After missing every holiday and nearly every birthday in the past year, Army Staff Sergeant Marla Carney was back from her nine-month deployment in Taji, Iraq. Making her way down the halls of her 5 and 7-year-old daughters’ school disguised as their mascot, SSgt Carney tried not to ruin the surprise with laughter as she could see her girls through the costume but they were oblivious. Stunned to see their mom’s reveal, it took them a moment to realize that they were not dreaming and that SSgt. Carney was indeed home.