Ariah’s Journey with HLH

10/13/2026

Day +113 | 111 days post transplant.

We’re slowly adjusting to life at home and working our way toward a sense of normalcy again. Ariah still has restrictions in place until we meet with her Cincinnati team again in March, but being home is such a blessing.

We even had a special gift waiting for Ariah when we arrived home from some wonderful friends. It’s moments like these that remind me just how blessed we are to have built such an amazing community throughout this journey. The love, prayers, and support we’ve received have meant more than words can ever express.

Tomorrow, Ariah has her return patient appointment at Vannie Cook, where she’ll begin reconnecting with our local medical team. We’re so grateful to have them caring for our girl as we continue this next chapter of recovery. ❤️‍🩹

For now, here are a few pictures of our girl enjoying her first days back home!

As we continue settling in and working toward our new normal, our updates may begin to become a little less frequent. Please know that we’ll always keep you updated here on any major changes or concerns along the way. Thank you for continuing to follow, pray for, and love our girl. ❤️

Taking things one day at a time, celebrating the little things, and thanking God for bringing us this far.

10/07/2026

WE ARE FINALLY HOME. 🏡❤️

Can you believe it?! After everything, after all those nights away, we are finally back home. 🥹

A huge thank you to my dad, my father-in-law, and my mother-in-law for picking Ariah and me up in Houston and getting us home. There’s no better feeling than seeing familiar faces waiting for you. ❤️

And above all, thank you to the incredible pilots who brought my girl home safely. George, Paul, and Scott—you will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Thank you for volunteering your time, your aircraft, and your kindness to fly Ariah privately so she could travel home safely. We will never forget what you did for our family. ✈️

Now that we are finally home, we know so many of our family and friends are excited to see Ariah—and believe me, we are just as excited to see everyone. 🥹

But for now, we have to be extra careful. We will be allowing only a minimal number of visitors at a time while Ariah continues to recover and adjust to being home.

Please, if you are feeling sick, have any symptoms at all, or have recently been around someone who is sick, we kindly ask that you wait to visit. We know it can be hard to miss out on seeing her, but something that may seem small to us can become something very serious for Ariah.

We know everyone understands that this comes from a place of love and protection.

We waited a long time to bring our girl home, and now we just want to keep her safe. 🥹🎀🏡

Thank you for loving us, praying for us, supporting us, and continuing to love our Ariah through every step of this journey.

HOME SWEET HOME.

10/07/2026

When we first arrived at the Ronald McDonald House, one of the workers—who would soon become a dear friend—told us, “A lot of people cry when they leave.”

I remember thinking, “Why?! You get to go home!” 😂

Now I understand. ❤️

You spend months here. You build relationships. You share meals, stories, tears, laughter, hard days, and little victories. The people here become family. What started as a place to stay became our home away from home.

For 294 nights, this place held so many chapters of Ariah’s story. She had so many of her firsts here, and I hope as she grows up, I can remind her just how many people and organizations helped carry us through the hardest season of our lives.

The gift of having a home just minutes away from the hospital while your child is receiving life-saving care is something I will never, ever take for granted.

Ahh… I’m going to miss this place so much. 🥹❤️ But this family was ready to go home.🏡

Ronald McDonald House, thank you for opening your doors to us. Thank you for giving us a place to rest, a place to feel safe, and most importantly, thank you for loving us—and for loving our girl. 🥹🎀

294 nights. So many memories. One very grateful family.

See you soon, Ronald McDonald. ❤️🏡🍂

10/06/2026

Today was Ariah’s LAST clinic visit in Cincinnati.

I don’t think I could ever truly put into words how I feel about these incredible individuals who have cared for our girl and our family.

I walked into this clinic on December 23rd, scared, overwhelmed, and unsure of what the road ahead would look like. But from the moment we stepped through those doors, we were welcomed with open arms. I instantly felt like family. And somehow, deep in my heart, I knew my baby was going to be safe here. I knew we were going to leave with a healthy girl.

I truly believe the Lord placed other HLH mommies in my path at exactly the right time. Through them, He led us to this medical team. And from the very beginning, our family was constantly reassured that we were in the best hands.

And today, I can look at our Ari and say with my whole heart—He was right.

Our girl is another testimony of the incredible work that happens behind these doors, just like so many other children and families who have walked these halls before us. We have watched the Lord work through the hands of this medical team. We have watched prayers become answered, heard words of hope when we needed them most, and experienced miracles we will never take for granted.

I can honestly say that through this journey, my faith has never been stronger. There were moments I didn’t understand why we were walking this road, but God continued to place the right people in our path and carry us through every single step.

So today isn’t goodbye.

It’s simply see you soon.

We will be back March 2027 for Ariah’s spring 6-month checkup, and we will continue to carry this team with us wherever we go.

And in December, Ariah will have her first set of labs back home in Texas with the man who first diagnosed our girl, got her into remission, and began her treatment—Dr. Bernini.

Those December labs will be especially emotional because they will be the longest Ariah has ever gone without blood work. That alone feels like such a milestone.

To every doctor, nurse, coordinator, and member of this team who loved our girl, prayed for our girl, cared for our girl, and cared for US—thank you will never be enough.

You didn’t just treat Ariah.

