I never had becoming Miss America on my radar screen. But when I was 17, I decided to quit the violin and my parents were devastated.

My hope is that when people read my story, it will inspire them to reach for their goals and not give up. The real story is this: if I can do it, you can too.

I'm a person who likes to give 100 percent to everything I do. I want to be the best at my job and as a mother.

Our daughter was the last in her class to get a cell phone and she had to earn it. She still doesn't have Instagram although she asks me for it every day.

To me, faith is being thankful when things in life are going well and also being thankful when they are not. Its often through our most difficult times when faith lifts us up and gives us the courage and the strength to work even harder to accomplish a new goal or do something we never thought we could.

One of my Miss America judges called me a "God-clutcher" way back when because I spoke about my faith being an important part of my life during my interview.

There's something about winning Miss America that brings out the snark.