Like so many moms whose babies achieve the life milestone of high school graduation, Joanna Gaines is taking a trip down memory lane in awe of how fast her eldest son’s childhood flew by.
The Fixer Upper star celebrated 18-year-old Drake’s accomplishment with a sweet video on Instagram. Panning across developed photos of moments from her son’s life, Gaines wrote, “It feels like just yesterday that we were cheering him on as he took his first steps…but last weekend, as he walked across the stage to receive his high school diploma (!!) we were cheering him on as he took his first steps into a world beyond what he’s known.”
The throwback photos show Drake as a baby excitedly walking into his mom’s arms, as a young kid at baseball practice, as a teenage athlete playing at a high school ball game, as a soon-to-be graduate posing for grad photos, and more. “We’re so proud of you, Drake,” the Magnolia Network co-founder wrote, adorably adding his baseball number as a hashtag.
Gaines also shared a photo of a heartwarming moment from Drake’s graduation ceremony — her youngest son, 4-year-old Crew, found his big brother in a sea of students waiting to receive their diplomas to give him a big hug. “Melt. My. Heart. ❤️,” Gaines wrote.
On Her First Baby Bird Leaving the Nest
During an August 2022 interview with People, both Joanna and her husband Chip opened up about their son embarking on his final year of high school.
Joanna shared, “I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I remember him being a baby and then how did this happen?’ So that’s where, for us, it’s like, how do you slow down time?”
“But when you choose and you’re intentional about what it is you do during the day and how you spend your evenings in some, I think unique way, you can actually slow time down and really savor those moments,” she added. “That’s what we’re really wanting to do, is pay attention and say, ‘Hey, this last year we held it well and go on. Go on, young man. Go do something amazing.’ But I want to hold it well.”
Fatherly Thoughts
For his part, Chip joked, “Jo’s been an emotional wreck,” before adding, “I think like anything, we’ve done our job. And now with this little boy, man, whatever he is, it’s going to be exciting to see what he becomes and I think it’s healthy.”
A Gaggle of Gaineses
In addition to 18-year-old Drake and 4-year-old Crew, Chip and Joanna also share a 15-year-old son, Duke, and two daughters, Ella Rose, 16, and Emmie Kay, 13.
Leave a Comment