Miracles for Millie

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.

09/21/2025

Our sweet Millie girl has been admitted for a blood infection. She is in such great spirits and has one of her favorite nurses💕 Please join us in praying that the antibiotics do their job quickly and wipe the infection out. We also ask for prayers as we navigate all the moving pieces that come with an inpatient stay. Thank you for lifting her up — your love and support mean so much to us! 🩵

08/30/2025

It has been awhile since I’ve posted—so here’s an update on our Millie girl. The duality of these pictures speaks absolute volumes. Almost exactly a year ago, Millie was in the toughest part of her entire treatment plan. She lost all her hair. She battled a terrible case of mucositis. She was inpatient for two weeks because her ANC was completely depleted at zero and wouldn’t rise. She had no immune system and we were in total isolation. Her platelets bottomed out. We were truly in the thick of it. A deep valley filled with tears and pleas to God.

Fast forward to the second picture: Millie standing with her kindergarten class, singing and signing Jesus Loves Me in front of the whole school. She adores school. She LOVES her teachers and her friends so so big. She is absolutely thriving. Typing this brings tears of joy because in the valleys it’s so hard to ever imagine a mountaintop, but here we are. She made it. God is so so faithful. 🥹

I’d be lying if I said I never wrestle with fear. The urge to wait for the other shoe to drop is always there—the next fever, the next hospital stay, the next suspicious test result. Trauma makes you feel like something is lurking, ready to pull you back into the valley. In those moments, I remind myself to speak life into the darkness. To remember that no matter what valley comes, God will see us through. He’s done it before, and He will do it again.

Thank you for your love, support, and prayers. I could write a novel about all the ways God is moving in our lives right now—but for today, I’ll let these two pictures tell the story. 🥰

07/22/2025

Spinal procedure day for our girl! 🩺💉

Millie did amazing today. Based on her labs, one of her chemo medications is being increased. Today included a spinal procedure with chemo, another chemo through her port, and tonight she begins her steroid pulse. Please continue covering our brave girl in prayer. 💛

🩵 Pray for strength and peace during this week-long steroid pulse. The steriods are so necessary but are both physically and emotionally exhausting for all of us.
🩵 Pray that her cancer would never ever return.
🩵 Pray that her chemo would have maximum effect with no lasting side effects.
🩵 Pray that any remaining cancer cells would be completely destroyed.
🩵 Pray for her sweet heart as she continues to navigate this journey.

Millie has been going to counseling and recently shared with her therapist that when she feels nervous, she remembers: “Jesus is always with me.”😭🥹 She’s only five — and she gets it. I wish she didn’t have to, but she does. We were never promised an easy life, but we were promised we’d never walk it alone. And that promise has carried us.

We’ve soaked up every bit of summer we possibly could, and it’s bittersweet to see it winding down. In just a few weeks, both Millie and I will head back to school — she’ll be starting Kindergarten, and I’ll be back in the classroom.

When I was interviewing for jobs, I was always upfront about Millie’s diagnosis. I told every employer, “We’re a package deal.” At my final interview, while I was explaining her treatment journey, the school owner stopped me mid-sentence and said: “Say no more — we are a family first school.” I knew right then and there this was the place for us. Please pray over our school year and that Millie would have the absolute best year in Kindergarten. My mama heart cannot handle that she will be in Kindergarten but I am so grateful that she is here, and that she will be right down the hall.

Thank you for continuing to send all the love, prayers and encouragement. Only about three more cycles until Millie rings that bell! 🔔

06/27/2025

Update: Long night at the ER — we didn’t get home until about 3:30 a.m. 😴 Our girl has a bacterial infection that can cause respiratory illnesses like walking pneumonia, but thankfully all her labs and numbers looked good! 🙌 We were able to leave with antibiotics and a lot of relief. She’s home, resting, and already on the mend. Thank you so much for all the love, prayers, and kind messages — we feel them all! 💛🦠

Millie has absolutely lived it up this summer! ☀️From a magical trip to Disney World, swimming at the beach, rocking swimming lessons, and graduating from Safety Town, to a fun weekend camping trip, Tuesday nights cheering on her dad at the ballpark, summer camp adventures, and a full day at Okana—this girl has soaked up every bit of sunshine and joy.

