In light of these realities, Keaton and I are publishing this essay here with hopes you, dear readers, will read it carefully and share it far and wide. We tried to place it in larger publications this spring, but to no avail. We invite you to commit to taking one small action in the next month to minister to those of our brothers and sisters suffering from addiction and their families. Ideas are in the penultimate paragraph, but please don’t skip to the end! Additionally, you might watch and share Unshackled: Healing Addictions Through Faith, now streaming on Shalom World TV.

Thank you.

—

Recovery for Substance Use Disorder Needs Faith Communities to Step Up and Step In

Keaton Douglas with Lindsay Schlegel

Any time a person develops an unnatural attachment, whether it is to substances, pornography, devices, or otherwise, he forfeits a part of his unique human dignity. Whatever the focal point of that attachment might be, it distances him from his own being, his loved ones, his community, and the god of his understanding and thereby prevents him from seeing himself, his surroundings, and the purpose of his life with clarity. The severity of the damage covers a spectrum, but that there will be damage is inevitable. In many cases—like the 48.5 million individuals who suffered from substance use disorder in 2023—the stakes are high and the impact is profound.

These are the individuals with whom and with whose families I have been working for years as founder and executive director of iTHIRST, which stands for The Healing Initiative—Recovery, Spirituality, and Twelve Steps, and is a mission of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity. The disease of addiction is sometimes the result of generational trauma, sometimes the consequence of an attempt to escape intense emotional pain, and sometimes the fallout of a too-aggressive prescription written post-surgery. Whatever its impetus, addiction is a disease of mind, body, and soul. While the latter is my present concern, because the latter is where I see the greatest hope for healing, the physiological realities of addiction are no less significant. Unfortunately, they are often misunderstood.

Individuals who fall into addictions like the ones I see every day—and let us not forget these people are individuals, with their own stories, relationships, backgrounds, and promise—cannot simply stop using whatever it is they have become chained to. Their brain chemistry has changed so that the midbrain is so intent on seeking a hit from its object that it overrides the rational decision-making of the prefrontal cortex. Even the relationships a person once held very dear can be steamrolled by choices made when the proper functioning of the brain is obstructed. Medical and psychological treatment can contribute to rewiring these systems, but recovery is incomplete when it neglects spirituality, a crucial element of holistic healing.

A missed opportunity

Recovery programs often excuse or exclude faith communities from contributing to healing from addictions, sometimes due to restrictions on the state or federal funding upon which they depend. Yet faith communities have a unique opportunity to play a very real role in reigniting the unique human dignity in one who is living with addiction. Across cultures and around the world, people are thirsting to find a relationship with a god of their understanding. To ignore this natural yearning is to significantly restrict the possibilities of those working toward long-term recovery.

Viktor Frankl believed that the primary motivation of the human person is to find meaning in life. What we find will inform how we respond to suffering. If we find resonance beyond ourselves and the present moment, we can locate the motivation to persevere through challenging circumstances, to fight for those weaker than ourselves. We can recognize and appreciate our own inherent dignity, which is not negated by poor decisions or patterns of behavior. Without a deeper understanding of the potential growth and redemption that might come from suffering, pain remains simply pain.

Government and secular social institutions are not equipped to navigate the road toward restoring the dignity that is compromised when an unnatural attachment takes hold. Time and again, I have witnessed timidity when it comes to spirituality, a reticence to offend, a reluctance to discuss the truth we see for fear it will dismiss someone else’s experience. For too long, spirituality in this arena has been shunned. We need to involve those who have not yet been involved.

Here, then, is where faith communities of all stripes can step up and step in to guide those individuals toward discovering the purpose and meaning of their lives. I see my work through the lens of Catholicism, which appreciates the mind-body unity of the human being and encourages reflection on mercy, forgiveness, and the hope of joyful everlasting life. I have worked alongside Jewish, Protestant, and Muslim individuals who promote the same realities through their texts and traditions. No denomination has the market cornered when it comes to the dignity of life, which means we all have the responsibility and the potential to guide our brothers and sisters back to themselves.

A global crisis

Substance use disorder is a human crisis that exists not only in the United States, but as a scourge on all of human society. For years, I have been training spiritual companions to walk with those suffering from addictions and their families through iTHIRST. The course, which is academically certified through the Continuing Education and Professional Studies Division of Seton Hall University, has reached into forty-seven states and eight Native American reservations, across the ocean into Europe, and in the last year, the curriculum was taught for the first time on the continent of Africa. The pain and suffering of fractured family units and distorted relationships is everywhere. The loss of human dignity is everywhere.

I was surprised to find the rate of addiction among adults in the African nations we’ve reached is 14-16%, which is the same as in the States. The people I worked with in Nigeria, Cameroon, and elsewhere were seeking the same kind of resources those in suburban America are pursuing. Those in war-torn African nations are trying to restore the dignity of the human person. I had a student participate in class in the dark because the separatists were outside. I was struck by the diligence of her search for answers, even in the midst of warfare. She, like others I’ve worked with, is staunchly committed to helping those suffering around her.

Consider the priest from Nigeria who inquired about the course from the Northlands, where the terrorism is going on. The youth are so despondent that they are turning to drugs and alcohol. No other social institution is stepping up, and so faith leaders like this priest are looking for help. More like him are ready and waiting for the next session to learn how to address the issue in a manner that will serve their people. Elsewhere, too, people in rural areas with no clinical or government support are desperate for at least spiritual consolation and whatever resources might be available as they watch their brothers and sisters lose themselves and their lives.

Here in the States, too, people are looking for a way out of the pain and destruction that addiction causes in families, the foundation of society. Think of a teenager who is making dinner and driving his siblings where they need to be because his father is gone and his mother is unable to care for her children. Rather than being protected and provided for, this young man—who is still in many ways a child—must shoulder the responsibility of protecting and providing for his mother and his siblings. Clinicians’ aid only goes so far. This, too, is why we’re creating a curriculum for incarcerated youth incorporating logotherapy, the mode of psychotherapy formed around Frankl’s findings, which encourages the pursuit of meaning and purpose.

Seeking hope with purpose

This scourge on society can take so many different forms, yet a simple truth rests at the root of the solution: human beings possess inherent dignity that unnatural attachments deteriorate and threaten to outright destroy. Humans thrive in community, but addiction leads to isolation. They long for the transcendent, and yet addiction shackles them to the chase for a fleeting moment of reprieve. The general public’s misconceptions and many social institutions’ inadequate programming fail to serve those on the margins whose minds, bodies, and souls have been distorted, though, to be sure, not irredeemably so.

The solution starts with a conversation. Addiction remains taboo, even in spiritual circles, and so a prompt can go a long way in opening the door. Add prayers for those addicted and their families to shared intentions at religious services. Offer a book club to promote understanding of what addiction really is. A facilitators’ guide for my book, The Road to Hope: Responding to the Crisis of Addiction, is available for free online. Organize a service to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31.

Once faith communities have made these simple moves, the next step is to listen. Listen to those who didn’t know where else to turn and were surprised to find an opening where they worship. Listen to those who have only been able to talk about the journey of their son, daughter, spouse, or parent in whispers. Listen to those who feel called to serve those in need, but didn’t know where to start.

—

Summary of Resources

The Road to Hope: Responding to the Crisis of Addiction

Book discussion facilitators’ guide

iTHIRST, The Healing Initiative—Recovery, Spirituality, and Twelve Steps

iTHIRST Spiritual Companionship Training

How to Set Up a Recovery Ministry

How to Hold an Interfaith Prayer Service

How to Initiate Prayers of the Faithful

How to Hold a Spiritual Healing Retreat

Unshackled: Healing Addictions Through Faith, a series that premiered this summer on Shalom World TV

What’s more, the playlist was stacked. And yet somehow, the song my kids have been asking for is not Goo Goo Dolls, not Blues Traveler, not Oasis, but “Bailamos” by Enrique Iglesias.

We attended my youngest sister-in-law’s wedding, which made even more of an impact on our family playlist. My little guys now regularly request “Shut Up and Dance,” which makes sense, and “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” by Fall Out Boy, which you really have to know our clan to understand. They are confident they know all the words to the latter. They do not, but I’m not telling them.

Most recently, we celebrated our youngest’s birthday. I was so pumped to take him and his friends to see the Bluey movie (if you’re asking, What Bluey movie? stay with me). John was going to take half a day off work; we had a plan. Unfortunately, my eyes somehow skipped over “2027” in the announcement. So it looks like next year’s party is all set.

Among other things to celebrate is dear friends finalizing their adoption. There is a singular joy in being a reference in such a case—and not because it reminds me of “Baby Kangaroo Tribbiani.” We ought to celebrate our friends more often.

1. Some updates

It was such fun to be the featured author at my friend Mary Grace Mangano’s summer writing camp. I would have loved to meet with the kids in person, but Zoom had to suffice.

The students read one of my essays in advance and asked some good questions at the end. One of them stumped me: what is my favorite thing I’ve written? I think The Road to Hope is the most important thing I’ve written. As for favorite fiction, I think I’d say “Cheers to Fifty Years,” which can be found in this issue of Solum Journal.

2. What I’m reading

When I’m not reading for my current project, I’m picking up Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry. I loved Hannah Coulter and am very much enjoying more time in Port Williams and its surrounds.

3. What my kids are reading

I’ve assigned some summer reading to my older boys, but it hasn’t happened yet (Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”). We’re on the last week of camp for this year, so there will be more encouragement on these in the slower-paced weeks to come.

4. Something I love

Catholic Literary Arts has some amazing programming coming up this fall. Jessica Sheaff, an excellent writer and UST classmate, is teaching “Subtext: When the Unwritten Speaks Volumes,” which looks incredible. Katy Carl and Joshua Hren will discuss his latest book, More than a Matter of Taste: A Conversation on the Moral Imagination. Each is brilliant in his or her own right; to hear them in conversation will be wonderful.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

A week at Lake George last month did a lot of good for my soul. There, it was easier get spiritual reading in each morning. I managed to finish knitting a pair of socks I started and then re-started something like ten years ago.

The rush of finishing something inspired me to pull out the two nearly-complete sweaters in my WIP pile. I finished two sleeves, though not on the same sweater. I’m awaiting more yarn to finish the collar on the one that does have two completed sleeves. I’m not ready to summer to be over, but at least I’ll have the pleasure of new knits when we get there.

