Ode to Park City - 10 years later

As I was driving into work today, I saw something that made me smile and feel old all at the same time.  Today is Graduation Day for Park City High School, and here in Park City we have a mountain/hill with a large PC on it.  It has been a tradition that every year the seniors go up the mountain and change the PC to their graduating year, then usually the juniors go up sometime while the seniors are getting ready for graduation and change it to the next year.  It's a funny little thing that we do in our town.  Well, the Class of 2003, aka the best class to graduate PCHS, decided as a class gift we would make the PC permanent.  We cemented it in, so any future class had to add their class year on the end.  This morning, the PC had a 13 by it—it made me smile with nostalgia but it also made me think about when I graduated it was an 03, that's 10 years people.

I started thinking about all the things I have done in the past 10 years.  I think in my high school year book they asked us where we thought we'd be in 10 years.  I'm sure mine had something to do with being a doctor and being married with kids.  HA, if my high school self could see me now…  Sometimes I think I still use my high school self to judge where I am in life, and she has no idea what life is about, so I need to really retire her.

Here are a few things that she needs to get straight:

My high school self hated Park City and couldn't wait to get out and experience other things.  While I think that is valid for a high school-er to think, I could not be more in love with Park City as a semi-grown up.  I know that this is where I was meant to have my life.  My parents like to make fun of me because High School Haley said she would never, EVER, live in Park City permanently.  Let's all remember some of the stupid things we said when we were 18, ok?  Moving on.  Every day I am super grateful that I get to live in this beautiful place and I am convinced it is making me a better person.

Seriously, I get to live here...

Spring time running

View from my yoga mat in the winter

My favorite Park City Landmark--McPolin Barn

My high school self thought that we would be married with two kids by 28.  In all fairness to her, that was her only experience, everyone in my family has been married with at least one kid by the age of 28.  However, High School Haley, marriage and kids is not the be all end all.  It is something that at 28, you still look forward too, but you have the most amazing family of friends that a girl could ask for.  People that are honest with you in ways that make you a better and stronger person.  Friends that will stick by you through some of the toughest decisions of your life.

Skiing on my 28th birthday with Chelsea

The Fab Five

Hiking with Jenny in American Fork Canyon--where we almost got lost and needed rescuing

My high school self thought we'd be a doctor.  Well, let's talk about freshman year at Michigan—we hated chemistry.  You don't get to go to Med School if you don't take chemistry…  So we decided on something with cute boys and something we were good at, Sport Management.  Let me tell you it was the right choice.  There still are cute boys, plus number one.  But you are also seriously passionate about Olympic Sport and the drive and determination that it takes athletes to achieve their goals—it inspires you daily.  What I am saying is, (1) it's ok not to be a doctor, (2) it's ok if you go to law school and don't necessarily use your degree in the most literal sense because you discover the passion that you were running away from.

2012 FIBT Wold Championships

Team Night Train

2012 Alpine National Championships

Bad ass with a drill...  Not that I know how to use it/what to do with it

So High School Haley, lets review:

• Park City is awesome
• You don't need to be married with kids to have an awesome life at 28
• Your job/field rocks

Congrats to the Park City High School Class of 2013 and Happy 10 year Anniversary to the Class of 2003 (even though we graduated on Friday, June 13)!