"Daddies are Better Than Bikes, maybe even better than Ice Cream!!"
This is why we can't let the Rats have the White House.
Posted on 03/19/2008 12:13:49 PM PDT by Cagey
SANFORD, Mich. -- At her seventh birthday party, Amber Birdsall thought the huge gift box wrapped in pink paper likely hid a pair of bicycles.
She was wrong. Inside was something she wanted even more -- her stepfather, a soldier who had been deployed overseas.
"This is way better than bikes," Amber said.
The surprise began a few weeks ago when Amber told her inquiring mother that all she wanted for her birthday was to have her stepfather return home from serving 10 months in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Her mother, Trisha Johnson, 34, relayed Amber's wish to her 39-year-old husband the same day that the girl expressed it. Army Spc. Glenn Johnson immediately started on the paperwork, not expecting his request for a leave to be granted because he is scheduled to come home for good in June.
Much to their surprise, his request for more than a week of leave was granted.
The soldier's flight arrived in Flint, Mich., early Sunday afternoon and he was whisked away to Northern Lanes Recreation, a bowling alley in Sanford where his stepdaughter's birthday party was taking place.
Northern Lanes employees were in on the ruse and kept him hidden in the bar.
When Amber and her 9-year-old sister, Kathy Birdsall, opened a colorfully wrapped refrigerator box, Glenn Johnson was inside.
In addition to spending a lot of time at home with his family, Glenn Johnson and his wife planned a late celebration of their five-year wedding anniversary, which was on Valentine's Day.
"I told her she needs to get a baby sitter and a new outfit," he said. "I'll take care of the rest."
Thanks for the PING, Flyer.
What an absolutely fantastic good-news story. It brought tears to my eyes.
That picture of the little girls wondering what’s in that big box is priceless, but the one with her tiny little arm around her warrior Daddy is the tear jerker.
What a great and heartwarming smile she has. How cute is that??
Awwwwww! My Irish eyes are crying!
With all the crap we wade through at this site, it is always refreshing to see something like this happen.
"Daddies are Better Than Bikes, maybe even better than Ice Cream!!"
This is why we can't let the Rats have the White House.
Welcome Home Army Spc. Glenn Johnson!
Local family's story to be on 'The Today Show'
By Angela E. Lackey 03/18/2008
One little girl's birthday wish to see her soldier father touched many local people.
Now it will touch millions on "The Today Show."
It's been a hectic week for Spc. Glenn and Trisha Johnson and their family.
It started with Sunday's surprise birthday party for their daughter, Amber Birdsall. The 7-year-old girl's biggest and best present was her father wrapped in a bright pink and orange box. The family had planned a quiet week of videos, visits and games for Glenn's leave.
Then the phone rang around 4:30 p.m. Monday. It was "The Today Show."
"I was floored," Trisha said. "I couldn't believe that it was going to get that big. I was expecting it to be just our little town.
"She said 'The word's out and we want to talk to you. We heard all about Amber,'" she continued.
Trisha said the interview will be scheduled in the next few days. She said it appears that "The Today Show" will come to their Midland home for the show, but that she wasn't given any details.
"Amber was kind of giggling," Trisha said. "She's like 'Mom, that's like regular TV.'"
Their middle daughter, Kathryn Birdsall, 9, is holding out for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
"She loves Ellen," Trisha said. "She like 'Mom, we'll go on Ellen.' She made me e-mail the (video) to 'Ellen.'"
The Johnson home still is scattered with Glenn's suitcases and Amber's birthday presents, and the pending interview means an even more hectic time coming up.
"Now it's kind of hard-core clean," Trisha said.
She said the idea of being on major TV is exciting, but that she is "scared to death."
And what does Glenn think about all this?
"He just thinks this is absolutely out of control," Trisha said.
Thanks for taking the time to format that.
I watched the first hour of the Today Show and this story wasn’t mentioned. Maybe tomorrow.
Y’all are disgusting, and I’m proud to be like you.
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