6. Where my work is

Boston College: “Boston College faculty honored by Catholic Media Association” (mention of God’s Little Flowers in the bit about alumni)

Word on Fire: “Beyond Our Limited Vision: Life, Love, and Perspective in ‘Silas Marner’”

CatholicMom: “Practicing Well”

WINE: “He Is Worth Risking Everything”

7. What I’m working on

My creativity is not limited to fiber arts! I’m making good progress on a draft of that new manuscript. Some of the above-mentioned knitting projects are in good places to be worked while an audiobook is playing.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   Some days, sitting here on my porch over the river, my memory seems to enclose me entirely; I wander back in my reckoning among all of my own that have lived and died until I no longer remember where I am. And then I lift my head and look about me at the river and the valley, and the great, unearned beauty of this place, and I feel the memoryless joy of a man just risen from the grave.

   —Jayber Crow, Wendell Berry

When I heard that Rector (who am I kidding, we just call him Ben around here) was going on a tour city symphonies throughout the US, I started plotting how to get to see a show. The closest one was in D.C., but it got canceled before we could make a plan. Living in New Jersey, you get kind of accustomed to having all kinds of things within arm’s reach. I was bummed for some time that there weren’t any shows on the Eastern seaboard. Could we make Seattle work? No, the timing wasn’t right. I accepted that travel for a concert is not part of this stage in life. We’d catch him on another tour. As one of his recent songs acknowledges, “these are the golden days.” I want to enjoy them while they’re here.

BUT THEN. John figured out a way to get us to Dallas for a weekend to see the show. Family and friends rallied to get kids to a violin audition, a couple of parties, and Mass. Amazing. What a gift. The show was on the Feast of the Sacred Heart. That morning, I was delighted to be served a cappuccino in this mug:

You may recall that one of the last times John planned a trip for the two of us, we ran off the side of a mountain. On purpose. This time, we went to a bookstore and a museum. Much more my speed.

BUT THEN. These plans were all settled and in place when I happened upon a post on one of Ben’s socials. He was, in fact, going to play a show in New York. At the Lincoln Center. With the New York Philharmonic.

I ended up at that one too, not with John, but with one of my best friends. She didn’t know Ben’s music, but when I asked if she’d come, she answered yes within seconds.

Maybe it’s silly to say that these shows reminded me how abundantly God provides. Going to two stops on the same tour is more than a luxury, especially when one means traveling to another time zone. All the same, I am renewed in awareness of His goodness and grace. Great music, two of my favorite people, and a sweet concert t-shirt? Amen.

Between those shows, John and I had the pleasure of attending an event of the Rivendell Center, where we heard Joseph Loconte speak on C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, war, friendship, and imagination. (Another instance of being spoiled living in New Jersey.) The talk was invigorating and encouraging. Lots to think about as humans and particularly as parents of teenagers, who are growing up in a culture different than the one in which we came of age. I’m looking forward to seeing how the Center grows in the years to come.

1. Some updates

It’s a joy to share that God’s Little Flowers was awarded first place in the Catholic Media Awards’ Preschool Reading category. High fives to Kate Camden, Joy Laforme, Lindsey Riesen, and the crew at OSV Kids for bringing this book to readers so beautifully.

2. What I’m reading

I was reading my copy of Shirley Jackson’s Life Among the Savages (affiliate link) on the train home after the Rivendell event and laughed so much that John finally had to ask what was so funny. All of it. All of it is funny.

3. What my kids are reading

These first weeks of summer are finding kiddos on couches, engrossed in Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings, the Green Ember series. My older guys are contemplating learning Elvish, wishing that was an option on Duolingo. My little guy says he can’t read, but I surreptitiously make sure he reads something out loud every day.

I’ve also been reading The Secret of the Goldfish: A Gloria Treddle Mystery by Mark Guiney to my kids. We love the characters in this big family (the dinner scene in an early chapter had us all laughing), and the writing is very good.

4. Something I love

The first week of summer, my kids put on a rocket camp for five other children. My oldest took the lead, organizing lessons, stations, (healthy!) snacks, and more to keep these kiddos occupied and engaged for three hours each morning. The last day, we went to a local park to launch the rocket the kids built throughout the week.

There wasn’t a total lack of bickering, but on the whole they worked together and I’m so stinking proud of them. I think this is something they’re going to look back on later and be impressed that they pulled it off so well.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

I think about watercolors a lot more often than I paint with watercolors. I did manage a bit of a session when my friend was visiting. The first couple pages were disheartening, but I ended up with a couple pieces that weren’t awful and brought me some joy. (That bookshelf bookmark is in my other current read, Minor Indignities by Trevor Cribben Merrill).

My daughter and I also dyed a white dress she wore as a flower girl to be blue for her to wear as a wedding guest this weekend. It worked AND we didn’t dye the clothes we were wearing as we worked. Double victory.

6. Where my work is

My friend Janille Stephens is launching a series of interviews with moms who are working, published writers. The series is called “The Doubly Creative Life,” and you can find it on her Substack, Human Things. I was honored to be the first interviewee. She asked some great questions I was happy to consider.

Word on Fire: I wrote about my reflections on Silas Marner. Last I heard, the post is scheduled for tomorrow, so click over and check it out.

Into the Deep: The Catholic Virtues Study is available for pre-order! This 200+-page volume was a huge undertaking. We put our all into everything we do at Into the Deep, but this one has a special place in my heart. I pray it is a valuable resource in forming and guiding the next generation.

7. What I’m working on

Still working on this new book proposal. I’m a little behind where I want to be, but I think a camp schedule next week will help me catch up.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

“And Minnette, I will continue to believe that even your difficult dad is capable of saintliness.”

Minnette raised her eyebrows and snickered incredulously. “Well, if he gets there, it will belong in the ‘miracle’ column.”

Theo nodded. “Indeed, that is the only column there is, my dear, for any of us.”

—Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

Not as important, but still kind of important: Two of my kids played “Don’t Stop Believin’” for year-end music assignments/concerts, which I take as a huge parenting win. If we had to pick a family theme song, this would be it.

And considerably less important is that I took this picture of our dog, Arwen, a few weeks back. I love when she settles in beside me while I read and work. Of course she will never need a headshot for the back cover of a novel, but if she did, it’s good to know we’re ready.

1. Some updates

My next book has an official title: Kitchen Counter Culture: Building Faith in Your Home with the Saints. Edits are underway, and it’s scheduled for release in Spring 2027 by Our Sunday Visitor. Stay tuned for a cover reveal in a few months. Pre-orders will likely be available late winter.

2. What I’m reading

I’m working on a proposal for a book that would have me reading or re-reading about thirty novels within certain constraints. I love working on it, and I hope to share more soon. In the meantime, I’ve been reading for three (!!) different book clubs.

We took a vote for the next selection in the book club my husband and I lead. George Eliot’s novel Silas Marner came in first (and we discussed it yesterday at our favorite vineyard; the groups’ favorite thus far), with Gunnar’s Daughter by Sigrid Undset a very close second (date TBD).

I asked the ladies in my two Well-Read Mom groups for summer reading recommendations. One novel came up in both conversations: Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. So far, it’s an easy, feel-good read, though I miss the depth and resonance of Eliot’s writing.

My writers’ group has developed a practice of discussing a published novel rather than submitting work for critique over the summer. I’m thoroughly entrenched in The Secret History by Donna Tartt, of which it turns out I scored a free Audible edition sometime in 2023. Must finish before school ends and all the kids are back in the car during the day. Definitely not a family read.

3. What my kids are reading

When my oldest asked to read the Harry Potter books, we told him to wait until he was a little older, knowing that once he started the series, it would be a bummer for him to have to pause. We landed on the summer before sixth grade as the time when our kids would be allowed to read as much of the series as they liked. We’re up to kiddo number three in this arena, and she is so excited that for months she has been asking me to bring the first book in the car when I pick her up on the last day. Please, Lord, don’t let me forget!

4. Something I love

I left out a big box of Duplos after my last Well-Read Mom meeting for the year, and they get played with every day. Two of my boys are still little and of the age group to which these generally appeal, but it’s not just these who are making tanks and so on. I love watching creativity unfold, love that, “Hey Mom, look at this,” that means my children, despite their ages, remain childlike.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

I delighted in a Sip and Script class with a friend a few weeks ago. We both had learned a bit of basic calligraphy before, so the class was more of a review. That was just fine, because it meant more opportunity to chat and catch up. One of my kids has a plan to practice calligraphy (among other visual arts) on a regular basis this summer. I hope that will offer sufficient motivation for me to try again!

With the help of Canva (though without the help of AI), I made some cards with quotes and prayers I’ll swap in a frame every two weeks or so this summer. You can find them at the bottom of this post. You’re welcome to download them here and use them in your home.

I also used Canva to make some games and decor for my sister-in-law’s bridal shower, which we just celebrated at our house.

6. Where my work is

WINE: “Every Thought, Word, and Deed”

Into the Deep: Corpus Christi Study

I Am the Lord’s: A Lectio Divina Journal for Women

I Am the Lord’s: A Lectio Divina Journal for Kids

Word on Fire: “Stories That Show the Examined Life Is Very Much Worth Living”

7. What I’m working on

Sending in edits for one book, working on a proposal for another, with a couple of book reviews thrown in.

Each year, I find myself thinking I’ll have a better schedule for writing when the kids are in school … or when they’re out of school … or over some period of time. I’m working on staying present and finding the time in the life we have instead. Here’s hoping I make my self-imposed deadline on one of these next month.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

We can be sure that whoever sneers at [the name of beauty] as if she were the ornament of a bourgeois past—whether he admits it or not—can no longer pray and soon will no longer be able to love.

—Hans Urs von Balthasar, The Glory of the Lord: A Theological Aesthetics

1. Some updates

This section is just about the last one I’m writing as I prepare this post because I’m stumped. I don’t have updates, really. I have a number of pieces at various stages out to others for their feedback. I’ve been using the time with these projects off my plate to get new ideas fleshed out and set myself up for a different kind of writing life once summer starts.

A remark from the incredible Katherine Paterson in an interview with Jon Scieszka has stayed with me for a good fifteen years now: she noted that you can’t edit a blank page.

2. What I’m reading

Some of my links are Amazon affiliate links, and apparently enough of you clicked on these in recent months to earn me an Amazon gift card. Thanks! I used the bulk of it to purchase Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson, recommended by my friend Janille.

I’ve also been reading a series of reflections on the Blessed Mother by Saint John Henry Newman, gathered in this volume. I was introduced to these writings in an Advent reading group. I’ve been looking forward to revisiting them in this month devoted to Our Lady.

