Time sure flies when you're raising kids! Joanna Gaines, the beloved mom of five, recently shared a heartfelt moment as her son Drake took a big step toward adulthood. In a touching Instagram post on February 24, Joanna reminisced about Drake getting his driver’s permit, marking a significant milestone in his life. It's one of those moments that hits parents hard, reminding them just how quickly their children grow up.

Drake’s Big Day: From Permit to Growing Up

Drake, now 15, waited patiently in line for an hour before finally being called up to take the test for his driver’s permit. Joanna watched as her little boy transformed right before her eyes. "Drake waited in line for an hour and finally got called up to get his driver’s permit," she wrote. "Then my 15-year-old little boy drove home with Chip, and all of a sudden he is all grown up." It's one of those moments that makes you pause and reflect on how far your kids have come, and how fast the years seem to pass by.

From Stairs to Steering Wheels: A Mother’s Journey

The Fixer Upper star didn’t stop there. As she watched Drake take this step into adulthood, she couldn’t help but think about her youngest, Crew Gaines, who is only 19 months old. That morning, Joanna spent most of her time teaching Crew how to navigate the stairs. "It's crazy because this morning I spent most of my time teaching Crew how to go up and down the stairs because he is still so wobbly (his weight isn’t distributed evenly quite yet)," Joanna shared. "He used to reach for my hand when climbing the stairs so I could help him, and now he insists on doing it himself." It's a beautiful juxtaposition—watching one child grow into independence while nurturing another who's just starting out.

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Drake waited in line for an hour and finally got called up to get his drivers permit and then my 15 year old little boy drove home with Chip and all of a sudden he is all grown up. It’s crazy because this morning I spent most of my time teaching Crew how to go up and down the stairs because he is still so wobbly (his weight is not distributed evenly quite yet). He used to reach for my hand when climbing the stairs so I could help him and now he insists on doing it himself. The gap between these two circumstances with my boys is wide but the feeling on both is somehow the same. So many hard and beautiful moments of beginnings and ends. Parenthood is all about training these babies up to eventually let them go. May we savor all the big and quiet moments along the way. 💙
A post shared by Joanna Stevens Gaines (@joannagaines) on Feb 24, 2020 at 3:51pm PST

The Joys and Challenges of Parenthood

Joanna went on to reflect on the emotional rollercoaster that parenthood brings. "The gap between these two circumstances with my boys is wide but the feeling on both is somehow the same," she wrote. "So many hard and beautiful moments of beginnings and ends." It's a universal truth for parents everywhere—watching your kids grow up is both rewarding and bittersweet. Parenthood is, after all, about nurturing these little ones until the day comes when you have to let them spread their wings and fly. "May we savor all the big and quiet moments along the way," Joanna added, reminding us to cherish every second, no matter how fleeting.

Joanna shares her five children—Drake, Crew, Ella (14), Duke (11), and Emmie (10)—with her husband, Chip Gaines. Even as they celebrate milestones like Drake's permit, they continue to create sweet family traditions. On Valentine's Day, Joanna and Chip decided to stay home with the kids, dressing up and cooking a fancy (albeit messy) meal together. "A few years ago, @chipgaines and I made it a tradition to spend Valentine’s with the kids," Joanna wrote. "We stay home, get all dressed up, and cook a fancy (and clearly messy) meal." It's a tradition that brings the family closer, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Joanna also took the opportunity to showcase recipes from her latest cookbook, Magnolia Table, Volume 2. "Plus, it was a good excuse to make some things out of my NEW cookbook," she added, emphasizing the importance of family traditions. Even though Drake will soon be the first to leave the nest, Joanna and Chip are ensuring that he carries the cherished memories of their family with him.