the end of an era

Last week, we had our last official (weekly) Creative Friday. We will have Creative Friday again, it will just have to be on school holidays and during the summer.

I'm not sure exactly how long we've had this tradition, but it's been a loooong time. We started when Landon was a baby and I was pregnant with Lucas. Jill would bring her baby swing over to try and buy some more uninterrupted time. We had some lapses, especially during the Eagle Mountain years, but there were many, many Fridays when baby Whitney was toddling around as we worked. (I seem to remember her entertaining herself well even then.)

We continued throughout my pregnancy with Eva and after she was born. I put her in the swing, and wore her in a front pack. We always had children with us, and we did whatever we could to keep them entertained so we could create, share ideas, eat, and just talk about everything under the sun.

We started out scrapbooking, stamping, and making cards. Our projects have changed over the years. We've made gifts of all sorts, shadow boxes, composition books, Christmas ornaments, and gift tags. We still make cards (especially Jill).

Last week she pulled out some of these adorable baby cards she had made way back when. We both had a pang, remembering those days. These ones are almost too cute to use.

These days, it's mostly photo or computer-generated cards, for ease and speed. She's got a lot of correspondence to keep up with!

I'm not sure how my week will ever feel complete when I don't spend a chunk of time looking at this.

Or this. (Here, Jill is showing me her white man dance moves. I think.) Every week, she made me laugh.

Or this. I never think to stop and get myself a drink from Sonic! Such a treat.

Or seeing this at the end of a satisfying, productive day.

It seemed like every week I would end up feeling like Creative Friday came not a moment too soon, like I really needed it this time. Every time. I loved having that to look forward to every week. I loved that we would have it on a different day if Friday had conflicts. I loved that it was important, and seemed necessary, to both of us.

I'm just not sure what I'm going to do with my Fridays now. I don't think I can bear to sit at my kitchen table and work on a project. It wouldn't be the same.

No more weekly self-portraits, I guess, which comes as kind of a relief, but I will also miss that ongoing documentation of our friendship.

We did one with fake crying, but I look ridiculous. Apparently I can't do fake crying. Jill does it well. But the real tears came as Jill pulled away, and I realized that that was it.

(I think I had been in denial about it being the last time. I served her leftover chili on a baked potato! I should have made an awesome lunch.)

It really does feel like the end of an era. A really great one.