I’m attempting Jason Baxter’s month of poems again—stay tuned to see if I make it through this time!

3. What my kids are reading

My four older kids regularly pass around Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales. I’ve not read them, which a younger me thought would never happen. I popped into the library on May the Fourth, which my library celebrates with vigor, so we have an armful of Star Wars books in rotation here as well. And four foam light sabers. And we would have had an updated pic of our Lucas with the life-sized cardboard cutout of Darth Vader, but I left my phone in the car.

4. Something I love

Maybe a year ago, I finally asked my friend Grace where she got these beautiful, effortless dresses she wears all the time. She clued me in to Hill House’s nap dresses and when I sent her a pic of my first one, she responded, “Welcome to the rest of your life.” They’re a little pricey, but I’m no stranger to the sale rack. Note this is not an affiliate link, I just think the Ellie in particular is lovely.

Quince has a similar dress for half the price, but it doesn’t have pockets. You decide if that’s worth. Jury’s still out over here. (DM me for a referral code and $20 off.)

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

Other crafts aren’t making headway these days, but I made this French toast casserole in both regular and dairy-free, egg-free versions for brunch following our son’s First Communion last month. Both were delicious. The allergy-friendly version is making a comeback on Mother’s Day.

6. Where my work is

CatholicMom.com: “Need a Family Gift? Try This Time-Tested Subscription Box”

CatholicMom.com: “Daily Gospel Reflection for April 12, 2026: Sunday of Divine Mercy”

Into the Deep: Fruitful Fields 2026-2027 Student Planner - I’ve had the joy of editing three of these planners now. Each one is so well crafted and makes space for intentional growth spiritually as well as academically. Suitable for homeschooler and traditional schoolers.

7. What I’m working on

Earlier this week, I had a totally free day on the calendar, so I put the dog in daycare (she loves it) and spent five hours outlining short stories, wrestling with poem starts, and sipping coffee, with a short break for lunch and reading the first part of The Writing of Fiction by Edith Wharton.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

All that God has made speaks of its Maker; the mountains speak of His eternity; the sun of His immensity, and the winds of His Almightiness. In like manner flowers and fruits speak of His sanctity, His love, and His providence; and as such are flowers and fruit, such must be the place where they are found.

—John Henry Newman, “Mary is the ‘Rosa Mystica,’ the Mystical Rose”

With the play over (and my manuscript in!), the school year seems to be very quickly coming to an end. We still have track and concerts and other traditions to see through, but the promise of summer is very welcome here.

1. Some updates

If you’ve been here for a bit, you’re familiar with The Road to Hope: Responding to the Crisis of Addiction, a book I co-authored with Keaton Douglas, the executive director and founder of iTHIRST (which stands for “The Healing Initiative—Recovery, Spirituality, and Twelve Steps) and which won second place in the Pastoral Ministry – Parish Life category of the 2024 CMA Book Awards. From the time pre-orders were available (and it sold out!) to today, the book has served to bring many more regular people like you and me, not just professionals who work in rehab facilities, to participate in the Church’s response to those suffering from addiction and their families. Because really, reaching out to the poor and marginalized is everyone’s work.

The Road to Hope continues to sell as people continue to take up the call to support and walk beside their brothers and sisters. You can now find a free Facilitator’s Guide at the iTHIRST website so that the book can more easily be used in parish book clubs and the like.

In the same Resources section, you’ll also find guides to:

• set up a recovery ministry

• hold an interfaith prayer service

• initiate Prayers of the Faithful

• hold a spiritual healing retreat

Stay tuned for Unshackled: Healing Addictions Through Faith, an exciting new TV show featuring Keaton on Shalom World TV starting this June.

Please share these links and help us spread the word.

2. What I’m reading

Death on a Friday Afternoon is a beautiful book. I fell behind on my self-imposed schedule around week four of Lent, but managed to finish without rushing on Holy Saturday. My copy is dogeared, underlined, and ready for a reread to take more of it in.

I’ve started Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen, which my mother-in-law gave me when I completed my MFA last year. I really enjoyed reading his autobiography a few years ago, and I’m even more excited to have this in hand as we await his beatification this fall.

3. What my kids are reading

I’m reading Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman to my daughter with the goal of finishing it this week, while the kids are on break. Catherine is delightfully sassy and we’re loving the bits about saints she started adding in to each journal entry partway through.

4. Something I love

Helmer in the Dragon Tomb is what I hope is the first video game to be derived from S.D. Smith’s Green Ember book series. The game is really fun and totally safe for kids (no ads, no options to buy anything). My crew asks to play it at every opportunity and will get chores done and instruments practiced with little to no complaining. They have two different worlds going, but they play the game together, all huddled on the couch. The only groans came when I said I needed my computer to do our taxes.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

I had the joy of organizing much of my second-grader’s class party just before Easter break. We made simple crosses with waxed paper and tissue paper. I used our Cricut to cut out the white borders ahead of time. I only have a picture of the sample I made (very late, when natural light was not available), but trust me when I tell you how beautiful it was to see what fifteen kids will do with such simple materials. Different color schemes, different patterns.

Also different amounts of glue, though that one is on me. In retrospect, I really should have emphasized how little glue is needed to stick one-inch squares of tissue paper to more paper. I’m hopeful they’ve all dried by now.

6. Where my work is

Verily: An article was reprinted in the Winter 2026 issue, Courage. This is and always has been such a beautiful publication. Get yours here. I also have something in the next issue, Presence, which you can pre-order here.

CatholicMom.com: “Daily Gospel Reflection for March 16, 2026”

Word on Fire: “‘The Five Wounds’: Can You Bear to Look at the Wounds of Christ?”

7. What I’m working on

As the weather has warmed and schedules have begun to open up, bursts of creativity are yielding drafts of various projects. I’m too close to them to see if they’re worth sharing or just a good exercise in creating for the sake of creating. Virgil suggested leaving drafts in a drawer for nine years. I don’t expect any of these projects to stand the test of time in nearly the same way as his work, so I’m modifying the timeline while keeping with the spirit of the idea.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   If He is what He claimed to be, a Savior, a Redeemer, then we have a virile Christ and a leader worth following in these terrible times; One Who will step into the breach of death, crushing sin, gloom and despair; a leader to Whom we can make totalitarian sacrifice without losing, but gaining freedom, and Whom we can love even unto death. We need a Christ today Who will make cords and drive the buyers and sellers from our new temples; Who will blast the unfruitful fig-trees; Who will talk of crosses and sacrifices and Whose voice will be like the voice of the raging sea. But He will not allow us to pick and choose among His words, discarding the hard ones, and accepting the ones that please our fancy. We need a Christ Who will restore moral indignation, Who will make us hate evil with a passionate intensity, and love goodness to a point where we can drink death like water.

   —Life of Christ, Ven. Fulton Sheen

Two years ago, in addition to placing an ad for my son (Charlie/Oompa Loompa, depending on the day) in the playbill for our school’s production of Willy Wonka, Jr., I placed the anonymous ad you see below.

The next year, I was delighted to see the text appear again, designed differently, but still there (without my asking!). It got even better when before one of the performances, Father included the quote in his opening prayer. *Fist pump*

Time will tell if it’s included in the playbill this year. I’m hopeful that 1) it’s become a fixture, 2) it encourages the kids to think more deeply about why it is good to engage with the arts, and 3) it makes at least one person each year say, “Huh? John Paul II wrote plays?” (Yes, and poetry.)

1. Some updates

There is still snow on the ground as I write this a day ahead of its posting. Hopefully that won’t be the case tomorrow, when my husband and I have planned an afternoon mini-date in a nearby park. I love a snowy winter—if it’s going to be that cold, I’d like a couple of snow days, too, please—but I find myself wanting to reach for shorter sleeves and lighter dresses in my closet each day. I long for flip flops.

You didn’t need me to tell you this, but all the things people tell you about kids growing up even faster as they get older are true. The seasons change more rapidly these days. We’re a short time away from our last kindergarten graduation, and apparently it’s about time I schedule driving lessons for my oldest.

Thank God for board games to gather around, Lenten practices to endure together, and the promise of chocolate in the car on the way home from the Easter vigil.

2. What I’m reading

For Lent, I’m reading Death On A Friday Afternoon: Meditations on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus. I’m taking one chapter in per week, but I could go even more slowly. This text is beautifully rich and an excellent aid to contemplation. A man behind me at church last week noticed my copy in the pew and asked how I was liking it. I told him I thought I could read this book again and again for the rest of my life.

3. What my kids are reading

To celebrate Read Across America Day last week, my two younger boys dressed up as story characters. My little guy’s class stuck to a fairy-tale theme, and he went as the cutest big, bad wolf in all the land. My other guy dressed up as our beloved Loupio. It was a last-minute decision, and I’ve gotta say, Amazon really came through with a cape and tunic just in time.

4. Something I love

“Love” would be an overstatement here, but I’ve been happy with the Todoist app for a couple of months now. I have the free version, and it’s enough for me. I keep leaving my beautifully embroidered physical planner in a pile of papers I need to deal with, which makes it less useful than it could be.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

Sweater progress continues; I’m almost done with the first sleeve. My son asked a few weeks ago why it seemed I was always knitting a sweater for myself. Answer? It’s just been the same sweater for a really long time.

In the meantime, my daughter and I used our Cricut to personalize aprons for her friends who came over to bake for a birthday celebration. Only one of our six lava cakes unmolded and oozed properly, but all the aprons turned out very well!

6. Where my work is

CatholicMom.com: “Daily Gospel Reflection for February 11, 2026”

Maybe your diocesan magazine or newspaper!: This week, I granted permission to republish an article in which I interviewed Emily Jaminet about enthronement to the Sacred Heart. The piece was originally published at Radiant in 2021 and was posted again at OSV in 2025. Now it could appear in your diocesan newspaper or magazine!

Word on Fire: I have a post scheduled for March 30. Usually I’d wait to share about this until after it’s posted, but the piece is a reflection on the crucifixion and I hope it will be good to read during Holy Week.

7. What I’m working on

Just a few weeks to go before I hand in my book manuscript. I’m spending early afternoons writing while our dog sleeps nearby. Current open tabs on my computer have names like “EXTRA PIECES” and “USE FOR PARTS.”

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   True availability to God overcomes the fear of being dependent on others, for God provides. It is our determination to be independent by being in control that makes us unavailable to God.

   — Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, Death On A Friday Afternoon: Meditations on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross

For months now, we’ve been planning to have this crispy squid pasta to celebrate. Even though I’ve yet to get the squid crispy, the whole family loves this dish. You hear “squid pasta” and you probably think “fancy, too expensive for a weeknight,” but I assure you it’s not. Frozen seafood, a box of pasta you may already have, and a lemon. The only concern is the argument over who’s taking the leftovers, if any, for lunch.

1. Some updates

   God’s Little Flowers turned one last week. It has been such a joy to share this book with adults and children alike. Thanks to those who have bought the book, given it as a gift, read it to little ones, written reviews, and otherwise spread the word. Keep up the good work, team!

   Here’s a reminder that the free bonus materials—a video and activity pages—remain available on the homepage of my website.

2. What I’m reading

Well, what I read, anyway: Melissa Ferguson’s latest novel, Without a Clue, is such fun, like all the rest. This is her first dip into mystery. Her books are easy to read, but carry some weight; they are funny without being flippant. I read this a while back in order to review it (and I only had good things to say!), but it pubs next week, so you can read it soon too!

I’m also really, really enjoying A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True by Brigid Pasulka, from which this month’s quote is taken.

It’s been so cold here that my winter track kid has needed to run at the gym on the weekends. I’ve taken to reading the Inferno on the elliptical, and have to say: recommend.

My attempt at Jason Baxter’s plan for a poem a day didn’t work in January, but I’m determined to try again later in the year. For now, I’m looking forward to Seth Wieck’s book of poetry which should land in my mailbox this week.

3. What my kids are reading

I had the joy of working on Jimmy Gownley’s Amelia Rules! series when I worked at Simon and Schuster, and my kids have finally started to get into them. They’re everywhere now—on the kitchen island, on end tables, in the car. I’m so glad they’re enjoying them, though I’m also nervous the dog is going to get interested too, if the kids don’t put them back on a shelf soon.

4. Something I love

The Kindred Bibles are gorgeous editions of the New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE) that invite contemplation and reflection, one passage at time. We have the Gospel of Mark, which I put on a cookbook stand on the table in our entryway. I’ve been trying to keep it open to the page of the daily Mass reading, though I’ve missed a few page turns. Even if the display isn’t quite accurate, each page is a beautiful way to recenter our hearts in the midst of the day.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

If only I can finish the ribbing on the back of a sweater, I can get started on a cowl for my daughter (I need to free up that needle). She picked a beautiful variegated blue and white yarn, and it’s going to be so pretty when it’s done. Not if. When.

6. Where my work is

Modern Catholic Family: “Cultivating a Catholic Home”

WINE: “A Sense of Urgency”

CatholicMom.com: “Our Lady of the Sign: The Stunning Debut Novel by Abigail Favale“

Word on Fire: “A Novel Deeply Concerned with the Dignity of Life“

7. What I’m working on

Lots of tabs open over here and a newly dedicated section of a bookshelf as I work on this manuscript on creating a Catholic culture in the home. I’m at the tail end of the stage where I second-guess myself, so hopefully I’ll get onto a more productive phase this week.

I shared a draft of an essay related to a new and unrelated project with my writers’ group this weekend. The response was encouraging and constructive, and I’m just so grateful to have these people in my life.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   But it doesn’t feel like nothing. Each day I’m here, the vision of the city that Nela promised me has been steadily shrinking and receding, overtaken by the daily routines and obligations I lug like a stone from Irena’s to Pani Bożena’s to Stash’s and back again. But tonight, for the first time since I arrived under the dull, gray canopy of the train station, I feel the strike of flint against that stone, a small spark of possibility, and it’s just enough to illuminate the fairy-tale city Nela used to tell me about—the delicate filigree of streets, the shining cornices of the buildings, the streetlights that stretch all the way up Królewska like formations of fireflies, leading the way back to Irena’s.

   —A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True by Brigid Pasulka

The definition of a sacrament—an outward sign of an inward grace—echoed in my mind during the baptisms. I wondered whether these newly initiated kids would behave differently today. Would they speak differently at lunch, approach math class with a more profound awareness of their current vocations as students? Whether or not they did, the indelible mark of the sacrament is there. Permanent. Something changed in those souls, even if we can’t see it.

Later, I watched a little girl whom I’ve known since she was in utero just about run to the altar to bow when her name was called to confess her sins and receive God’s mercy. I prayed that these children would run with anticipation and joy to confession all their lives. I could see in their faces, in the way they found each other afterward, that they knew something big had happened. They’d reached a milestone, crossed a rite of passage. They were initiated into something ancient, something new. I don’t know if they could have articulated it, but they knew that they were changed.

These sacraments aren’t typically part of a new year’s celebration, and yet what a beautiful way to remember that in Christ, all things are made new.

1. Some updates

My book manuscript is due April 6, which is Easter Monday. Which means I want it done before Holy Week. Which means I’m mentally changing the deadline to March 27. Which means when I hit publish here, I’m moving right over to that doc.

2. What I’m reading

I’m on an inadvertent Jason Baxter kick, simultaneously reading a canto a day (ish) of his translation of the Inferno and a poem a day from his month-long poetry challenge. Most of the latter are new to me, but a couple I’d read and forgotten about, which is like finding a sweater you used to love in the back of your closet.

3. What my kids are reading

My daughter got the Sisters of the Last Straw series for Christmas/our version of Jolabokaflod. She’s been reading them steadily since Christmas Eve, with one older brother waiting semi-patiently for his turn with each finished volume. She suggested I read them aloud to one of her younger brothers once they’re available.

4. Something I love

Three of us got Emily Lex’s watercolor workbooks for Christmas. I’m working on the winter one. One kiddo chose the woodland animals; the other picked birds. Each page is perfect for a bit of rest Sunday morning after Mass, with a cup of coffee at hand.

My kiddos also got this map-making stamp kit for Christmas. I love a gift that gets us sitting around the table, creating and chatting together. I also love when I think one child is going to get the most out of a gift, and then it better hits the mark with another child.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

One of my favorite people in the world adopted a little girl, which is much better reason for me to knit than the prospect of another sweater for myself. This Leafy Baby Blanket is just intricate enough, but still a speedy knit. I overbought yarn, so we’ll see if the rest becomes a hat, cardigan, or both.

Multiple food allergies mean one of my kiddos can’t have a lot of holiday treats unless we make them…and so make them we do! I made my first vegan panettone, and it was a success. Well, it was a success if you like raisins, and I do not, but I expect the orange and chocolate re-do I bake this weekend will be a success.

I also made dairy-free peppermint bark, which those without food restrictions claimed was better than the Williams-Sonoma stuff: their words, not mine.

On New Year’s Day, my daughter and I took another try at macarons, this time a cookies and cream variety. And there were feet! On every one! They aren’t quite the right shape yet, and they were a little over-baked. Still, this was more improvement than I’d hoped for.

6. Where my work is

I published a review of Maura Roan McKeegan and Scott Hahn’s The Word Within: The Ark of the Covenant and Mary in the Catholic Literary Arts newsletter.

I have pieces I anticipate appearing at Word on Fire, CatholicMom.com, and WINE this month, though none is posted yet. More here next time.

7. What I’m working on

In addition to the book manuscript, I’ve been doing some very exciting work for Into the Deep. Their Instagram page is a great way to stay updated on what’s new.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

The rare, strange thing is to hit the mark; the gross, obvious thing is to miss it. We feel it is epical when man with one wild arrow strikes a distant bird. Is it not also epical when man with one wild engine strikes a distant station? Chaos is dull; because in chaos the train might indeed go anywhere, to Baker Street or to Bagdad. …

… every time a train comes in I feel that it has broken past batteries of besiegers, and that man has won a battle against chaos. You say contemptuously that when one has left Sloane Square one must come to Victoria. I say that one might do a thousand things instead, and that whenever I really come there I have the sense of hairbreadth escape. And when I hear the guard shout out the word ‘Victoria,’ it is not an unmeaning word. It is to me the cry of a herald announcing conquest. It is to me indeed ‘Victoria’; it is the victory of Adam.

— G.K. Chesterton, The Man Who Was Thursday

I also know that in the last year, a year of change for our family, my daily habits of Pilates, timed reading, and timed writing kept me grounded and helped me stay on track with things I wanted to accomplish. I’m reluctant to let that stability go, but I’m hopeful I can sustain the good pieces of these practices even with more flexibility in how they look day to day.

Why not change things now, in this busy, unpredictable season? I recently revisited an article I wrote a decade ago on How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen. He writes, “It’s easier to hold to your principles 100 percent of the time than it is to hold to them 98 percent of the time.” Seeing these resolutions through to December 31, I know he’s right.

Does it feel like a grind to write fifteen minutes each day on a project I think might never see the light of day? Yes. And yet, every now and then, I’m learning something else about these characters, separating them further from myself and seeing them come more into themselves. If I gave myself leeway once, it would be easier the next time, and even easier the time after that. I’d rather lean on God’s grace and see what I’m capable of.

1. Some updates

The big news is that I’ve signed a contract for a new book with Our Sunday Visitor, tentatively titled Kitchen Counter Culture.

Here’s the pitch:

The kitchen is the modern hearth of the home. Here is where we start and end our days. Here is where we drop all our literal and figurative stuff when we walk in the door. Here we gather to eat and pray; here we come together to process today and prepare for tomorrow. Here we celebrate, we serve, we feast and fast. Here we have the formational conversations and encounters that cultivate our family’s culture, either incidentally or intentionally.

The family kitchen is ground zero for transforming a materialist, utilitarian, and post-Christian culture into a society that rejoices in life, that honors the dignity of every person, and that glorifies God. So much of what we lament in our contemporary culture goes back to a breakdown in the family. When values are not instilled at home and priorities are not properly ordered, the ripple effects reach into schools, workplaces, and communities small and large, both in the present and into the future. Indeed, recent research reported by the Institute for Family Studies shows the parents of those raising school-age children today “were uniquely unsuccessful at passing on their faith to their children.”

This means parents who have reverted or converted and nowwant to raise Catholic children don’t have first-hand experience to know how to make that happen. The kitchens they grew up in were structured on secular goals and motivations, yet they desire to teach the young eyes in their families to look to Heaven and life beyond what’s tangible.

The same study attests, “For parents to keep their kids in the faith, they must recapture their influence,” by tending more closely to the environments in which their children spend time, the ways their children use media, and—perhaps most importantly—the way they incorporate “daily, parent-led activities centered on family solidarity around shared faith.” This starts in our kitchens with what’s on our family calendar, how we take our meals, the ways in which we speak to one another, and how we welcome others in to share this space.

