My youngest daughter Annie got her driver's license on Friday.

It's an event we've all been counting down to for months—her especially. She couldn't wait for the freedom that comes with being able to drive herself wherever she wants to go.

But what surprised me most was how much it immediately changed things for us.

Because suddenly, just like that, my husband Chuck and I are no longer the chauffeurs.

And let's be real—we've been doing this for a long time.

For nearly two decades, one of us has always been driving someone somewhere. Sports practices, carpool, dance lessons, youth group, doctor's appointments, trips to Target. And while Chuck handles a lot of the weekday logistics (he really is the MVP), I've done my fair share of rounds too.

It's been such a constant rhythm of our lives that I don’t think we even realize how much it shaped our days, or how many of our conversations were centered around logistics.

Until it stopped.

Now Annie can take herself where she needs to go. 

And all of a sudden, we have a little more breathing room.

It honestly feels a little surreal.

It's one more reminder that we're officially in a new season of parenting, which I guess could be labeled “independently mobile but still financially dependent.”

Our girls aren't little anymore. They're not asking for snacks or needing help tying their shoes or begging me to read them one more story before bed.

Instead, they're planning our vacations, cooking dinners, running to the grocery store, staying up late playing trivia after dinner, and asking thoughtful questions about life and relationships and what they should do with their lives when we finally kick them out for good.

They're more independent, more capable, more engaged with the world around them.

And amazingly enough, they still want to spend time with us—which honestly feels like such a gift.

I’ve heard horror stories about that first summer when your kid comes home from college, and how there can be all kinds of tension with a child who’s now had a small taste of independence.

But that hasn’t been the case for us at all. If anything, it seems like this summer our kids have wanted to spend more time with us than they normally do, not less.

There's a funny tension I've noticed in myself lately though.

Sometimes, after a long day of work, all I want is a little quiet—just to unwind, to listen to a podcast, or catch up on the news, or read a few pages of a book without interruption.

But it seems like that's always the moment (usually right when they’re supposed to be doing the dishes), that one of my kids says "Hey, want to play a game?" or "Let’s watch our show!"

I’m not gonna lie—sometimes there's a part of me that doesn't want to say yes. 

I'm tired. I'm peopled out. I just want to decompress.

But there's another part of me—the part that knows these moments are fleeting—that's trying to lean in more often than not.

Because this season we're in right now? It's actually pretty sweet.

Hodding Carter once said, "There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: one is roots, the other is wings." Along those same lines, someone once noted that "You blink, and they are all grown up. It doesn't feel like that blink was nearly long enough."

In other words? These moments—even the tired ones—are gifts we won't get back.

We're not done parenting—not by a long shot. But our role is definitely shifting. From chauffeur to advisor. From doing everything for them to simply being with them when they need us.

From managing their lives to cheering them on as they learn to manage their own.

And yes, the house is still a mess most of the time, and the dogs are definitely not helping with anything, but honestly? I'm here for it.

So my challenge for you this week is this: Take note of the places in your life where things might be shifting or easing up—and instead of rushing to fill that space with something new, allow yourself to breathe it in for a minute.

What if this newfound freedom is actually a gift? What if this next season is exactly what you've been needing, even if you didn't know it?

Live with purpose, friend, and have an amazing week!

xoxo, Ruth

P.S. Unrelated, but just a quick reminder that if you are an online business owner and interested in learning more about how to create better AI systems for your business, I’m hosting a half-day workshop tomorrow from 10am-2pm ET called AI Engine. It’s FREE to join the live training (and it’s going to be really good!), but you do have to register. Get signed up HERE.

This week’s podcast episode…

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