Miracles for Millie

04/30/2026

“Porty” (Millie’s port) is officially OUT, so of course we had to give it a forever home in a Build-A-Bear 🐻😭🥹

We wanted to honor the little device that carried her through so much in a way that felt special and fun. Now it gets to live on in her sweet bear forever. 🤍

04/27/2026

It is port removal day 😭🎉They just took our sweet Millie girl back. A cotton candy–flavored anesthesia mask awaits her. Pediatric medical teams always know how to make scary things feel just a little more magical. ✨

I’ve been wrestling with fear and anxiety as this day approached. It’s almost as if taking her port out feels like we are tempting fate. Like we’re just waiting for the next shoe to drop. This port has been her protector. The vessel through which chemo was delivered to destroy any and all cancer cells. And now that front-line defense is just… gone.

And yet, I am filled with a peace that surpasses all understanding. My human capacity to make sense of any of this is nonexistent. But God has given us a peace that rises above it all, the fear, the anxiety, the “what ifs.” A peace that only comes from Him.

The last time we sat in this waiting room, Millie was getting her port placed. Today, I’m reminded that God has walked beside her every step of the way. While her port has been an incredible medical tool, God has always been the true frontline defense. He has held her. He has healed her.

This journey has stretched and deepened our faith in ways that are hard to put into words. But we have seen God’s faithfulness again and again. And even if things hadn’t turned out the way we hoped, we would still declare His faithfulness.

Our prayer now is simple: that Millie never relapses, that she never needs a port again, and that she remains cancer-free for the rest of her life.

Her anesthesiologist said, “You’ve come to the end of this road! Time to make up for lost time!” And that is exactly what we intend to do.

Sweet dreams, Millie girl. When you wake up, you’ll officially be done with all of it. 🤍

04/10/2026

Today Millie’s teachers surprised her with a bell ringing in her classroom, and it was the sweetest, most meaningful thing. They had “peace out chemo” cookies, passed out yellow ribbons to the whole school, and filled the room with balloons and so much love.

Millie was absolutely beaming and her friends were genuinely happy for her. This class has prayed for her, stood by her, and loved her so well all year. Getting to ring that bell in her happy place, surrounded by her favorite people, is something we will never forget.

We are so incredibly blessed by this school and these teachers. They didn’t just teach her this year, they prayed for her, they carried her, encouraged her, and poured confidence back into her. That kind of love will last a lifetime.

There were lots of happy tears today. 🤍

Thank you, God, for these moments with our girl. We don’t take a single day for granted.

This isn’t just the end of treatment, it is the beginning of a new season of life for our Millie girl and I know she intends to live it to the fullest. 🤍🔔🎗️

04/05/2026

Happy 6th Birthday to our sweet Amelia Grace. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this birthday falls on Easter and that today is your very LAST day of chemo. God is SO SO good and SO SO faithful 😭😭😭

Millie girl, you are sunshine and fire in human form. You are full of sass, creativity, and love Jesus with your whole heart. You are not a fan of matching outfits or neatly placed hair. You prefer to mismatch and let your sweet soft curls be wild. You are the most effortlessly hilarious human being and have endless determination and courage. You love being outside and would eat a hideaway cheese pizza everyday if we let you. You have an infinite love for chocolate, swimming, and doing things ALL by yourself. You have the biggest brown eyes that have seen the worst this world has to offer and yet somehow ALWAYS find joy. You live to be silly, sing at the top of your lungs, and dance to your favorite ABBA record. Millie, you have such a light in you and it is my prayer that nothing ever puts it out.

You have had to be brave beyond your years and now you are DONE. YOU DID IT!! Praise God! 🎉🎉🎉Now, go be the beautiful six year old kid that you were always meant to be.

I thank God for your life and that I get to have a front row seat to it. Happy Birthday, Millie. You’re my girl (to which Millie always responds—you’re MY girl) 🤍🤍🤍

03/31/2026

MILLIE IS DONE WITH HER FINAL SPINAL! 🎗️🎉💉

She has a five day steroid pulse and five more days of oral chemo and then she is DONE. We have her bell ringing scheduled and will be scheduling her port removal asap.

So many emotions, but the main one is an overwhelming amount of gratitude. For all the love, donations, prayers… all of it. 🎗️🤍

Honestly, I don’t even think my mind has fully caught up to this moment yet. It feels surreal and I’m still trying to process it all. I’ll share more soon when I can find the words, but for now… just thank you. Truly. 🤍

03/10/2026

Our shirts for Millie’s “Final Spinal” came in today… and the tears came right along with them.

Two and a half years ago, this day felt like it would never come. Now we’re T-minus 22 days until her final spinal procedure, which marks the start of her last 5-day treatment cycle. It still feels unreal.

So much grief, joy, fear, and gratitude existing all at once.

Stay tuned… our Millie girl is almost done.