The Church offers guides in her sacraments, her teachings, and her saints. Saints don’t happen out of nowhere. Many of their vocations were discerned at the feet of faithful parents and cultivated in the home, at the hearth. Their lives offer examples today’s faithful can lean on in creating joyful, prayerful homes. (Each chapter will begin with a brief story of a saint’s family of origin.)

In matrimony and baptism, we parents promise to raise our children in the faith, to be their first educators, which means creating an atmosphere in which the faith is living and active, prayer is a top priority, and hospitality and service are valued above selfish gains. This is not what our children will often see outside the walls of our homes—not yet anyway. Renewing the small-scale culture of the family is essential to redeeming the culture as a whole. If we get to work now, perhaps we’ll be able to say differently for their children.

2. What I’m reading

I’ve been reading a lot lately, thanks to that commitment to thirty minutes with my eyes on a book each day and a weekend trip to celebrate a family wedding.

The Five Wounds by Kristen Valdez Quade was enthralling, challenging, and beautiful. I keep coming back to it in my mind, seeing how the pieces fit together in more profound ways.

I read Our Lady of the Sign by Abigail Favale in a single weekend. Stay tuned for my forthcoming review at CatholicMom.com.

The National Institute for Newman Studies offers free reading groups two or three times a year. Considering our family has both a John and a Henry, the news of this man becoming a saint a few years ago and more recently a Doctor of the Church is cause for special celebration. In the Advent group, we only scratched the surface of his writings, but I feel that I’m pointed in the right direction to pursue further study, and I’m grateful for that. Plus, a fellow UST MFA grad was in attendance, and it’s so good to see her each session.

I’ve just started Praying the Great O Antiphons: My Soul Magnifies the Lord by Katy Carl. I’ve always loved these prayers, and to contemplate them alongside such a wise and beautiful soul as Katy is a gift.

3. What my kids are reading

We don’t have a regular practice of reading aloud in this season of our lives, though I have been reading bits and pieces of Paddington to my second-grader. We’re going to pick a book to read together over Christmas break and do our best to get through it. I’d love to do The Hobbit, but may need to choose something shorter to reach the finish line.

4. Something I love

First, something I do not love. I do not love taking my dog out when the wind chill is twenty degrees or below. However, I do love watching her play in the snow. It’s cliche, but the best word to describe how she plays is “frolic.” “Galavant” would work too.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

At Thanksgiving we made two pies, one of which was a vegan pumpkin pie from a pumpkin the kids grew themselves. It was delicious. John’s cousin flew in from California with a Basque cheesecake he’d baked and frozen. He carried it on his lap on the plane, and we were both surprised airport security didn’t ask any questions. I thought it was maybe a little much to have gone to such measures. Then I took a bite, and I realized why he’d put the effort in.

The accountability this newsletter provides encouraged me to stitch a couple of lines and knit a couple of rows, though I’m not sure the progress is worthy of image space here. Someday I’ll finish these projects. Probably.

In the meantime, I created a family photo book as I do each year. I also decided it was time to paint the basement, and made more progress than I expected on that front on the day we put the dog in daycare.

6. Where my work is

I recorded an episode of Modern Catholic Family that should be out mid-January. Meghan and Jim were so much fun. We talked about building a Catholic culture in the home, so you can get a taste of where the new book is headed when that’s posted.

I spoke this week in a Jubilee speaker series at a local parish about cultivating the virtue of hope in the home. I drew on themes from the new book here as well. When a small group invited me to join their discussion, I received very encouraging feedback. In some ways, the evening served as a workshop for the material in this new project. I learned there is a very real need for a book like this and that grandparents will benefit from it as much as parents currently raising their kids.

7. What I’m working on

That fifteen-minutes-a-day project started out as a novel, but I think might be better structured as a novella. I’ve not written a novella before, but I’ve read a few in the last year or two. That structure may better suit the arc of this narrative. Or not. TBD.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

I discovered this quote from a sermon by St. Augustine when I was working on the Christmas Octave study with Into the Deep. I love working with Olivia—I learn something new with every project.

Rejoice, you who are just. It is the birthday of Him who justifies.

Rejoice, you who are weak and sick. It is the birthday of Him who makes well.

Rejoice, you who are in captivity. It is the birthday of the Redeemer.

Rejoice, you who are slaves. It is the birthday of the Master.

Rejoice, you who are free. It is the birthday of Him who makes free.

Rejoice, you Christians all. It is Christ’s birthday!

Amen.

— St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 184, 2

1. Whistler: A Novel by Ann Patchett

   I recently completed my personal mission to read all of Ann Patchett’s novels—and just in time. I read them in no particular order, starting years ago with Bel Canto and finishing with The Magician’s Assistant. I wrote about Tom Lake two years ago for Close Reading at Slant Books. Perhaps I’ll find a similar opportunity for this.

2. The One and the Ninety-Nine by Luke Burgis

   I learned of Luke Burgis via an episode of Bishop Barron Presents shortly after I read portions of Rene Girard’s Deceit, Desire, and the Novel for a graduate class. I have a copy of Burgis’s first book, Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life, on my shelf, which I should probably read before I start this one.

3. Whatever is next in CUA Press’s Catholic Women Writers series

   Another personal mission is to read all of the Catholic Women Writers series as it unfolds. It looks like we’ll get more short stories and another novel this year.

4. CUA released two titles in the series last year, so ditto #3.

5. Call Out Coyote by Seth Wieck

   I met Seth through my graduate program (in the fiction track). I’ve already pre-ordered his book of poems being published by Wiseblood Books, which means I will have one delightful day in February when it’s suddenly in my hands.

6. Short Story Collection by Eric Cyr

   I met Eric through the UST MFA as well, and while I’ve read and workshopped at least some of the stories in this collection, I still can’t wait to read them in book form.

7. More than a Matter of Taste: The Moral Imagination and the Spirit of Literature by Joshua Hren

   Studying with Dr. Hren has been an invaluable gift in my growth as a writer. This book is sure to be brilliant. You can get a taste of what I mean with this essay of the same title at Public Discourse.

8. Home/World: A Circumnavigation of Our Shared Earth by Ben Hatke

   The Schlegels are big Ben Hatke fans. One of my sons dressed up as Mighty Jack for a school project earlier this year. Another had a Nobody-Likes-a-Goblin-themed birthday party a few years ago. My daughter has a Zita the Spacegirl poster in her room. It looks like this title will be more appropriate for the older kiddos than the littles. I imagine it will lead to good conversation with my teenagers.

   Which books are you looking forward to in 2026?

Our trunk was a bust, but then again the most well-designed and best-executed trunk I have ever seen didn’t even place in the prizes, so there’s that. This weekend I’ll run a 5K I’ve barely prepared for. It’s supposed to rain again. Our puppy was gently led out the back door from her group obedience lesson, but I learned a lot then and in the private session we tried a few weeks later. Today we went on a walk with zero barking (and okay, also no other dogs), so how about that.

1. Some updates

My kids had a garden this summer—two gardens, actually, in different spots in the yard—and grew over 100 pounds of pumpkin. My oldest just spent most of the last two days processing the biggest one.

We have a lot of pumpkin puree now. A lot. If our skin starts to turn orange, this is why.

Slingshotting pumpkins didn’t work out due to weather, but we did manage to paint some pumpkins.

Did we have a family Halloween costume? Well, um, okay, sure. We were:

Bluey playing a Lake Xochimilco Complex game and making friends with an axolotl, which was going well, until Bluey decided it was time to play pilots (this costume had two iterations—Bluey and vintage pilot Bluey), which was a bad idea, because axolotls are critically endangered. Luckily, the Mandolorian and a medieval ranger (like those in John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice series) come to the rescue. In the end, they meet up with Jake from State Farm, and like a good neighbor, he’s there to help them get a great deal on insurance for future sticky situations—which is tricky, considering the international/intergalactic nature of the terms.

2. What I’m reading

The book club my husband and I host discussed The Moviegoer by Walker Percy. There were crabcakes; there was popcorn. Many admitted the novel was a struggle to read, but I think the depth of the conversation made up for any frustration—the evidence being our next selection.

We have a classics professor among us, who next time will lead us through the connections between the Satyricon by Petronius and The Great Gatsby. The amazing artist who adapted Tuck Everlasting into a graphic novel did the same for Gatsby, so I’ll be reading that as well. In fact, there are two graphic novel adaptations of Gatsby, and I’m looking forward to comparing them.

3. What my kids are reading

Speaking of graphic novels, our school just hosted an I55 book fair—highly recommend—and so we are now in possession of a graphic novel adaptation of The Hobbit. And a copy of All About Bluey, about which no one is surprised.

4. Something I love

I love that a moral theologian teaches my kids’ confirmation classes. The joy he brings to each session is a gift. I don’t know how many moral theologians read this Substack, but to those who do, please consider offering your time to your local parish in this way. Recently, our teacher (also a dear friend for many years!) briefly explained Aquinas’s first proof for the existence of God. I know many of the kids who were in the room, and I know they are being raised in faithful homes. Still, the laughter and then the acclamations when the pieces clicked together in their minds was priceless. God bless this man who knows his stuff, loves this stuff, and can teach both seminarians and seventh graders.

On a totally different note, I love everything I’ve seen from Voyage Comics (which is nearly everything they’ve produced). I’ve probably said this before, but since we won’t meet again until after December 6: our family St. Nicholas Day tradition has basically become socks, candy, and Voyage comics. Easy and always well received.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

I hesitate to post this because it failed so completely, but here’s the Wrinkle in Time trunk. The banner was three feet too long, which meant nothing else I had planned worked. It was the opposite of fun. I stress-ate a pack of Nerds. I’m not sure why I agree to decorating trunks when I never enjoy it.

However, I’m posting this as a reminder to all of us that sometimes creative things are a bust. The visions in our minds don’t end up on the canvas or the page or in the trunk. So we pilfer a Twix or a 100 Grand if we can find it, and we move on to the next thing.

You’re going to have to trust me that my sweater is coming along. I just split the body for the hem, which sounds great until I remember what a challenge it can be to persevere through sleeves. It’s thicker yarn, though, and it can’t be as bad as this trunk, so that’s motivation!

I’m considering submitting a poem to Catholic Literary Arts’ Advent Poetry Contest. You should, too!

