Day Seven: My Favorite Movies

This is EAAAASY!
I love ALL Christmas movies (except Polar Express and I'm not sure why-- I think I was just bored with it), but my favorites are:
AND, my ALL-TIME favorite non Christmas movie is:Love it!

Day Six: A Picture that Makes Me Happy

So, I have totally been slacking, but I just had no time to get online during the Thanksgiving holidays. My parents came to town and my mom and I spent LOTS of time shopping and decorating for Christmas. I had so much fun. I was sad to see the week end. Now, it's back to the grind, just counting down the days until Christmas break.

On a lighter note, though... Here's a pic that makes me SO happy. It's my little family at Thanksgiving. :)

Day Five: My Brother

My brother rocks. He is one of the coolest guys you'll ever meet. He's smart, handsome, funny, and has this incredible ability to talk to you using words that eventually confuse you. It's so much fun to watch him debate, bicker, and (let's be honest) drive people insane! As long as he's not doing it to me! :)
Really, though. I am so beyond proud of the man my brother has become. He built a business (and is working on another) from the ground up. He has pushed through the hard times that the economy has laid upon us all. He will keep on pushing because that's just who he is... A driven man who will never take No for an anwser. I am so super blessed to have him as my brother. LOVE YOU BUB!

You can read more about him here!

Day Four: My Parents

With this being Thanksgiving week, it is so easy for me to ramble on about my parents. I absolutely love them. I know they're my parents and that's how I'm supposed to feel, but you just don't understand. I have the best parents in the world.


Naturally, I have already written about them both here and here. That truly does sum it up.

I can't wait to spend Thanksgiving with them. It's been so hard for us since they moved to Odessa, but we're doing okay. Hopefully they will be back VERY soon!!! :)

Love you Mom and Dad!!!

Day Three: My First Love

A picture would explain this better than any words.

Hahaha! I know what you're thinking... "C'mon, wine CAN'T be your absolute first love!"

Now, don't get me wrong, I do have plenty of stories about the 2 or maybe 3 times I thought I was in love in High School and college, but let's face it, wine is much more suitable. It never lets you down and surely would never break you heart.

I first met wine in 2003. Oh Franzia, we had some wonderful times together. Then as the years progressed, so did my preference in wine. I went from boxed to magnum bottles of White Zinfandel and eventually made my way to $50 bottles of reds and whites. Today, I'm thrilled by the "buy 6 and save" deal at Albertsons. Yes, please. I am even the member of a wine club. Yep, that's right.

My relationship with wine is notable... Through the years, we have laughed, cried, and made terribly stupid decisions togehter... BUT, wine has always been there for me. I love you wine. Seriously.

In closing, I DO have to admit-- My second true love was my husband. I can't leave him out. :) GOODNIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day Two: The Story Behind My Blog Name

The Story Goes a Little Something Like This:

There is a verse in the Bible, Proverbs 31:10, that says
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies."

I ran across this verse about 5 or 6 years ago through a really random chain of events, but it has really stuck with me. Through my ups and downs and in-betweens, it has helped me remember that I really AM worth more than rubies. It helps seal the deal on my self-confidence.

Now, I'm lucky enough to have a man that thinks I'm worth more than rubies too. I'm blessed.

ALSO, my the actual name of my blog if you were to search for it is called "Hands on a Miracle." It's my absolute favorite song in the world and it's by the Foo Fighters. It was mine and Matt's first dance because it is truly so fitting... "Hands on a miracle, I got my hands on a miracle. Believe it or not, hands on a miracle. And there ain't no way that you'll take it away." Beautiful!

SO, that's about it.... I'm out to have a nice Saturday breakfast with my MIRACLE!! Happy Weekend!

30-Day Blog Challenge-- Day 1

Okay, I totally want to jump on this bandwagon. I got the idea from my friend, Ryan, (you can read her blog here) and I figure that I could use something that makes me blog a little bit more. I've been slacking like crazy. So here goes nothing!!!

Day One: Introduction, Recent Picture, Fifteen Interesting Facts
Okay, okay, I know this isn't a picture of me, BUT it is my most recent picture (taken yesterday actually). I need for you to understand that this isn't just any Christmas tree... It is the FIRST tree my grandmother has put up in her house in 25 YEARS!! You see, her son (my mom's baby brother) passed away that year in a car accident and it naturally rocked their world. My grandma hasn't been able to bring herself to put up a tree since then... Until this year. I am SO proud of her, and if you look on the wall right behind the tree is a picture of my Uncle Robbie (we didn't do this purposefully). It's like he's looking down on us. :)

