There is nothing like a good soldier homecoming surprise to make the waterworks start flowing. And with the troops officially slated to come home in the droves from Iraq this month, there's room for enough of them to keep the folks at Kleenex working round-the-clock for the next year. But the best surprise I've seen yet came with a little twist.
Instead of Army Sergeant Kristy Sexton getting to do all the surprising, she got one herself! Her entire house -- where she lives with her kids, mom, and Vietnam vet dad -- was decked out in Christmas lights by a group of elves just in time for her to return home from duty in Afghanistan. Cue the waterworks!
By teaming up with Forgotten Soldiers Outreach every year to make sure one soldier has a bright Christmas, the folks at Florida Power & Light don't just make a merry display and put smiles on a soldier's face. They also save her (or him) time they'd use decorating so it can be spent doing fun things with their families. As cool as the holiday light shows dedicated to our troops are, I think projects like this might be even cooler!
The thing is, a soldier's R&R time is valuable in a different way from the average worker who is taking a few days around the holidays to meet up with the family this season. Sexton has just two weeks to spend at home with her parents and her two little boys, Kyle and Kris, before she has to return to duty. You and I might be able to swing another weekend in a month or two to meet up with the fam; she will be in Germany after two tours in Afghanistan.
Soldiers deserve to spend that time making up for all the time they lose with their families. Krissy already used it to surprise her kids at school to boost them for a trip Universal Studios for some mommy/son bonding time.
Do you know a soldier coming home for a break? What can you do to make sure they get the maximum out of their short time home with their family?
Image via TC Palm