Thank you for your prayers!

And favorite content from the last few weeks

I had my second endometriosis excision surgery yesterday. Typically, you can get quite a few years (or the rest of your life) of relief with a well-trained surgeon doing excision surgery. But mine came back.

As anyone who’s been definitely diagnosed with endometriosis can tell you, there’s a moment of such relief when you wake up and hear, “Yep, we found some.” It’s so easy to gaslight yourself and wonder if it’s all in your head or if you’re just a wimp. (Many women are also gaslighted by medical professionals, but that’s a different story.)

I’m very grateful to have come out of surgery well and to have family (most of all my husband) and friends who are generously and joyfully taking care of me (and my daughter, because recovering from surgery with a toddler is a little more challenging logistically!) as I recover.

Find your village, and don’t settle for bad doctors.

Any questions about living with endometriosis or chronic pain? I’m not a technical expert, but I have learned a lot over the last 21 years of pain! Drop them in the comments!

What I’ve Been up to (other than surgery!)

Not much, though Elise and I are quickly approaching our deadline for our manuscript! Prayers are appreciated—and don’t forget you can sign up here to be the first to hear updates!

I participated last month in a virtual panel hosted by my friend

Alexandra Macey Davis

for The Public Discourse on work and motherhood. Also participating were Erika Bachiochi,

Kelly Hanlon

, April Readlinger,

Katy Faust

, and

Haley Stewart

. You can read the transcript here.

The latest episode of “Catholic Women Lead” is a beautiful reflection on Advent with our writer Rose Folsom. Don’t miss it! Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Content I’ve Liked

• Speaking of Public Discourse, Alex has a great article about the intellectual life for those of us who aren’t professional intellectuals (such as stay-at-home moms).

• This episode of the Ave Maria Press podcast “Living the Word” was about the Book of Ruth. Listen for the connections they make between Ruth and Mary! So beautiful and fascinating.

• You’ve heard of Anne of Green Gables, but have you heard of Emily of New Moon? I appreciated this New York Times article (gift link) about this trilogy, which I adored as an aspiring-writer-teenager.

• If you’re hosting this Christmas, check out this Theology of Home article by Bridget McCartney Nohara about hosting with the Holy Spirit. It was a gentle and beautiful reminder.

• I pray daily for the canonization causes of Léonie Martin and Catherine Doherty, both of whom are currently considered Servants of God. I loved this essay by

  Claire Dwyer
  about Léonie (one of the older sisters of Thérèse of Lisieux).

• This National Catholic Register article by Lorraine V. Murray about Edith Stein has nothing new to anyone who’s devoured her Essays on Woman but is a great introduction to her thought on femininity.

Books I’ve Enjoyed

• Winning Her Business: How to Transform the Customer Experience for the World's Most Powerful Consumers, by Bridget Brennan, was a fascinating look at what female consumers want in the customer experience. It rang true to me, at least.

• I’ve been wanting to read The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence, for a while, and it is this month’s Well-Read Mom pick. So, so good. I’ll definitely be returning to it. (What is it about French Carmelites?!)

• Flex Mom: The Secrets of Happy Stay-at-Home Moms, by Sara Blanchard, is a short but helpful book for anyone who is looking to blend stay-at-home motherhood with a second passion, whether it’s paid work or something else.

• One of my few five-star reads for the year, Detoured: The Messy, Grace-Filled Journey from Working Professional to Stay-at-Home Mom is a book I wish I’d read sooner but still found helpful. Author Jen Babakhan is a Christian mother of two whose struggles transitioning from full-time work to full-time caregiving were very, very relatable. It’s also beautifully written. Highly recommend!