahoes are becoming the new mini van".

I strapped Piper to my chest in her carrier and lead the kids along our familiar route into the stadium. We stopped occasionally along the way to acknowledge fans that had spotted us on our walk in. I will say JJ has some the sweetest fans. They were always so happy to see the kids and enjoyed the interaction even if it was brief.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Avery jumped up and down as she spotted JJ walking out of the locker room the moment we entered the players corridor.

"Avery! Avery!" JJ mocked playfully and the kids instantly let go of my hands and took off running towards him.

I smiled at the sight of them together, I always did. While I always think about how fast their growing, anytime I see them next to JJ they still look so small. Sometimes it was still hard to believe that this was my life. That I had found my soulmate in JJ Watt and that we had created this family together.

JJ laughed as Noah showed him his sign and I loved that he always made him feel so special. At the end of each home game JJ takes Noah to the locker room and they hang the signs he has made. It was something he really looked forward to and he loved to see all the guys.

"Hey babe." He turned his focus to me, the smile never leaving his face and I gladly accepted his kiss. That was one of the many things I loved about him, he was never afraid to show affection to me or the kids regardless of who was around and it always made me feel happy to know he was proud to call us his.

"Hi." I smiled watching as JJ kissed the top of Piper's head as she slept soundly against my chest, "What'd you think of your sign?"

JJ laughed, "Its awesome. I love it." He reached out and rubbed the top of Noah's head, "You guys coming out to the field for a little bit?" He looked from me to the kids and judging by the looks on their faces I already knew the answer to that.

"I think that's a yes." I laughed as the kids tugged at JJ waiting for him to lead us to the field.

Joining JJ and the team on the field had become a pre-game ritual for us. The kids loved to run around with the guys and I always appreciated their attempts to join in on pre-game workouts. Especially Avery who was certainly not as coordinated as Noah due to her young age. It was the photos captured in these moments that made our kids so loved by the Texans fans and it contributed to JJ's growing popularity across the NFL. People loved to see one of the NFL's top players in daddy mode and I can certainly say that I enjoy it too.