David Beckham, a 4th grade paper & NF

The other day Joseph told me about a paper he's working on in class. The topic for the assignment was, "if you could change something in your life, what would it be?" So all these crazy ideas went through my mind on what my goofy kid picked. But he didn't pick anything goofy, he didn't wish he had super powers or wanted to change his Dad for Kobe Bryant. He chose to change his NF. If Joe had one thing he could change, he would change being born with NF. As I sat at the table fighting back the lump in my throat and the urge to grab him and say I was so sorry and wish I could take this all away, I instead asked how the paper was going. He said he had to write a few reasons to support his topic and he wrote that he doesn't want tumors on his spine and he doesn't want his leg to hurt anymore. That’s a powerful paper for a 4th grader, but it's something he has to deal with on a daily basis. While his friends were probably writing about how they'd change their houses to mansions or have basketball stars and Hannah Montana as their parents, Joseph was writing about not wanting NF.

So what does this have to do with David Beckham? Well not much, but the only soccer player I know is David Beckham and soccer is Joseph's favorite sport. And watching him at practice tonight, I thought about his 4th grade paper. On the soccer field Joseph's not the tallest player, he doesn't make a goal every game, or bend it like Beckham, but watching him on the field and knowing what he goes through and knowing that he was so close to that spinal fusion 6 months ago that wouldn't have let him play soccer this season at all- That makes me so proud of him and his "sick" soccer skills!

He was so happy on the field tonight, not a care in the world and he was so excited kicking the ball around like a mad man. We are Blessed everyday for the fact that we have him, and at the moment we can't change NF in his life but I believe someday we can. Someday we will re-read his 4th grade paper and say, remember when you wrote this? Remember when you thought of this as just a wish and now it's true? Tonight that's what I'm praying for, I'm praying for Joseph's 4 grade paper to come true. And who knows? Maybe we do have the next David Beckham in our hands?

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