Every day, someone realizes a dream. I believe dreams help light our darkness and give us the push we need to move across the rink of life.

I burnt myself out of skating. I was ready to focus on being a mom.

Now, I am thrilled to be a wife and mother, and I hope to be as good of a mother as my own mother, Carole.

At 6 years old, the ice became a place for me to express myself. Because I was so shy off the ice, it became my safe haven, with music and freedom and self-expression. That was my emotional outlet.

With 30,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations from the seasonal flu, those numbers are certainly higher than what we've seen of the swine flu. Protecting yourself from both viruses is very important.

I'm kind of a homebody. My husband says I like to just stay home and do nothing, but that's just how I am.

I didn't want to skate for someone else or for certain marks.