6. Where my work is

I spoke to women at a local parish last month, revamping a talk I gave previously called, “On Having It ‘All’ as an Authentic Catholic Woman.” I gave them discussion questions afterward, and overheard just a little bit of their reactions, which were edifying. (See below for a quote I included.) I’m considering posting my talk and questions here, perhaps behind a paywall, for those who might be interested. Would love to hear if you are among those whom that would serve.

CatholicMom: “A Planner to Bridge the Human and the Divine”

7. What I’m working on

I’m *this close* to sharing a project I’ve been working on for a couple of years. I hoped I’d have things signed and sealed in time for this post, but looks like we’ll have to wait until December.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   “Before they can be ready to assist others, women first need to be securely anchored in their own depths.”

   —St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

…

I’m on a wedding high this week, not only because our anniversary was last week (and happily coincided with our kids’ school’s parents-night-out-hoedown) but because we have a family wedding to look forward to this weekend. “Good Day for Marrying You” by Dave Barnes is playing on loop in my head.

My husband and I were chatting with the couple the other night, solidifying plans for the reception. Our oldest son overheard and came in the room to say it seemed like we were having a lot of fun. When his siblings get married, he said, he wanted to do this too—to be involved, to encourage, to help make the thing happen. What a joy as a parent to have your kid tell you adulthood looked like it was going to be cool.

There will be a ton of flower girls, a ton of ring-bearers, bowties in honor of the groom, and one very joyful, down-to-earth, fun couple. There will be pigs in a blanket. There will be an ice cream bar. What more could you ask for?

Not that I am asking for more, but there is more. Next week, we’re going to slingshot pumpkins (without the bride and groom, unless, I guess they want to come?) which is my favorite fall pastime, as mentioned this time last year, especially when it’s followed by a doughnut.

It still feels like summer every afternoon here, but I don’t mind. There will be time for sweaters (will I ever finish knitting these sweaters?!), and I like cider cold as well as hot. Here’s hoping our kids smile for at least some of the pictures this weekend and I can order my Christmas cards by late next week.

1. Some updates

I guess because we’ve settled into something of a routine, my creativity is revving up after a hiatus, which feels great. Lots of tabs open all the time, lots of in-progress Google docs. We’ll see what ends up going somewhere.

2. What I’m reading

Our freshman came home the first week of school and said his English class was going to be great. Not a ton of kids, and a cool teacher. Back to School Night confirmed these findings. I love that he’s not only excited about the class, but encouraging me to read the short stories he’s reading that I haven’t yet. I recently read “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell and “The Birds” by Daphne du Maurier—both so suspenseful and so creepy. I listened to the latter on a podcast/audiobook. Highly recommend.

3. What my kids are reading

My daughter’s teacher is reading A Tale Dark & Grim by Adam Gitwitz to the class during snack time. The author is a friend of a dear friend, so while I haven’t met him, it still feels extra exciting. The book can be gory, but I’m pretty sure this crew can handle it.

4. Something I love

This is going to sound lame, but we just upgraded from the drying rack my husband took to college to a massive rack that easily holds twice as many items and has a special clip for socks. I was giddy the day it arrived. With multiple kids playing sports five or six days a week, it was time. Tell me you’re almost forty without telling me you’re almost forty, right?

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

My daughter and I are preparing a Wrinkle in Time trunk for our school’s trunk or treat. We’re not entirely sure how many people are going to get it, but we’re enjoying it. The book has had so many covers over the years, which gave us lots to think about. I’ll share pics next time!

6. Where my work is

Word on Fire: “Parents Can Turn to Natural Law for ‘The Talk’”

The same piece was also mentioned at The Catholic Thing: “The sex talk: Explaining it all to kids”

CatholicMom.com: “Daily Gospel Reflection for October 3, 2025”

Catholic Literary Arts: 2025 Our Lady of the Rosary Contest, Honorable Mention, “To Lose a Son”

7. What I’m working on

Another picture book (or two?), a book proposal, a short story, a novel, a couple of reflections for WINE next year, and one or two more pieces for Word on Fire. That list looks insane, but one thing leads to another. This is how good work happens!

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   A book, too, can be a star, “explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,” a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.

   —Madeleine L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time

My kids and my dad finished a set of three desks they were building for our study. The arrival of the desks meant the Paw Patrol tower that used to be in the corner of that room has taken up residence in our entryway, while I figure out where to put it. Our dog has been spending an inordinate amount of time on or near said tower. She brought some food to it last night and ate out of Marshall’s spot.

Do you thinks she knows what it is? Considering her name, I like to think Arwen would be the librarian dog, saving Adventure Bay from bad writing and nourishing their souls with quality poems and prose.

Anyway…

1. Some updates

Our Sunday Visitor is offering a promotion for God’s Little Flowers, good through the end of 2025. Great news, considering St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s feast day is just a few weeks away (10/1)! With what I’m calling the St. Thérèse Special, you can get the gorgeous Noll Library edition of St. Thérèse’s autobiography, The Story of a Soul, with God’s Little Flowers, a direct descendant of the former, for just $25.95! That’s nearly 50% savings.

Use code FLOWER at osvcatholicbookstore.com to take advantage of this offer.

(If you search “Story of a Soul” on the site, both books will come up.)

Speaking of God’s Little Flowers, I’m looking forward to a conversation with my editor, Kate Camden, sponsored by Catholic Literary Arts later this month. Join the fun here! Thanks to Sarah Cortez and CLA for making this happen!

2. What I’m reading

I brought too many books on vacation and then bought another one anyway. There’s a great used bookstore in our favorite shore town, and I found a copy of Virgil Wander by Leif Enger. I read the author’s first book with my book club last year and was delighted to find mention of yet another book club pick from the year prior within these pages. It was a good end-of-summer read.

I’ve also been reading The Complete Short Stories of Enid Dinnis, Vol. 1 in anticipation of writing at review for The Colosseum. The first set within the collection is called God’s Fairy Tales, which is extra interesting, because the book my daughter picked down the shore is a collection of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales. More on that below.

3. What my kids are reading

I’ll tell you what we’re not reading, and it’s How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I finished this with our youngest child, which marks my fourth time through these pages. (Our oldest turned four and just started to read a few weeks later. We don’t know what happened.)

It wasn’t always easy to get these lessons in, and I admit to rushing a good bit to make it happen before he started kindergarten. But we did it, and he’s where I hoped he’d be when he entered the big leagues. To celebrate, he got a chocolate croissant (he shared a little) and a set of easy-reader books. I bought a(nother) box of books from Cluny Media. (I had coupons.)

As for the fairy tales, we’re reading a collection retold by Naomi Lewis. “The Little Mermaid” went deeper than I expected. On the other hand, the mother in “The Ugly Duckling” was so brutally honest, my kids and I couldn’t help but laugh at her. It made me wish my girl was old enough for Mrs. Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, but we’ve got some time yet.

A while back we learned that one of John’s friends from college was adapting Tuck Everlasting, one of my favorite books of all time, into a graphic novel. I pre-ordered it as fast as my thumbs would let me. Our copy arrived last week and it is just—it’s perfect. From the first page, the artist captured the mood, the energy, and the gift of this story. I could go on and on. So well done, with such respect for the original, and still its own thing.

When my mom and I (and my in-utero daughter) heard the author, Natalie Babbitt, speak in 2015, she told us not to watch the film adaptation; she wasn’t happy with it. I think she’d delight in this version.

4. Something I love

Jets football started yesterday, and the kids are old enough to sit through most of a game. We passed around a bag of kettle corn. Near the end, we remarked on the likelihood that they’d lose their lead in the last two minutes. Unfortunately, we weren’t wrong.

At halftime we went outside, and I shared a little of what I learned playing four years of field hockey (not very well) with my daughter, who has her first practice this week. Hopefully (actually, rather certainly) she’ll do better than I did, but either way, it was fun to get back to it for a little bit.

I love the beach, I love the ocean. But fall and its sports have their charms too.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

A friend read my last post (hi, Marie!) and was inspired to knit the same sweater I posted about. We sat down for a wonderful catch-up and good talk about yarn and sizes and sweater construction. Her interest inspired me to pick up an almost-finished sweater and . . . I got closer to finishing a sleeve.

I also made progress on the Harlow, which Marie is planning to knit. Can I finish before she does? Or will she lap me like she would if we were out for a run? :)

6. Where my work is

Word on Fire: “‘Wise Blood,’ ‘The Malefactors,’ and the Pursuit of Our Telos”

OSV, Saintly Habits: “In times of darkness, learn from St. Teresa of Calcutta’s total trust in Jesus”

Apparently our dog was mentioned on a priest friend’s podcast, but I can’t find the link.

Wiseblood Artists Retreat: I mentioned in my last post that the lovely folks at Wiseblood Books have put together a bunch of on-your-own artist’s retreats, which you can find here. Each one features something to read, to look at, to touch, to taste, to smell, and a bonus.

The editor there, dear Mary Finnegan, invited me to create a retreat based on God’s Little Flowers. I crafted a Family Floral Retreat, designed to help creativity blossom in little ones. It’s available now here. Please use and share it!

7. What I’m working on

I’m writing fifteen minutes a day on a new novel. At the moment, I’m going in circles, writing the same bits over and over with variations. Some days it feels like a waste, but I’ll keep going and see where it ends up.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

Why am I still surprised when it turns out there is more to the story? … A person never knows what is next—I don’t, anyway. The surface of everything is thinner than we know. A person can fall right through, without any warning at all.

—Virgil Wander, Leif Enger

In June of last year, I dropped one of my best friends off at the airport and had to pull over on the way home. My palms were sweating, my mouth was dry, I was shaking, I was crying. I called my husband, and he talked and prayed with me until I got home. Two months later, we took two cars on vacation, which meant my driving down the Garden State Parkway on a Saturday afternoon. Again, I needed to pull over. It happened again on the way home—twice. This was, for real, anxiety.

I tried to be open and talk about it without overstating it. I talked to a couple of doctors and came to the conclusion that the best thing for me to do was just keep driving. I couldn’t say it was too hard. I could ask for help. I could take little steps, but I couldn’t let the fear dictate things. If I allowed that, my doctor warned me, in time I wouldn’t drive on the highway at all. I knew that meant missing out on things I didn’t want to miss out on.

