100% Sure

People are constantly asking me if I miss New York City, and if I am happy with my decision to move back home to Arizona. I can say with 100% certainty that I made the right decision to move home. I am soo happy right now, I feel like I am in my element and things are falling into place like I would have never imagined.

I have grappled with the issue of East Coast/West Coast since the day I arrived in New York 4 years ago. New York was an adventure that I always wanted to experience, but it was never home. I am a south-west girl through and through and that never changed while living in Manhattan.

Parsons, working in the fashion industry, the thrill of living in the West Village, my fabulous roomates and celebrity friends was all an absolutely incredible ride. However, deep down inside I knew it would someday need to wrap up because I missed the calm and wholesomeness of Arizona and my old life too much. The four years of living in New York, I never lost touch with my Arizona friends and of course family -- and I constantly felt like I had put my life on "Pause" to experience New York and I was aching to hit "Resume" on my old life.

Earlier this year, as well as a year ago, I wanted to move home, but than I changed my mind and decided to stay in New York because I felt I still had things to accomplish in the big apple, but this time things are different. This time I am no longer on the fence and I have no qualms about leaving the vibrant, sparkling city for something slower paced and not quite as frantic.

Yes, Blake Emery, my adorable niece is a huge factor as to why I moved home. Spending time with her and my wonderful sister is priceless and all the success and splendor of New York could never make up for that. But Arizona also affords a lifestyle that New York could never give me.

I had a lot of email exchanges with my friend Ryan Hyland, as the issue of moving back west started to weigh heavily on my heart. Ryan said something about just having the Faith to follow my heart and to see what unfolded if I just made the leap. And then one of my now fashion mentors, Tracey Martin (Baby Butter Clothing) told me "The Business Is You! Not where you reside!"

Those two ideas stuck in my head. And I am seeing how absolutely true they both are! My business is taking off in ways I could never have imagined and it does not matter where I am, because I am the business, not the city I reside in. And God is faithful when you are faithful to Him. I am surrounded by super creative people and artistic projects ( in the past I was leary of moving home because I was afraid of living a "Vanilla-White-Rice" life as compared to what I had in NYC). And now that is anything but true....God has laced my life with creativity and fantastic people who I couldn't be more happy to collaborate and surround myself with.

I am so happy, so certain and so excited to be back home :-) I'll always remember New York, but the sun has set on that chapter...and of course the sun is still shining in Arizona...as is Blake Emery...