Miracles for Millie

“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. 🤍

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. 🤍

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. 🤍🔔🎗️

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) 🤍🤍🤍

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. 🤍

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 🤍

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.

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. ❤️