I’ve been working at this all year, and things have been getting better. And then the same friend texted to ask if it would make sense for her to visit when we could go to a Goo Goo Dolls concert. I said yes, but right away I was a little nervous. I’d have to pick her up and drop her off at the airport. The concert venue was right around the spot on the Parkway where I’d lost it (also known as the Jon Bon Jovi Service Area).

But you know what? I did it. I picked her up. We saw the show (it was great!). I dropped her off. She knew what was going on and was ready to step in whenever I needed her. And that was enough.

This is the point in the summer when we start asking where the time went, lamenting how it will be over so soon. I know I’ll still get nervous now and then, but this summer marked a huge victory for me. This concert t-shirt means a lot more to me than any other one ever has.

1. Some updates

The one thing I really wanted this summer, besides the ability to drive on highways and maintain a stable heart rate, was to see our two godchildren who live out of state. Another mission accomplished! Though both kiddos have big families, the first dates we suggested worked out. We had the best time visiting with these sweet souls we pray for every day and with their families, our dear friends.

One weekend, we went to Pennsylvania, first to participate in a karate tournament, and then to see our girl. We played the license plate game and on our four-day trip, we saw thirty-three states! The next weekend, we went to Massachusetts and back in just two days and saw thirty-two, plus two Canadian provinces. Interesting to compare.

In addition, we’ve seen almost all of our kids’ godparents this summer. There’s one outlier, but hopefully we’ll change that before the leaves start to fall.

2. What I’m reading

I just finished The Letters of Flannery O’Connor and Caroline Gordon, read in part to write a forthcoming piece at Word on Fire (look for it 8/23!) on Wise Blood and The Malefactors. This is one that’s going to live on my desk. Gordon’s editorial notes are brilliant, masterful. I learned so much as a writer and an editor, and there’s a ton more to digest here.

3. What my kids are reading

As a kid, my best year for books was sixth grade. I read so many books that year that stuck with me. I’m reading Freak the Mighty to my daughter right now, and it turns out the scary parts didn’t quite stick with me. Oops. I’m glad I didn’t just hand this one to her and say go for it. She’s into the story and we’re sticking with it. I peeked through to the end to make sure I didn’t misremember the whole thing. It’s a hard read, but an important one, I think.

4. Something I love

The lovely folks at Wiseblood Books have put together a bunch of on-your-own artist’s retreats, which you can find here. Each one features something to read, to look at, to touch, to taste, to smell, and a bonus. How great would it be to take a Saturday and dive into one of these with a group of friends?

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

I am knitting!!! I’ve been working on the Harlow sweater by Caidree in Malabrigo’s New Jersey-inspired color, More than the Shore. Will I wear this sweater this fall? It’s a thicker yarn than that on my Weekender, which I started . . . a long time ago and so it’s knitting up quickly, when I manage to pick it up.

I recently learned you can use overripe cantaloupe to make muffins (or quick bread)! I was impressed with the results.

My daughter has the patience of a saint. She got a macaron cookbook months ago, and we half-joked that we’d wait until her brother with nut and egg allergies went to sleep-away camp to try it out.

And then that’s what happened.

This girl waited MONTHS and then my husband wasn’t even home from dropping the boys off before we were sifting almond flour (how do you clean a sifter?? I’m going to have to buy another for non-nut flours) and whipping egg whites to stiff peaks.

The first attempt wasn’t great. We had almond meal not flour, we didn’t have the right piping tip, and we didn’t have the nifty silicone mats printed with circles.

The second attempt (when all those things were remedied) was better, but still no feet.

Perhaps the most important thing I learned was that this doesn’t have to make a huge mess, so we can try again when our oldest is in the same state!

6. Where my work is

CatholicMom.com: “Daily Gospel Reflection”

Morning Air on Relevant Radio: “Embracing Hospitality”

Our Sunday Visitor: “Follow St. Benedict down the humble path to greatness”

7. What I’m working on

I’m looking forward to a conversation with Kate Camden, my editor for God’s Little Flowers, at Catholic Literary Arts in September. Join the fun here!

It looks like I’ll have two other speaking engagements this fall—one of them something like five years in the making!

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   There is only one plot, The Scheme of Redemption. All other plots, if they are any good, are splinters off this basic plot.

   —Caroline Gordon

My sister-in-law visited and I recounted all this to her, along with my hope that I’d finish before my diploma arrived in the mail. The next day, there was a large, please-do-not-bend package in my mailbox.

I finished at 11:30 that night. Was the deadline kind of arbitrary? Only, really, for me to prove something to myself? Yes, and yes. But it feels so good and right to have really completed this thing as I set out to do it. It was a good way to start summer.

1. Some updates

   I finally set up a place for folks to order signed copies of God’s Little Flowers. Complete the form here, pay via Venmo, and I’ll get your books out to you (or whomever you’re giving them to!) ASAP. Please share!

   

2. What I’m reading

   My husband and I have a book club that I wanted to be a salon, but turned out to be a book club, started in large part to give an example to our kids and build something they can eventually join. We’re not up to that last bit yet, but we did discuss Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor last month, accompanied by our interpretation of Flannery’s favorite meal at the Sanford House restaurant in Milledgeville. A friend made peppermint chiffon pie and I cheated a little with frozen coconut shrimp.

   To celebrate finishing the MFA (I mean, really finishing it), I purchased a bit of a haul from Cluny Media (that’s a referral link; there’s a coupon in there for you!). My wish list there is loooong. Among those volumes in this spree were A Retreat for Lay People by Ronald Knox and The Malefactors by Caroline Gordon (and a couple for the kids, partly to justify the whole thing).

   I’d started my reread of Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson when these arrived, and something in me said I needed to switch gears. I’m glad I heeded that little voice. The spiritual reading is centering and fruitful, and the novel is so hard to put down, not to mention helping me think about the next revision of the novel I wrote as my thesis. I’m looking forward to reading Joshua Hren’s essay on Gordon’s book in How to Read (and Write) Like a Catholic when I’m finished. It’ll kind of be like being in class with him again.

3. What my kids are reading

   My youngest reader just finished Henry Huggins. He looped me in now and then on what was happening and had me read a little to him at bedtime. It’s an extra fun read when you have a still-relatively-new dog in the house.

4. Something I love

   I’ve been using Blessed Is She’s examination of conscience for years now. I have it saved on my phone so it’s always with me. Ladies, if you haven’t been to confession in some time (or if you go regularly!), this is a great resource to help you prepare. It’s based on the seven deadly sins and offers helpful questions for reflection.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

   Most of my creating has been in the kitchen. I made Ina Garten’s mocha icebox cake for my husband’s birthday. Years ago, my mom got a cookbook with this recipe in it for Christmas and John started to flip through it. “This looks good,” he said, and he was right. I make it every year. I finally let some of the kids have it this year (I used to dodge it because it contains small amounts of espresso powder and Kahlua, and it’s totally unsafe for my dairy-allergic child), and their eyes popped. I hope someday they’ll forgive me for holding out this long.

   No dairy and no eggs makes crepes a challenge, but I overcame that obstacle on John’s birthday too. These crepes made with Just Egg are fantastic.

6. Where my work is

   CatholicMom.com: “Finding Hope in Perseverance,” part of the series, A Reason for Our Hope

   God’s Little Flowers was included in Katie Bogner’s “Favorite Books for Catholic Kids” list

   And in Boston College Magazine’s June 2025 Class Notes

   Catholic Literary Arts monthly newsletter: Review of The Catholic Kids’ Cookbook: Holy Days and Heavenly Food

7. What I’m working on

   Writing for fifteen minutes a day helped me make progress on my thesis last year, so I started again this June on a new project. I outlined by hand for thirty straight days in a notebook, and only started working on a computer on July 1. I’m hopeful that more outlining and character sifting than I’ve done in the past will lead to a more cohesive draft earlier on.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   It’s long, again, but trust me.

   But I confess that even if you have done a full day’s work, such a full day that there was no time to get your prayers in, I should be very reluctant to counsel sitting up all night over them, where they are not actually of obligation. It’s not that one yawns over one’s prayers, or goes to sleep in the middle; our Lord doesn’t mind that—he remembers Gethsemani. But it means you will be yawning next day, just when you are trying to look interested; it means you will be snappish and disposed to nag at people; and in the long run you are making decisions on your nervous health, in times when most of us want all the nervous health we have got. No, I think we shall do better to leave that to the religious, and try to do our best with less heroic remedies, such as getting up when we are called, and going to be when we say we are going to. To be on the watch; to shake off, not weariness of the body, but lethargy of the mind. It won’t matter frightfully if the Day of Judgement comes and finds up asleep in bed. What will matter is if it finds us sitting about in arm-chairs and telling one another that the world isn’t worth saving.

   —Ronald Knox, A Retreat for Lay People

I’m grateful for my resolution to read for thirty minutes a day this this year, since it goes a long way in helping me stay collected in the midst of the most beautiful chaos.

1. Some updates

   I’m not sure you can call it a “launch party” when you celebrate a book that’s been out for four months, but we had fun yesterday at the Shrine of St. Joseph all the same. I didn’t know what to expect, and was delighted at the show of support from family, friends, friends who brought friends, and a few new faces. Thanks to all who came out and thanks to the Shrine for giving me the space and posting the flyer all around! The Shrine is such a gift—a beautiful retreat space, a wonderful gift shop, the sweetest sisters, and Confession offered every day.

   The children were so willing to participate in a conversation about the book and what we can learn from it. They listened beautifully as I read. And then they had a great time making cards at the table one of my sons helped me set out ahead of time. The party went an hour longer than I anticipated!

   As we wrapped up I realized what a cool (and easy) birthday party anyone could build around this book:

   • A family could easily introduce the idea of flowers having the same elements (stem, leaves, roots, petals) but different manifestations (shape, size, color, scent, medicinal or symbolic use) and ask kids to consider how that might relate to people, who are made in the image and likeness of God, but who are also unique and unrepeatable.

   • An adult could read the story aloud, as I did, pick up the conversation where it left off, show the bonus video and offer the activity pages available here, and then invite kids to make cards to encourage people they know.

   • The favor could be a copy of the book for each child.

   • The celebratory dessert might be cupcakes with icing flowers on top.

   Let me know if you give this a try or if I missed something!

   Also of note: I asked the kids to think of someone who might not typically get a card, rather than making them for their moms. And then one precious girl made one for me!

2. What I’m reading

   I still have thirty-five pages of MFA reading I want to finish. Can I finish before school lets out? Can I finish before my diploma arrives in the mail? Time will tell.