It was only a matter of time before our beautiful, adventurous summer girl found herself in the ER. 😅 Millie spiked a fever this evening, and we’re saying all the prayers that it’s nothing major and that we get to head home tonight. 🙏

Sometimes it feels so scary to live life “normal” because you never know when it will end with an ER visit—but we actively choose to live in faith over fear! Grateful beyond words that even in the midst of the “what-ifs,” we keep showing up for the good stuff. Because when we lean into joy, even the hard moments feel a little lighter. 💛

05/23/2025

We’re home from Millie’s Make-A-Wish trip, and it’s hard to put into words just how magical and healing this past week was for our family. ✨

I didn’t realize how deeply we needed a break from reality until we were in it. Every single day was filled with laughter, wide-eyed wonder, and unforgettable memories. Millie was nonstop from sunup to sundown—running on pure joy. We were in the parks from opening to closing, and she rode every single ride and roller coaster she was tall enough for (some more than ten times!). The bigger the drop, the better—our brave girl smiled her way through them all!

As a Wish Kid, she was treated like royalty—skipping the long lines and soaking up every magical moment. The kindness and generosity we experienced were overwhelming in the best way.

We ended our trip with a day at the beach. Watching Millie splash in the waves and collect shells with the biggest smile on her face was the perfect close to a perfect week. There’s something about the ocean that always brings peace and perspective, and we soaked in every second. 🌊☀️

This trip reminded us of how much joy can live alongside the hard. Our hearts are so full—and so grateful. Thank you, Make-A-Wish Oklahoma, for giving our girl the adventure of a lifetime. 💛

04/29/2025

Today, Millie started Cycle 3 of Maintenance! She kicked it off with a spinal chemo procedure, more chemo through her port, and will continue with her oral chemo at home. She’s also beginning her five-day steroid pulse, which is always a physically and emotionally challenging stretch for her.

Just the other day, Millie was playing outside and proudly declared, “I am strong, I am brave and I’ll never give up!” Her joy and strength, even in the midst of this journey, continue to inspire us all.

We ask that you please continue to lift our sweet girl in prayer:

✨Pray that this week of steroids is manageable for her little body and spirit.
✨Pray that she stays healthy throughout this cycle.
✨Pray that if any lingering cancer cells remain, they would be destroyed.
✨Pray that the chemo has its full effect with minimal side effects.
✨Pray that Millie continues to find joy even in the chaos.

On a brighter note, we have some very exciting news—Millie will be leaving for her Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World so soon! Please pray that she stays healthy so she can enjoy every magical moment. Planning this trip has brought a spark of light during some really tough days, and we can’t wait to see her face light up with pure joy.

This time last year, we were in the thick of it—unable to see past the day in front of us. But God has been so faithful. We’ve felt a peace and strength that could only come from Him. And we’ve been blessed with the best village. Thank you for praying over our girl, loving her so well, and walking beside us. We truly couldn’t have made it through without you and we are so grateful for our people who continue to show up over a year later. Means more than you will ever know. 🩷

04/06/2025

Happy 5th birthday my sweet Millie girl. Somehow your age now matches the number of fingers on your entire hand—That same tiny hand that used to curl around just one of my fingers. This past year taught you how to be brave, resilient, courageous, and so so tough. It is my prayer that this year you get to soar, soak up all the joy and enjoy the adventure that lies before you 🩷

Millie had a special cake made for her birthday through a beautiful non-profit called Icing Smiles. They partner with bakers who deliver dream cakes to kiddos facing critical illnesses at no cost . We were partnered with the amazing Bridgette at B’s Sweet Side. This cake was not only beautifully and perfectly decorated, but tasted so so delicious! Bridgette is seriously such an incredible and talented human and I highly recommend her for any of your baking needs! Millie shared her amazing cake with the nurses station which was such a special and beautiful way to celebrate. We love our floor 10 nurses. 🩷

If Millie’s beautiful life journey has taught us anything, it’s that nothing ever goes as planned, but that it always turns out far more beautiful than we could ever imagine. Keep shining, my fierce, sweet and sassy girl. Here’s to your 5th trip around the sun!

✨Millie is being discharged today! Rhinovirus wreaked havoc on her immune system but she is feeling MUCH better today and ready to go home and continue the celebration. Thank you all SO much for your love and comments on the previous post. I read each one to her and she felt all the love and so celebrated on her special day✨