Joanna Gaines loves nothing more than being a mom and is always creating special memories at home with her five children.
The Fixer Upper star is aware of just how fast time is passing by, and is feeling all the emotions ahead of the next big milestone with her brood. In just a few months time, her oldest daughter Ella, 18, will be flying the nest to attend college, following in the footsteps of her big brother Drake, 20.
Over the weekend, Joanna shared a poignant message on Instagram referencing the upcoming departure, and described the situation as both tense and beautiful.
© Chip GainesPreparing for daughter Ella leaving home
Reflecting on Ella's graduation from high school which is just around the corner, she wrote: "The songbird must be so proud. She created a home and nurtured her babies and then ushered them to fly towards the big blue skies.
"Praying for all you mamas who are planning and prepping for graduation. We did our very best. They will soar. May we hold gratitude for all that was and carry hope for all that's to come. Oh the tension and beauty in holding and letting go."
© InstagramJoanna has been referencing Ella's departure from home a lot on social media over the past few months, including her very last prom.
Joanna and husband Chip Gaines are also parents to Duke, 16, and Emmie, 15, and six-year-old Crew. Joanna recently opened up about how she was preparing for Ella leaving home in an interview with People.
© InstagramShe said: "How do I prepare my own heart for it? It's like you're losing the one that you go on the weekends to get coffee with and shop at the antique stores. I'm like, 'Where's my friend going?'"
Making memories at home
Knowing that her children are growing up quickly and won't be living at home forever, Joanna went on to tell the publication that she was making a "conscious decision" to create special memories with her family while they are all together.
© Getty ImagesJoanna and Chip also document their family life in their Magnolia Journal. In the Spring 2025 issue released in February, the mom-of-five wrote about finding "balance" in the "chaos" of her busy family life.
She explained: "I no longer buy the idea that rigidity leads to peace or deep fulfillment. In my experience, balance can often look like staying still because you're too afraid to take on more. Too afraid to drop something. Too afraid to tip over. And that's just not the way I want my world to go on spinning."
© Getty ImagesShe added: "As I'm wrestling with the idea of balance, I've started to wonder if the most important thing isn't actually what we're holding, or how well or how equally we're holding it. What if the most important things are those holding us up? The things keeping us steady."
The star concluded: "I now believe it's the things that keep me steady that will move me forward, which for me looks like belief that runs deep. It looks like time spent taking in beauty. Good connection with the people closest to me. It's being true to how I'm built, meaning I won't give myself a hard time for working a long day as long as I also make time for a moment of sheer delight."
Joanna and Chip are raising their children in their stunning home in Waco, Texas. While they are open about their family life on social media and on their website, they shield their children's faces in any photos posted online in order to protect their privacy.