3. What my kids are reading

   I’ve just started Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus with my daughter (and my two older boys, who tend to slow down and find things close to us to do when I pick up the book). We read A Place to Hang the Moon by the same author a while back and loved it. I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while now. So far, so good.

4. Something I love

   I have loved Verily since I first heard about it more than a decade ago. I’m proud to write and edit for a publication that’s committed to creating media that uplifts women and never objectifies. Right now, every donation is being matched! Help us keep going strong by giving today: tinyurl.com/SupportVerily

   “Less of who you should be, more of who you are.” ← Love that.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

   Apart from the party, most of what I’m creating these days are summer plans—what to read, what to purge, how to keep our house in order and get a little something done each day, but also slow down and enjoy long hours with nowhere to go but the lake.

6. Where my work is

   CatholicMom.com: “Daily Gospel Reflection for May 26, 2025”

   God’s Little Flowers was featured in Wholly Surrender Magazine

7. What I’m working on

   I’m excited to dig into a new project with Into the Deep this month. I can’t share too much about it yet, but consider this your invitation to follow Olivia on social media or sign up for her email list so you don’t miss a thing.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   Quoting pieces of this essay (even quoting a great deal of it, as I’ve done here) doesn’t really do it justice. It seems to be given in full here, though I’d more highly recommend One Long River of Song: Notes on Wonder, a book of essays which contains this and many other beautiful pieces by Brian Doyle.

   When [my sons] were three and four years old they used to stand on the pew next to me and lean on me as if I were a tree and they were birds. Sometimes one would fall asleep and I would sense this through my arm and shoulder so that when I sat down I would be sure to haul the sleeper down safely. …Sometimes they would lean against me just from a sheer simple mammalian affection, the wordless pleasure of leaning against someone you love and trust. But always I was bigger and they were smaller, then.

   Then came years during which there was no leaning because generally they were leaning away from their parents and from the church and from authority in all its figments and forms and constitutions, and generally they sat silent and surly and solitary, even during the Sign of Peace, which distressed their parents, which was the point.

   But now they are twenty and one is much taller than me and the other is much more muscular. … And the other day in Mass I leaned against one and then the other and I was moved, touched, pierced down to the fundaments of my soul. What were once pebbles are now cliffs. They are tall and strong and stalwart and charming and at the Sign of Peace people in all directions reach for them smiling. When I lean against them they do not budge and now I am the one leaning against men whom I love and trust and admire. Sometimes I lean too hard against them on purpose just to make them grin. …

   —Brian Doyle, “What Were Once Pebbles Are Now Cliffs”

1. Some updates

I did it—I submitted my thesis. I have completed all requirements for the Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of St. Thomas, Houston. Graduation is today, and while I won’t be in Texas, I will be celebrating at home with ice cream sundaes. John tried to surprise me with my favorite ice cream, but I called him yesterday about some other logistics while he was secretly at the shop. It was his turn to order, so he had to say “black raspberry” in the midst of our conversation. Oops! And yum.

God’s Little Flowers didn’t get as much of a book launch as I would have liked. Next month, I’m making up for it! The lovely folks at the Shrine of St. Joseph are offering space for me to have a book party to which all are welcome! Details below.

2. What I’m reading

While my coursework is officially complete, I still have 150-200 pages of reading I’d like to do. I told myself going in that I’d read everything that was assigned to me. I’d hoped to finish that before I submitted my thesis. Then I’d hoped to do it before graduation. But there was a thesis to write, and then there was everything I’d put on hold to catch up with. I WILL do it this week; mark my words!

Really, though, there was so much to read even taking just one course at a time that having a little more time and space to process what I’m reading isn’t a bad thing.

3. What my kids are reading

We finished Wonder and watched the movie, and wow on both. Highly recommend. Now we’re on to one of my favorite books of all time, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. We will not be watching the movie version. Years back, my mom and I attended an event with Babbitt (she signed my book!) and she expressly told us not to watch it, since it was done so poorly. Okay, then.

4. Something I love

I reconnected with a lovely woman I haven’t seen in a couple of years yesterday. As we chatted and caught up, I noticed a beautifully crocheted amigurumi Mother Mary on her bag. When I asked about it, she told me she made it and she sells them in her Etsy shop. Pop over to Crafts by Nana for a truly unique gift for a sacrament or graduation.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

Our wonderful library has a tiny art show this time of year, and the kids and I are participating for the first time. We each got a bag with a tiny canvas (maybe four inches square), some paint, and a brush. The idea is that you take it home, paint away, and bring it back before the month is out. Then all these little works of art are on display for the month of June or so. No prompts, no rules beyond that. Not to brag, but my library is really good at doing things just for fun, just to build community.

Here’s my entry, though I’m hoping to add some embroidery before I bring it back.

4. Where my work is

Dappled Things: “Reconsidering YA Lit” (a review of Little Sanctuary by Randy Boyagoda)

CatholicMom.com: “Can I Honestly Say, 'Truly, This Was the Son of God'?”

Trending with Timmerie: “Comparison or Happiness?”

Lisa Hendey and Friends: “Episode 79: Lindsay Schlegel ‘Don’t Forget to Say Thank You’” (recorded many years ago; just recently posted to YouTube)

7. What I’m working on

It’s finally time to write some new pieces for Our Sunday Visitor Magazine and Verily. It’s been great to dig into a longer project and get a draft of my novel not only written, but revised twice. As I let my brain work on what still needs improvement, I’m grateful for these shorter assignments to stretch different creative muscles.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

It’s a wheel, Winnie. Everything’s a wheel, turning and turning, never stopping. The frogs is part of it, and the bugs, and the fish, and the wood thrush, too. And people. But never the same ones. Always coming in new, always growing and changing, and always moving on. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. That’s the way it is.

— Angus Tuck, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

My thesis is due this Friday, May 9, so this month’s real post will show up on the eighteenth, rather than today. If there’s an eight in the ones column, it counts as an acceptable date to me, and really, I make the rules around here. :)

Looking forward to sharing more soon! In the meantime, and with my gratitude, here’s our girl one more time.

Fast forward three and a half years, and this sweet girl, Arwen, is now a part of our family. As it turns out, Lucas’s godfather wasn’t wrong either. Arwen could well have been the model for the stuffed toy (creatively named “Doggie”), which remains in our son’s room today.

My goal was to have this be the most literary dog possible, and so her full name is Arwen Lucy Schlegel. You better believe I chose the peacock feather pattern for her collar to honor Flannery. Some people get her name right away. Others seem to think it sounds nice, but you can see there’s no recognition. Which is my cue for, “It’s from The Lord of the Rings.”

Pro Tip: if you want to make sure you’re home and writing, get a dog who is obsessed with you and likes to sleep at your feet. Her occasional trips outside will provide the breaks you know you need without going on social media and with the benefit of getting some vitamin D. If you need to keep writing, bring your phone; this is what Google docs are for.

1. Some updates

Last night, by the grace of God, I sent the second draft of my thesis to my advisor. A deadline is a powerful thing.

I woke up this morning and registered a plot hole before I got out of bed. So a little of this, little of that.

2. What I’m reading is the same as 3. What my kids are reading

I picked up Sunrise on the Reaping, the newest Hunger games novel, from our library on release day. (Yay libraries! Yay hold systems!) My older boys and I took turns reading from the same copy, all finishing within ten days. I love that we all know these stories well, that they’re excited about them, the way we can talk about what we liked about them, how we think about the characters and so on. The movie is already scheduled to release on one of said boys’ baptismal days in 2026, so that’s where we’ll be.

3. What another kid is reading

Thanks to the reader who suggested The Magic Mirror : Concerning A Lonely Princess, A Foundling Girl, A Scheming King And A Pickpocket Squirrel by Susan Hill Long. My daughter and I recently finished it. It took a little getting into—lots of seemingly unrelated characters, some era-specific language that needed explanation—but once we got going, we were hooked. I’m glad we read it aloud, instead of her reading it on her own, since I think she might have struggled to get traction. But once we were in, another child kept finding a reason to be in the room while I read.

We just started Wonder by R.J. Palacio. I adore this book, and was edified by my two older boys seeing I was about to start and raving about it.

4. Something I love

I recently learned about Back on My Feet, an organization that “empower[s] people to achieve economic independence through fitness and community.” They “work with people experiencing homelessness or addiction who currently reside within shelters and recovery facilities.” More from their site: “We run and walk 2-3 times a week to build a sense of community and responsibility. With the support of workforce development, our members can work toward sustainable employment and self-sufficiency.”

A wonderful friend is running the London Marathon in support of this mission. We were happy to contribute to her fundraising. I only wish we could travel to cheer her on in person!

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

My son just finished three performances in his school’s performance of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Jr. My job was to help organize receptions for families to hang with cast and crew. With help from my little guy and other moms, we made this happen:

I learned that a balloon arch will deflate verrrry quickly when located near an air conditioning vent. Again, you win some, you lose some.

6. Where my work is

Catholic Literary Arts members newsletter: April 2025 Children’s Book Review: “Even the Simplest Picture Book, Done Well, Can Have Eternal Implications”

WINE: “A Litany of Promises”

WINE: “From Transformation to Transfiguration”

OSV (repeat from Radiant in a previous year): “How to pray the Stations of the Cross during Lent and year round”

On God’s Little Flowers:

It’s not online, but the best review of God’s Little Flowers to date was offered verbally by one of my favorite five-year-olds and made even more precious by the fact that she as still wearing a leotard and tutu from dance class: “Mrs. Schlegel, you know that book you gave us? [Her mom bought a copy.] I looked at it seven times and my mom read it to me three times.”

Tonight I’ll be on Trending with Timmerie on Relevant Radio at 7pm Eastern/6pm Central to discuss the book and comparison amongst kids. Tune in!

CatholicMom.com review: “God’s Little Flowers”

NCR: “Catholic Easter Basket Picks for 2025”

Wholly Surrender podcast: “The Power of Identity | God's Little Flowers with Lindsay Schlegel” (also on Spotify)

7. What I’m working on

Magazine work means working ahead, and I have four new Saintly Habits columns to write for OSV magazine. Writing this is a kind of prayer, and I’m grateful I’ve been able to do this for over a year’s worth of pieces.

8. A quote to sit and sip with

No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there,
or the sound of crying;
No longer shall there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not round out his full lifetime;
He dies a mere youth who reaches but a hundred years,
and he who fails of a hundred shall be thought accursed.
They shall live in the houses they build,
and eat the fruit of the vineyards they plant.

—Isaiah 65:20-21