Sgt. Erin Sakelaris has been deployed to Kuwait with the Idaho National Guard for exactly one year and one day.

This Veterans Day, Sgt. Sakelaris was able to return home from deployment, and her husband Josh was at Aeromark Airport in Idaho Falls, ID to welcome her. Nate Easton of East Idaho News arranged a special surprise for both Sgt. Sakelaris and her 7-year-old daughter Cece, who was not aware that her mother would be coming home.

A perfect story for Feel-Good Friday.

“I am nervous, Josh Sakelaris told Easton.

“It feels—Somebody asked me that—but it feels like we’ve been online dating for a year. Because all you see is FaceTime and stuff. So, I’m super excited… Man… I’m very, very nervous, though. I don’t know what to expect—I don’t want it to be awkward.”

WATCH:

Not awkward at all.

It is equally heartwarming to see the other military families at Aeromark Airport greeting their loved ones who also serve. Even lovelier, when Sgt. Sakelaris arrived at the school, Cece’s class, in unison, greeted the sergeant and welcomed her home. The look of bemused relief on little Cece’s face and the beautiful kisses and hugs between mother and daughter are absolutely precious and poignant.

Thank you, Sgt. Sakelaris for your service and sacrifice, and for Josh and Cece for giving her the love, grace, and support she needs in order to serve her country as she does.

Pete Hegseth guest hosted for Fox News’ Jesse Waters Primetime, and he lamented the tragedy of the diminishing focus and celebration of our veterans. He made the startling observation that Earth Day and Pride Month are more highly celebrated in schools today than Veterans Day, which has had a detrimental effect on patriotism in our nation.

One school in Stamford, CT is not allowing this to happen. Social studies teacher Mark Jackson organized an all-school assembly Veterans Day event at Roton Middle School. He gathered veterans from various conflicts and a spectrum of ages, who each spoke to the assembly, and helped teach the lesson on why it was vital for them to serve their country, and why we as a nation set aside a day to honor them.

“We have the day off, but the kids need to understand why we have the day off,” Jackson said. “We should all recognize why we have Veterans Day off. So we try to instill this patriotism within our students.

“The whole point of this is to thank our vets for what they do each and every day because there’s millions of people out there defending our freedoms. And the students need to realize that,” he said.

At the assembly, the veterans gave speeches but also heard from the students.

In their language arts classes, students wrote poetry, and in social studies class, they wrote letters to veterans that will be delivered to amillionthanks.org, a nonprofit that provides support and appreciation to active and veteran military members through sending letters.

This is the way.