Becoming a Monarch...

Julia and the monarchs 2025

Saturday, June 28th, 2025 update

Hi dear tribe,

As of today, we’re just 2 months and 20 days away from Julia’s final oral chemotherapy—yes, the last one! What a milestone!

I hope you're all enjoying your summer. Julia is full of energy—physically, intellectually, and in all her wonderfully silly ways. She’s bursting with life and not letting anything hold her back. Thank you, Jesus, for this amazing gift of Juju’s life! I’ll admit, I could use a magic energy pill to keep up with her.

Yesterday was clinic day, and everything went smoothly. She received a couple of prophylactic infusions, and her blood counts looked good, even though she’s been fighting a cold for a week (and yes, I caught it too). The only tough part was the nasal swab for a respiratory panel—poor girl! We’re still waiting on results to know the exact virus she is dealing with, and as long as there’s no fever, we’ll just let this virus run its course. Please keep praying that Julia’s body can fight and recover well. Her immune system is suppressed due to daily chemo, but we are believing, in Jesus’ name, for healing.

Earlier this week, we also had a follow-up with the pediatric dermatologist. She was not very happy, thank you for praying! It was an amazing appointment—finally some answers, hope, and a plan. The doctor believes her skin issues may be chemo-related toxicity and treat as you would eczema, the new treatment is already showing improvement!

Next appointment is a big one—Julia’s last lumbar puncture, last IV chemo, and last steroid pulse. Please pray for God's presence over every detail. My mama heart is full—happy, nervous, grateful, overwhelmed. Reflecting on this journey—its highs, lows, miracles, setbacks, and the constant love from all of you—I see God’s faithfulness in every step. Nothing is wasted. He has truly given us “beauty for ashes.”

We’ve had so many sweet and special moments this month. One of the highlights was celebrating Juju’s dear friend Penny—she rang the bell on her last day of treatment, and we got to celebrate with her amazing family at Medieval Times. What a joyful and emotional day!

We also attended a beautiful summer event hosted by PCRF (Pediatric Cancer Reseach —Foundation) it was absolutely wonderful. Getting there, though, was a whole journey in itself! I don’t think I’ve ever felt so lost trying to find a place… but through that confusion, I truly saw God’s hand guiding me out of a dark moment. It felt like more than just directions—it felt like deliverance.

And of course, our clinic hosted their Summer Carnival, which was fantastic! We felt so much joy, love, and support. We are deeply grateful for our entire medical team—their dedication and care continue to bless our family in countless ways.

But let me share a sweet full-circle moment: if you remember last year’s updates, Julia loved raising monarch butterflies. Well, she did it again this year! And guess what? Julia’s ballet recital was set to "Butterfly" by Linda Arnold, and they had the most beautiful monarch costumes. This felt like a gentle kiss from God—reminding us of transformation, freedom, and hope. Huge thanks to Miss Kimber Serrati and HAD Director Kimberly McEachern for nurturing Julia’s joy and strength through dance.

Thank you, family, for walking this journey with us. Your love, prayers, and constant support have carried us more than you know, with deep gratitute!

If you like to see Juju in her best June adventures, check out the video below.

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns"

Philippians 1: 6 NLT

Our hope is in the Lord!