Introducing Emily T. Wierenga to the Hello, Dearest Family

Darling, we want to introduce you to Emily. She’s been sharing her eloquent words and thoughtful perspective on Hello, Darling for the past month. We’ve enjoyed having her around so much, we’ve asked her to make a home here. Several times a month, she’ll be sharing her life with ours so we wanted to give her a chance to introduce herself formally. Go ahead and introduce yourself to her in the comments, she’d love to get to know you personally.

Hello, Dearest,

I’m Emily, and I’m honored and humbled to be a new long-term contributor to Hello, Dearest.

I love you, sisters. We’re all stumbling along on this mothering journey and you can approach me about anything okay? I’m an open book, with dog-eared pages and a worn cover.

I’m mama to two boys, ages two and four, and married to a farm-boy-turned-math-teacher. We live in a small Dutch hamlet with three churches, one Co-Op and no stop lights. There are a lot of fields out here, there’s a lot of space and sky for breathing and running and writing.

We foster two boys in addition to our own two, and before I had kids, I took care of my Mum who had brain cancer. She fought back and has recovered, all glory to God, and my pastor-father still holds her hand while they go for daily walks.

I battled anorexia nervosa as a child, and then again as a newly married woman, and I write a lot about body image now and have a passion for women to learn to love themselves.

I hurt for the church, and believe in it, and pray for it, as I’ve grown up inside its walls and have heard its groanings.

I have a heart for Africa, particularly Uganda, and went there in January on a bloggers’ trip with World Help. My husband and I are currently trying to adopt a little girl from an orphanage near Kampala.

My favorite things to do are read literary novels, play guitar, snowboard, paint with oil and acrylics and hug my babies.

I am the author of two books on eating disorders, a novel releasing this spring, and a memoir coming out this summer. All of my books can be found here: http://www.emilywierenga.com/books/.

I hope you’ll connect with me over at my blog: www.emilywierenga.com, or on FB: https://www.facebook.com/emilytwierenga, or if you prefer, Twitter: @emily_wierenga. I’d love to have a virtual glass of wine, or cup of coffee, with you.

Peace to you friends,

e.