Be Yourself

I fall in love with small things: the way someone's eyes crinkle when they laugh, the way that Paige sticks her tongue out of the corner of her mouth when she's really concentrating on something, the light that shines from someone's face when they're bearing their testimony.  I think small things like that matter.  I think they're important because they make each and every one of us unique and special.  So whenever you feel small and insignificant, just remember that you have a role to play that no one else can fulfill.  You are the only person who can truly be you.  Remember that you're going to live a life that is uniquely yours.  Remember that you're going to influence people that no one else can and you're going to make changes that no one else will.  Remember that you matter because you're you.  Don't let anyone make you believe otherwise.  Love yourself, and be proud of the small things that make you who you are.



So here's a list of 99 little things that make me who I am.  And hopefully after reading this you'll feel like you know me a little bit better than you did before.  :)

1. If I could be anywhere in the world right now it would be with my family.  Wherever they are is good enough for me.
2. I can curl my hair in less than ten minutes.  Yeah, I don't know why I haven't been interviewed by Oprah yet either. 
3. I wear a ring on the middle finger of my right hand.  It's a small silver friendship ring.  Amy Castro, my other half, has the other one.
4. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" is my favorite Beatles song. 
5. I don't like Arby's.
6. "Thoroughly Modern Millie" was my favorite show that I did in high school.  I played Miss Dorothy.  It was an amazing show.
7. I recently made a goal to never again miss a day of scripture study.  So far, so good!
8. I really like wave pools.  And lazy rivers.
9. Airports stress me out more than anything else in this entire world.  I've literally never been more scared to do anything than I was to fly back and forth to Brazil all by myself.  But I did it!  Yay me.
10. I used to bite my nails.  But I stopped that yucky habit.
11. I usually don't go to bed until 1 or 2 in the morning.  I'm basically a party animal.
12. Having to buy presents for people stresses me out.  I'm always scared they're not going to like it and think it's stupid or whatever.  
13. I've never seen Boy Meets World. 
14. I'm very aware of people's eyebrows.  I know that sounds weird, but it's one of the first things I notice about people.  That and their smile.
15. I love coloring.  If you give me a new box of crayons and a coloring book I will literally be the happiest girl ever.
16. I hate feet.
17. My mom is my best friend. 
18. I was named after my grandma.  
19. My biggest fear is not getting married.  It sounds superficial, but it's actually something that I think about a lot.
20. Arthur was my favorite show growing up.  Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card.
21. Cinnamon Toast Crunch is my favorite cereal.
22. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" is the most played song in my iTunes library.  And I'm not even embarrassed.
23. I'm not a morning person.  Like at all.
24. I had kidney surgery when I was two.  I still have the scars on my left hip...battle scars.
25. Sensual Amber is my favorite Bath and Body Works scent.  Mmmmmm sensual.
26. Elephants are my favorite animal.  If you send me a picture of an elephant I will be your best friend forever.
27. I broke my arm when I was little by falling out of bed.  Hardcore parkour.
28. "The Phantom of the Opera" is my favorite musical.  
29. D&C 121:7-8 is my favorite scripture. 
30. I own a pair of floral print jeans.
31. I've gone to Asian Buffet so many times that the owners know me by name.
32. Monopoly is my favorite board game.
33. Ariel is my favorite Disney princess.
34. I was never in Varsity Choir.
35. I can pogo stick like a boss.  Except one time I fell off and got a really large and colorful bruise on my butt, but that's besides the point.
36. I would rather be cold than hot.
37. I prefer to wear liquid eyeliner.
38. The only pets I ever had were one goldfish and two hamsters.  My parents didn't love me enough to get me a dog.
39. I'm scared that I won't be able to scream if I get kidnapped or raped or something like that.  Idk.
40. Snickers is my favorite candy bar.  Nothing else even compares.
41. I used to be obsessed with a Korean TV show.
42. I think crew neck sweatshirts are better than hoodies.
43. I'm a sucker for a guy that wears Sperrys.
44. I love Indiana Jones.  My favorite part is in "Temple of Doom" when the guy gets his heart ripped out.  Yum.