Praise God 🤍

02/10/2026

Another day, another ER visit. 🤒😩 This sick season is really kicking poor Millie’s rear. It hasn’t even been a month since the last time we were here, and at this point we’re on a first-name basis with the ER staff 😂 Please pray that Millie starts feeling better, that they’re able to find the source of this fever, that this is a quick visit, and that we get discharged soon.

This past Saturday, this sweet girl was living her best life—getting pampered and going to the Daddy Daughter dance. I often share photos of Millie in the hospital, so I wanted to share a glimpse of her living and having fun too. 💃🤍💕

Thank you for the love and prayers. They are so felt and appreciated.

01/19/2026

On January 23rd, 2024 Millie was sent to Children’s ER with a hemoglobin of 2.8. The first picture below is the very first photo I took of her that day before we unknowingly stepped into Millie’s cancer journey.

The second picture is Millie in the ER today. She has a fever and vomiting but is somehow still smiling.🫶🏼

Please pray that this sweet girl gets to be discharged from the ER and that she would get to go home. ❤️

01/06/2026

✨Millie Update✨

This sweet girl started her next big treatment this morning. That means spinal chemo, more chemo through her port, and a week of steroids. Our prayer is that the medicines have maximum effect with minimal side effects, especially the steroids, which really impact her emotionally and physically.

Today, as I watched five medical professionals surround her bed preparing for her spinal procedure, I felt nothing but immense gratitude. Gratitude for the doctors, nurses, and medical staff who dedicate their lives to helping kids like Millie girl. They never fail to make her smile, bring her comfort, and somehow bring joy into such a tumultuous time, all while handling chemo, needles, medications, and the weight of their incredibly busy days.

We are also so deeply grateful for every single person who has surrounded Millie with love, prayers, encouragement, meals, texts, check-ins, and unwavering support throughout this entire journey. You have carried us on days we couldn’t carry ourselves. Thank you will never be able enough.

Millie has quite literally grown up in this hospital. She was diagnosed at just 3 years old, and she will turn 6 right as treatment comes to an end. These halls, rooms, and faces have been part of her childhood. In so many ways, this place watched her learn how to be brave, resilient, and strong.

Millie has one more big treatment after this, and then her entire journey comes to an end in April. She’ll have her port taken out. No more chemo. Just… done. As quickly as we were thrown into the cancer world, it ends just as quickly. And to be honest, I’m not sure how to process all of it.

The other day in the car, Millie cried happy tears about getting her port out and said, “I don’t ever have to get a port poke again?!” There we were, sitting in the Chick-fil-A drive-thru, both sobbing as if the weight of the last two and a half years had finally surfaced.

The light is at the end of the tunnel, and we are absolutely elated. But I also have immense gratitude for the dark tunnel. For the beautiful community we gained, and for the way our faith has grown. For watching God show up time and time again. For watching Millie thrive.

Please continue to pray that the cancer would be gone forever, and that Millie would live a beautiful, long life in remission.

I hate cancer. I hate the poison it took to kill the cancer cells. I hate the trauma and grief of it all. But I love the story God is writing and how He is making something so terrible so beautiful in a way that only He can.

12/13/2025

Throughout Millie’s treatment, Our Blood Institute has truly become family. Millie quite literally would not be here if it weren’t for the life-saving work they do every single day.

If you’re looking for a meaningful way to give this holiday season, please consider donating blood. It truly saves lives.

In this video, the interviewer asked me, “What does life look like moving forward?” I found myself tearing up. When you’re in survival mode, you don’t think beyond what’s directly in front of you. Being able to imagine a future for Millie, a life moving forward, is a gift I will never take for granted.

This is "251119_HolidayCardBontempo_16x9_v01" by Our Blood Institute on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

10/14/2025

Today marks the start of Millie’s big treatment that she receives every 12 weeks. She had her spinal chemo, more chemo through her port, and will continue her daily oral chemo. This also begins her 5-day steroid pulse. Please keep our girl in your prayers. These steroid days can be especially tough on her little body. 💛

After today, Millie only has two more spinal procedures before she rings the bell in April! 🔔
When she was first diagnosed, 2.5 years of treatment felt like a lifetime away. But here we are, finally nearing that finish line. Millie’s journey is never lost on us, and we are endlessly grateful that she is here, thriving, and continuing to shine so brightly.

Please continue to pray for her strength, healing, and that her cancer would never, ever return. We are holding tightly to gratitude and hope as we finish out this chapter strong. 💕

09/24/2025

Millie has been discharged!! 🎉🙌🙏 She will be on at-home IV antibiotics for the next couple of weeks. Her port will stay accessed, and Eric and I will be giving her the meds here at home. We’re so thankful she can finish the antibiotics from the comfort of home.

She felt SO loved during this stay. Her school family went above and beyond to support her with visits, cards, and thoughtful gifts. On top of that, the therapy dogs, amazing nurses, and wonderful doctors truly make her days brighter. 💛

We are beyond grateful for all the love and prayers that have surrounded Millie and our family these past few days. Every bit of encouragement has lifted us up and helped us to survive another inpatient stay.

Coming home is the best feeling, though OU Children’s 10th floor sure makes it hard to leave.