The Missing Link: “Te amo con todo mi corazón”

It’s not about who you start with, but about who you end up with. And for Christian Linares, he is super glad he ended up with his amazing wife, Colleen Perdue.

“Colleen is an absolutely amazing, spunky, witty, intelligent, beautiful, feisty, loving, snarky, smart alecky, generous, big-hearted and a badass that lights up a room when she enters it,” Christian said. “And she certainly has always lit up my heart ever since we dated in high school.”

Christian and Colleen go way back. They have known each other for three decades, but it was not until last month that they got married. Christian and Colleen went their separate ways after dating in high school, and Christian will tell you being without her all this time made him realize he does not want to spend another day without Colleen by his side.

“She means the world to me,” Christian said. “We were high school sweethearts. I’ve been in love with her since I was 16. Thirty years later and we are back together. We are in love and are best friends. We do everything together. We have the same values and enjoy the same things.”

You could say Colleen is the yin to Christian’s yang. You could say they are a match made in heaven. You could even say they are soulmates.

No matter how you want to put it, there is no question Colleen and Christian are meant for one another. They complement each other so well and share so many of the same life morals.

Christian also considers his wife the missing link to their family. For so long, it was just Christian and his sons, Cristiano (14) and Marco (13). He was raising them all by himself, and while he is a great father, there is nothing that can match a mother’s touch.

This is what Colleen has brought to the table. She has been a mother figure to the boys ever since she came back into Christian’s life, and the boys appreciate her so much. In fact, they were even part of the wedding proposal back in 2021, and Christian wanted to assure that Colleen was marrying Christian for Christian and the boys, not just Christian.

“She has helped me with my boys,” he said. “She’s taken on the role of wanting to raise these boys. They absolutely love her. I was a single dad. Now we have six dogs, a cat and two boys together. It’s a pretty big household. She makes sure we can take care of all the babies and all they need. She is a generous, kind, loving human being. She just means the world to me.”

Colleen loves helping run the Linares household, and Christian is so grateful for all she does. She is the matriarch and the glue, and she is the conductor that helps keep the train running.

And she helps keep the house functioning smoothly too.

“She makes sure our home is kept up,” Christian said. “She makes sure we have everything we need. She is an amazing chef and cooks unbelievable food. She supports the boys in their sports and endeavors. She’s not just a stepmom, but treats them as her own. She cares. She balances me. She has a gift to help me be a better parent. She obviously does that herself too.”

It’s hard to imagine what the Linares household was like before Colleen came into the picture. That’s how amazing she is.

Colleen is not just a great family woman either. She loves her friends as well, and she treats people with true kindness. She can light up any room with her smile, and her love of life and joy shows each and every day.

“She’s just the light when she comes into the room,” Christian said. “She’s our little sunflower. She’s funky, feisty and loving. She’s always involved. She’s a planner. She’s organized. She is overcoming obstacles. Colleen worked for many years as an executive for a nonprofit whose mission was to help others, and that’s something she loves to do at her core of her values and it shows when anyone meets her. It’s amazing to see how far she’s gone and what she’s doing now.”

Colleen has come a long way in her life. She struggled with some things before she and Christian got back together, but seeing the toughness and resilience she possesses is yet another reason why Christian is constantly blown away by his wife. He sees her face life’s toughest challenges with a lot of heart and determination, and he is super proud of her.

Colleen is also someone who is so sacrificial of her time. Any time she can donate her time to others and just be there to take care of other people, she does it.

Above all else, however, Colleen is someone who makes sure her family is the first priority. She is there for them no matter what, and she is selfless in so many ways when making sure they have everything they need.

“She is always making sure we are always taken care of and she is always very thoughtful with making sure everyone knows they are loved by spoiling us with many presents, thoughtful cards or reminders, and so on,” Christian said. “Not just us but everyone that she graces her presence with.”

Colleen is so full of love and she has such a great heart, and that is why so many people are drawn to her. So many people appreciate and love everything about Colleen, and they are grateful for her.

Christian is ready to make more memories with Colleen as well. He knows they will throughout their marriage, but there is one memory he will never forget.

“My favorite memory has to be melting when I was staring into her eyes giving my vows and being the happiest I have ever been to be lucky enough to marry mi amor de mi vida,” Christian said.

Colleen means absolutely everything to Christian and she is he and his boys’ world. She makes their lives infinitely greater, and for that they will always cherish her and behold her.

“I want Colleen to know that I am the luckiest man in the world to have my partner and best friend marry me not even one month ago in a fairy tale wedding with some of our closest friends and family. But I want to make sure she knows that she is forever Mi Amor De Mi Vida and forever my Valentine every day of my life! Te amo con todo mi corazón!!” – Christian