You became part of our family.

We will forever be grateful that the Lord led us here.

See you soon. 🦋✨

10/06/2026

One of the sweetest gifts Ronald McDonald House gave our family wasn’t just a place to stay—it was the people we met along the way. ❤️

This family became so much more than just another family we met at the Ronald. We shared the hard days, the tears, the laughs, the little victories, and the moments that only other BMT families can truly understand. 🥹

Our girls were going through so much, but somehow they found friendship and comfort in each other along the way. Watching them grow stronger together has been such a beautiful part of our journey.

As we get ready to leave Cincinnati and head HOME, it’s bittersweet knowing we won’t just run into these familiar faces anymore. But I know this isn’t goodbye. These are the friendships that were born in one of the hardest seasons of our lives and will hopefully last far beyond these walls. 🤍

Forever grateful for the Ronald McDonald House for bringing our families together. What started as a place to stay became a place filled with memories, love, friendship, and people we will carry with us long after we leave. 🏡❤️

We love you guys so much! 🥹💕

"During the most difficult fight of our daughter’s life, the Ronald McDonald House gave us something we needed so badly: family. Thank you for everything you have done for us, for the kindness you showed us, and for helping carry our family through these nine months." -Katherine, guest mom

10/03/2026

✨Day +102 | 100 days post transplant!

A lot of celebrations this week!

Today marks 100 days since Ariah received her second bone marrow transplant.🦋

When we walked into Cincinnati for this second transplant, we knew we were asking our little girl to fight another enormous battle. And once again, she showed us just how strong she is.

Today, we celebrate 100 days of her new beginning. A new immune system. A new chance. A new chapter.

We have watched her reach milestones that once felt so far away. But today, we celebrate.

We celebrate our daughter.
We celebrate her strength.
We celebrate her donor and the incredible gift she gave our baby.
We celebrate every doctor, nurse, therapist, social worker, family member, friend, prayer warrior, and stranger who has carried us through this journey.

And most of all, we celebrate God’s faithfulness. 🙏🏼

Ariah, Mommy and Daddy are so unbelievably proud of you. You have fought battles that we wish we could have fought for you, and somehow you continue to wake up every day with the sweetest smile.

May this transplant continue to grow strong within you. May your body continue to heal. May your immune system continue to rebuild. And may this beautiful little girl finally get to experience the childhood she deserves. 🦋

Happy Day +100, our miracle baby. ✨

10/01/2026

Happy 1st Re-Birthday, Ariah! 🦋

Today marks one year since Ariah’s first transplant.

After a transplant, children are often given a “re-birthday” because in many ways, they are being given a new beginning — a chance at life, a chance to heal, and a chance to start again. And today, we celebrate that beautiful gift.

Although Ariah’s first transplant ultimately wasn’t the cure we desperately needed, we will always celebrate it. We will always be grateful for the donor who gave our daughter an incredible gift — the gift of time to get her to the transplant that she needed.

And now, our sweet girl has something very special in our family…

Two Re-Birthdays.

One for each transplant. Two new beginnings. Two chapters in her story.

Today, we honor her first transplant, her first donor, and every person who fought alongside us during that chapter. Even though the outcome wasn’t what we prayed for, that transplant was still an important part of Ariah’s journey — and we will forever be thankful for the time it gave us.

And now, as we celebrate this first Re-Birthday, we look at our beautiful girl and see just how far she has come.

Happy 1st Re-Birthday, Princess.
You were given a gift of life, and you have fought so incredibly hard for it.

Mommy and Daddy will forever celebrate every birthday, every re-birthday, every milestone, and every extra day we are blessed to have with you.

We love you more than words could ever explain. ❤️

09/30/2026

Day +100 | 98 days post transplant!

Ariah’s central line was officially removed, and she did AMAZING! 🥹🎀 The procedure was less than an hour, and before we knew it, it was all done.

It’s honestly so amazing to see her little chest bare again… with nothing but a bandaid. After everything she has been through, seeing that empty space where her line once was feels like such a beautiful reminder of how far she has come.

I love you so much, princess. More than words could ever explain. May you never, ever doubt that Dad and I will always be right by your side through every step, every battle, and every new beginning. 🤍

We’re back at the Ronald now. She’s still a little drowsy from the procedure, but she’s eating and drinking normally.

And now… we are officially ONE WEEK away from going HOME! 🏡😭💗

One more week, baby girl. One more week. ✨🙏🏼

09/30/2026

WHEW!

What a month! THANK YOU to all of you for helping us make HLH known!

30 days.
Countless blue shirts.
Hundreds of shares.
Warrior stories.
Conversations started.
New people learning what HLH is.

And this is only the beginning.

Thank you for helping us make HLH harder to overlook. 💙

Histiocytosis Awareness Month may be ending, but our work continues every day, for the families fighting HLH, for the survivors, and in memory of the warriors we've lost.

Keep talking about HLH. Someone out there may need to hear it.

09/29/2026

Day + 99 | 97 days post transplant!

Today marked Ariah’s last set of labs through her central line!

It’s hard to put into words how much this milestone means after everything she’s been through.

Little by little, we’re getting closer to leaving some of these difficult days behind. We’re so proud of our strong girl and grateful for every step forward. 💗✨