texas forever

For the last two weeks, every time I see someone in person, I've been sharing some big news.

I tried to get to everyone, because, honestly, I don't want my friends and family to read about this for the first time on the internet. But because I'm running out of time and apparently I see my friends far too infrequently, I have some news to share...

Chad and I are moving to Texas!

Ok, now. Before you start telling me about big hair, country music and cowboy boots, I'll step back a little.

First, I know this seems like it's out of the blue (and, honestly, it kind of is). But we've lived in New York since right after college, and it's been a lot of great years in my favorite city on earth. It's an incredible place to live, and part of me always saw myself living here forever.

But life is long and winding and unpredictable, and after a lot of thought and decisions that weren't simple or easy, Chad and I decided that we're ready to give somewhere else a try.

New York is an amazing city, but it's also tough -- it's gritty and exciting, but it's expensive and exhausting and never just easy to live here. There are nights when I walk home after dinner or ice cream down our beautiful West Village street and think that I'll never want to live anywhere else. And there are nights where I get caught in a downpour because the only mode of travel is on foot, or I ride home on a subway car next to someone screaming and cursing into thin air and I think... maybe it wouldn't be so bad somewhere else?

Does it sound like I'm trying to convince myself? I guess I partly am. In my whole life, I've never lived more than 90 minutes from Manhattan, and when I think about moving halfway across the country, I'm terrified. I'm scared and sad to leave behind my family, so many friends, and the incredibly warm and vibrant fashion community in NYC that I've been lucky enough to be part of for the last two years.

But I'm also excited for so many things about this move -- I'm excited to buy our first house (not right away, but hopefully in the next year)! I can't wait to see Calvin and Coco run around a backyard for the first time in their lives. I'm excited to live somewhere new and totally different from anywhere I've lived before. And, yeah, I'm excited for the rodeo, the cowboy boots, the lack of state income tax, the great Mexican food, the 70 degree weather in February, and a hundred other little things that make me feel like this is the right choice.

And the world has changed a lot -- moving halfway across the country is a totally different story today that it would have been a decade ago. If I miss my friends and family on the East Coast, I can hop on a plane (or just hop on Skype). I'll be back to the city all the time for blog-related projects, so this isn't good-bye for good. And I'm sure Houston will have an amazing group of family (Chad's), friends, and fashionistas that I can't wait to meet.

And (I'm such a cheeseball), but one of the nice things about the internet is that no matter where I live, I can bring you guys with me. :-)

We're staying for Fashion Week (duh!), so this is an early announcement. I still have thirty fashion shows to get through, not to mention some amazing parties and events over the next few weeks, so moving is on the bottom of the list that I'm juggling for now!

xoxo,

Katy

PS: I think this is the longest Sugarlaws post I've ever written! :-)

PPS: This photo is actually by Kristen, and it's not even Texas. I think it's Wisconsin. But you get the idea!

PPPS: If anyone has any tips on managing a cross-country move with two dogs and a very extensive handbag collection, let me know!

PPPPS: If any of you guys are in or around Houston, I'd love to do a meet-up once we get settled in down there!