Ashley Johnson Instagram – Man. Today was my niece and nephew’s first day of school. FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. 6TH FREAKING GRADE. They’ve homeschooled up until this point and I didn’t think it was going to hit me so dang hard. I FaceTimed with them on their way to school and I cried. I broke down like an old Ford truck. I’M NOT EVEN THEIR MOM AND I’M NOT EVEN ON MY DANG PERIOD! They have lockers now! They have to change classes and I think I was more stressed about that than they were! I want to protect them and keep them from all the bad things in the world. The heartbreak. The people who suck. The mean kids. I don’t want them to be too cool to give me a hug. Or be embarrassed when I wave and scream “I love you” from the car window. What is this feeling?! Is it the feeling and weight of time? I think I just feel old. And I’m homesick. Dreadfully homesick. I’m just so proud of them and the wonderful humans they’ve become and I hope the world let’s them continue to be bright and shiny and silly and kind and beautiful.