Green Country Family Thankful For Dad's Surprise Arrival

A little girl got a big surprise Tuesday when her father, a soldier, turned up at her school. She didn't think he would be home for Christmas, much less Thanksgiving.

The minutes can seem to pass slowly in 6th grade, but for 11-year-old Emily Anderson, time is measured by the months since her father has been overseas.

She thinks he's coming home in January - when actually - he's home now and right down the hall. Sergeant Jeremy Anderson has 5 daughters, and Emily is the youngest. And the family says she's the most attached.

"She is so close with her Dad and if we told her beforehand, I don't think she would be able to do anything before he landed," said Shari Anderson, wife.

"She's the youngest and she's been pretty attached so we knew this would be a fun surprise for her," said Jeremy Anderson.

Emily didn't have much to say about the surprise her family had so carefully planned. But she didn't have to say anything.

The best news for the both of them is that Sgt. Anderson is not just on leave - he's home for good from Iraq - even though it's possible he could one day be deployed somewhere else.