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SAVANNA'S SURPRISE: Parents Return From Iraq To Surprise 3-Year-Old Daughter

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

Army Sgt. John Weirick kisses his daughter Savanna Weirick, 3, when he picks her up from daycare Friday. Savanna's parents have been deployed to Iraq since September and are home on leave.

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By MANDY SHEETS | Highlands Today

Published: May 2, 2008

Updated: 05/02/2008 10:33 pm

SEBRING — Savanna Weirick hasn't stopped smiling since this afternoon when she leapt into the arms of her mommy and daddy who came all the way from Iraq to pick her up from day care.

Army Sgt. John and Army Spc. Kairee Weirick said the 18 hours on the plane and a couple of hours in a car were definitely worth the chance to be with their 3-year-old daughter.

"We've missed her so much and thought about her every day," Kairee said. "To have her here and hear her giggle and be able to hug and kiss her — the feeling is just beyond what words can describe."

The Weiricks, who met a few weeks after boot camp, have been deployed since September while their daughter, Savanna, lives with her grandparents Judy and Mike Kelly in Sebring.

When they found out they had an 18-day leave for "rest and relaxation," their first priority was an obvious one — seeing Savanna Bean.

"I'm a little bit nervous actually," John said before walking to the day care to pick her up. "On the plane ride over here I was thinking about the moment I would see her and got a little teary-eyed thinking about it. It's kind of like going on a first date, you don't know what exactly to expect … I just hope she remembers me."

Savanna didn't hesitate for a second when they walked through the door; she squealed with excitement and ran right for them with her arms wide open.

"She gripped on so tight, she didn't want to let go," Kairee said. "Then she wanted to see Daddy and didn't want to let go of him either."

"Do you want to come see my house?" Savanna asked her parents sweetly after their reunion, and they all held hands as they walked home.

"Having the family back together is just so great; it's an unexplainable feeling," Kairee said as they sat on the couch of her mother's house.

Savanna zipped around the living room, showing her parents her toys and pictures she had drawn for them and even playing on a slide John had sent her.

"Look — that's you," Savanna said, showing her parents a pillow with their picture on it that she kisses every night before bed.

"She's a lot bigger than I remember," John said, remembering how when he used to pick her up, her legs reached only the middle of his chest and now they dangle past his waist. "She is so smart, too. She has so much to say. She sure is growing up fast."

During their vacation, the Weiricks are planning to go to Disney World, where Savanna wants to meet Mickey Mouse and Sleeping Beauty, and enjoy their time together as a family.

"It's going to be heartbreaking when we have to leave her again and be away for another seven months, but we tell her it's our job and it's what we have to do," said Kairee, who will return to Iraq with John to finish their 15-month deployment. "We have a lot to look forward to before then though."

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