Missouri 5th grader gets surprise of a lifetime

Staff Sergeant Tom Stebbins is part of the Missouri National Guard and has been away from his wife and four daughters for the past year while he was over in Afghanistan.

His youngest daughter, Claire, wasn't expecting to see him until Friday, though KTVI reports that her father returned to the States on leave Tuesday.

Needless to see, young Claire, who is in 5th grade, couldn't believe her eyes when her father appeared at an elementary school assembly Wednesday.

"I just couldn't believe my eyes! I jumped off the stage and ran into his arms! I didn't know what to do!" she told KTVI.

According to HLN, Tom and Claire have big plans ahead:

"He says he can't wait to get back to their weekly Saturday breakfasts together. I bet so."

The entire Stebbins family plans to take a big vacation in the coming weeks to celebrate their dad finally coming home.