Anyway, about me. I am Allyson Michelle (Chapman) Houchin. I am 25, and will be 26 on December 27. I recently married-- two months yesterday actually-- to the absolute love of my life. We have the most beautiful dog you've ever seen, and her name is Harper. She is a chocolate lab. We bought our first house this year and we're enjoying the fun and stress of being homeowners.
I am the baby of a wonderful family-- My brother, Brad is 2 and a half years older and is the coolest guy you'll ever meet. He is handsome, funny, and the best salesman in the world. My mom is beautiful and kind, and my dad has always been such a great caretaker; he would do anything for anybody. I am blessed that my parents are still married and still very much in love.
I am an 8th grade Math teacher. People usually think you have to be smart to teach Math, but I would say I'm kinda dumb because I chose to teach 8th grade!! :) No really, in all honestly. It's been a wonderfully disastrous ride. These kids are crazy, funny, awesome, careless, mean, lazy, emotional, happy, but all-around awesome. They make my world a more exhausting, but better place-- no doubt.
I think that's about it. :)

AND, here are 15 random things about me:
1. I have the same last name as one of my very best friends in the world. We married cousins. How cute is that?!

2. Before I get in the car to take a road trip (whether it's 1 hour or 12 hours), I always stop to get Trolli sour gummi worms and a sugar free Red Bull. Always.

3. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm a pretty good cook. I'm just a terrible meal planner, so I never really do it. My poor husband didn't realize what he was signing on for.

4. I LOVE the Bravo channel. Seriously. What's better than Top Chef, Housewives of every city in the US, and Millionaire Matchmaker? Not much, I say.

5. On my mom's side, I am the only granddaughter. Enough said.

6. I love my Kindle. Like, love love. I would almost die for it.

7. I have an obsession in coffee mugs. I can't stop buying them.

8. I asked for a camera for Christmas... And not just any camera. A fancy one. I probably won't be getting any presents for a LONG time.

9. I think the North Face is the coolest brand ever.

10. My best friend and I have only lived in the same city for ONE year. We've been best friends for 7 years.

11. I am also obsessed with blue jeans. If I try them on, I'm going to buy them. It's a problem. I need help.

12. I think the guy that invented TOMS shoes is hot. I'm just saying.

13. I cry very easily... sappy movies, tv shows, commercials. They get me every time!

14. I'm hungry right now. I forgot to eat breakfast. Good thing we're having a pot luck for lunch. YUM!

15. I love my Sanuk shoes. I would wear them every day if they matched.

Welp, it's been nice sharing a little bit about myself. I'm going to now go get some water so that I can fill my belly until lunchtime.
HAPPY FRIDAY!! :)

Aunt Ally

I am going to be an AUNT! My sister-in-law, Lindsay is having a baby in early April.
We had dinner the other night to celebrate because she was supposed to find out the baby's sex. I say "supposed to" because the dang little thing had it's legs crossed. I guess I should say that SHE had HER legs crossed... Only little ladies cross their legs. :)

Lindsay is SO hoping for a baby girl because she wants to have fun dressing her up and mostly because she wants a "momma's girl." Other than that, I can't imagine having a girl... Such a handful! :) Anyway, so I bought them a little burp rag for a girl (hope I didn't jinx them)! It's sweet--- All pink and green with a cursive "L" on it for Luxee).

I cannot wait to meet my sweet niece (or nephew, Rylind). I am going to spoil him/her rotten!! :)

His Presence

I had a moment the other day where I sat in my car reminiscing about a few years ago. I thought back to my years at DBU.

I kind of like to think of it as the time I learned the "blessings of brokenness." My time at DBU was so rewarding, but so incredibly difficult. I am not sure if it my trying to impress or fool certain people or if it was just the fact that I was SO ready to be done with college, but either way, I did not take full advantage of my time there. I never truly took the time or energy to be still and to appreciate DBU for what it has to offer.

That is where my thoughts went: I thought about how even though I give my alma mater a hard time (not because it isn't a GREAT school, but because of the personal struggles I went through while I was there), it really is an amazing place. I thought about how when you walk on that campus, you can feel Jesus Christ. You can feel Him in everything. It is incredible.

Sitting in my car, my thoughts of memories began to turn into regrets. I regret not appreciating the beauty of it more while I was there. I regret being resentful for things that were mostly self-inflicted (hey, who is NOT a glutton for punishment?!). I regret carrying pain and burdens that I should have let go of long ago. I regret graduating as quickly as possible. I regret not giving DBU its due credit.

So, anyway, I am humbled to be able to say all of this... It's hard to admit my mistakes and regrets, but I want to make this admission. On the record, I love DBU and its purpose. Absolutely love it.

That is all.

Wordless Wednesday

Update...

My friend's dad's cancer is at a stage 4. They recommend chemo (of course), but the chemotherapy he will have to go through is incredibly powerful and could hurt both his heart and his bowels. However, since they tested his heart and it is strong enough, they are starting chemo today. Please continue to pray with me.

Broken

My heart is broken today for a good friend of mine.
Her dad found out today that he has cancer. She and her family are naturally distraught and I hurt for them beyond words. It is not fair. Why bad things happen to good people, I guess I'll never know. I just pray that they do not lose their faith and that they keep fighting the fight.


But He said to me "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10