Alex Writes a Blog

I would like to start out this blog by saying a big thank you to our readers. Especially our three (as of posting) followers. It has been very fun to hear the feedback and excitement people have about our lives. We love you.

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So when Olivia proposed that we write a blog, she meant that WE should write it. Not just her. Well, one in four isn't bad, right? Right? Okay it's pretty bad. Even J.D. Drew can hit .250, or not.

So, in my desire to be more consistent than my beloved Red Sox, I am writing my first installment of the Winkfield Blog. It's a long season and we have to take it one blog at a time, but if we (I) stay motivated, we could do some real damage to the blogosphere. Here we go.

A few days ago, Olivia (my Extremely Hott Wife) wrote about our dog Jens, who is awesome. Tonight, I would like to tell you about someone even cooler, Olivia (yes, this could get sappy).

 Olivia > Lance Armstrong

I do not remember actually being introduced to Olivia. I remember seeing her at Young Life events and thinking:
1) She had awesome hair
2) She was really attractive
3) She was too short for me. As it turns out, the Lord has a pretty good sense of humor.

The face of beauty

We have now been together a little more than two years and married for almost one. In that time I have learned a lot about her, like what her favorite ice cream is (mint with gummy bears and brownies from Coldstone, duh), turned her into a Red Sox and Patriots fan, and most importantly, fallen more in love with her everyday.

She has given me advice, prayed for me, encouraged me, supported me in my job, moved away from family and friends for me, surprised me with gifts (as simple as homemade dinner, as extravagant as an iPhone), bragged about me, ridden her bike all summer with me, complimented me, challenged and corrected me, turned my eyes and my heart above and been the best friend I could have ever asked for. I have not always been a great husband, or friend to Olivia, but she is filled with grace and patience. She is loving and kind and I am thrilled to call her my wife.

Best. Day. Ever.

We have many things that we love to do together. Chief among them are travel and ride our bikes, which we hope to do in tandem (get it, it's a play on words) in the future. Olivia is excited about adventure and doing things together, and talking about different trips or plans for the future with her gets me even more excited to be with her.

Olivia is going to be an awesome mom. She loves kids and is great with them (+1 for pediatric nursing). She will be loving and sweet to them, strict when necessary and encourage them in all they do (especially if they are gymnasts/divers). She will be such a fun mom and, while I am in NO rush at all, I am excited to be a parent with her in the future.

This may sound strange, but I am excited to be old with Olivia, should the Lord bless us with old age. I am excited to still call her beautiful everyday and hope that our level of PDA goes through the roof as we get old.

I am not a blind optimist. I know that 50% of marriages in this country end in divorce. I know that marriage is hard and takes more than one can fully prepare for. 

I also know that while I hope to be with Olivia 'till death do us part, my hope is not found Olivia. We are both imperfect people. We are not capable of perfection. If my hope is found in Olivia, or if hers is found in me, we are only setting ourselves up for failure. Instead, we have set our hope in one we believe is perfect. Capable of perfect love and grace, and able to meet all of our needs. I am not here to tell you, Dear Reader what to believe or judge you based on your choices, that is not my intention. Just to share. 

Olivia and I believe that we were created to be in a relationship with God our maker, and that our sin has made that impossible for us to do on our own. We believe that Jesus Christ, the son of God, lived a sinless life on Earth as a human being, filled with the Holy Spirit and that his death on the cross atoned for our sins and gives us and you the opportunity to live in a relationship with God as He intended.

As I said before, I am not here to tell you what to believe. I will not think any less of you if these are not your beliefs and hope you will return the same courtesy. I do have two questions for you to consider:

1) What is your hope found in?

2) Can it love you perfectly?

With that, I say goodnight and thank you for reading.

Olivia, you are the love of my life. I hope you always know that.

Love,

Alex