45. I would rather eat a hamburger than a hotdog.  Hotdogs and I have a rough history.
46. I graduated in the top ten of my class of 500 students.  
47. I have weird knees.  Idk how to explain it.  If we're ever hanging out just ask and I'll show you.
48. I crack my knuckles.
49. I played violin for one year.
50. I used to live in Buffalo, New York.
51. I don't pay attention to the R/L on my ear buds.  Because honestly who cares.
52. I tend to overreact about everything.  Just ask Amy.
53. One time I cried over a couch.  I'll tell you the story later.
54. I love the smell of books/bookstores. 
55. I love Harry Potter.  My favorite book is either the 6th or the 7th, and Chamber of Secrets is my favorite movie.
56. Tower of Terror is one of my favorite rides ever.  That and Dinosaur.  So amazing.
57. BYU is the only college I applied to.  So it's a good thing I got accepted cause yeah, idk.
58. I usually cry after I cut my hair.  I just get really attached to it you know.  Life is hard.
59. I think Goldfish are way better than Cheezits.
60. I can play expert level on guitar hero.  So yeah, I'm better than you.
61. I believe that Band-Aids make everything better.
62. I'm a big texter.  
63. I love sushi.
64. "The Poisonwood Bible" is my favorite book that I had to read in high school.
65. I love missionaries.  They make me so happy.
66. I basically have my entire wedding already planned out.  Minus the part where I'm actually engaged and stuff but that's a minor detail.
67. "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" is my favorite chick flick.  YOU KILLED OUR LOVE FERN.
68. I still have yet to successfully make something from Pinterest.  Here's a list of things that I've failed at: folding a fitted sheet, the origami chip bag fold, homemade mozzarella sticks, etc., etc., etc.  Pinterest is hard work.
69. Cristina Yang is my favorite character on Grey's Anatomy.  She's perfect.
70. I tweet way too much.  @emmalynn22
71. I ran track in eighth grade.  If you don't believe me, I have pictures to prove it.
72. My hands are usually really cold.  My mom always says that I have death hands so yeah life is cool and fun.
73. Chicken Teriyaki is my favorite Subway sandwich.
74. I think picnics are super adorable and romantic.  If you take me on a picnic I will probably fall in love with you.
75. I think Miranda Sings is probably the best thing that has ever happened to the Internet.  Just saying.
76. I can't sleep with socks on.
77. Scripture mastery is one of my favorite things in this entire world.
78. Thunderstorms and overcast weather are my favorite.  I could listen to the sound of rain all day long.  
79. I don't like pudding.
80. Calculus was my favorite class in high school.  Chemistry was a close second though.
81. I have the biggest crush on Hugh Dancy.  I mean, come on.  He's perfect.
82. I love scary movies.
83. I hardly ever wear bracelets.
84. I think that having enough humility to say your sorry and to ask for forgiveness is essential to being happy in this life.  It goes both ways though: you have to be willing to forgive others for the things that they've done that have hurt you.  Nobody's perfect (I gotta work it).
85. I've seen every episode of Hannah Montana.  Every single one.  And I don't regret it.
86. I'm fluent in sarcasm.  
87. I once owned a pair of green, fleece sweatpants.  That was a dark time in my life.  I don't really like to talk about it.
88. I've never owned a two-dollar bill.  But I've always wanted one.
89. I judge people based on their choice of footwear.
90. Outside of my mom and dad, Mr. Schembri is the person that has influenced me the most.  He was my high school calculus teacher and is the reason that I'm a math education major today.  You should go read my blog post called "I'm going to make a difference: I'm going to teach math" to find out all about it.
91. I have 49 pairs of shoes.  Oops.
92. I used to be scared to sleep with my hand hanging over the side of my bed.  Because of that creepy story where this guy licks this girls hand at night.
93. Going through a car wash is one of my absolute favorite things to do.  In a car, of course.  I don't go casually running through car washes.  That's ridiculous.  But I love the sounds and how it's all dark and stuff.  Car washes are so fun.
94. I'm not the biggest fan of fruity candy.  I'd take chocolate over fruity any day.
95. I cry a lot.
96. If I could only shop at one store for the rest of my life it would probably be Old Navy.   
97. I'm too scared to try jet skiing.
98. Speak Now is my favorite Taylor Swift album.
99. I buy a new planner every year but end up only using it for the first week of school.  I tell myself I'm going to use it for the whole year but it never actually happens.