TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - One Tallahassee preschooler got a huge surprise Friday at school.
If you take a look around Mrs. Leduc's pre-school class at North Florida Christian, you'll see a lot of things reminding the children to pray for the men and women serving the country and their families back here at home.
"I think the young children need to know at an early age what they do for our country. Without them, we wouldn't have our red, white, and blue. We wouldn't have our freedom," said Leduc.
She even gives the students a toy soldier to take home and take care of in honor of a real soldier.
Ka'maya Mathews, one of Mrs. Leduc's students, has a specific soldier in mind.
Friday, Ka'maya reunited with the real deal, her dad.
"I'm just happy to be home and spend some time with them and get re-involved in their lives," said Antwain Mathews, Ka'maya's dad.
Mathews is returning from a 6-month tour in Qatar, the shortest of his four deployments.
"I missed him," said Ka'maya.
For the Mathews' women, even six months away is hard to bear.
"It's not easy being by yourself and then trying to explain to the kids, 'Daddy is over at work, he's coming home.' And my daughter is always asking 'Mommy, when is Daddy coming home? When will he be here," said Victoria Mathews, Ka'maya's mom.
And Antwain says it's not easy for him either.
"It was awful. It was very difficult. No matter how many times you go out, it's something that you never get used to," said Antwain.
Now those negative feelings are gone, and the entire Mathews family is only feeling one thing.
For the family, hearing his war stories in Qatar is nothing like hearing them right here at home.
"He sent pictures. He was describing how beautiful it was. Now he's finally here. I'm glad he's back home safe and sound with the pictures and the gifts, of course," Camela Jackson, mother-in-law.
And for little Ka'maya, she already knows what she wants to show him, her favorite book.
