Men and women in the armed forces are some of the most selfless, loving, and courageous folks out there.

Enlisting in itself is a brave decision. That means they will be away from family and friends for months or even years. And the chances of not coming back are all too real.

This is something all parents fear when their children sign up.
But it also makes mom and dad proud knowing their child decided to serve the country, which means reunions are extra sweet and emotional, such as the one you’ll see here.

Jeff Grimm was celebrating his 50th birthday, and all this man wanted was to have all three of his children back home. Jeff wanted to be with his family since it had been two long years since they’d all been together.

His youngest daughter, Shelby, was still in college while his two sons, Dane and Drew, were away serving in the Marines and Air Force. Jeff’s birthday dream seemed like a dream.

That’s where his wife, Melanie, came in to make his wish come true.
The couple was out for an early birthday lunch in Pewee Valley, Kentucky. Jeff sat across from his wife Melanie, who was recording him the entire time, as they talked about donuts and the gloomy weather.

Then, out of nowhere, his two armed forces-serving sons came in to surprise him.

Jeff looks to his left, towards the entrance, and his jaw drops as 26-year-old Dane and 22-year-old Drew walk in with bright smiles on their young faces, their uniforms immaculate in the light.

That’s when Jeff looks down and lets the tears fall.
The father of three breaks out into a smile, making a considerable effort to hold back his tears, before standing up to pull his two sons in for a long-overdue embrace.

Mom, 45-year-old Melanie, is trying so hard not to cry herself. She shared with Story Trender:

“With Jeff’s 50th approaching on September 30, I knew we had to do something big that he would always remember.”

“As Dane has been away on a number of difficult deployments, and with Drew stationed in Italy, the boys hadn’t both been home at the same time for nearly two years,” she continued.

It took a lot of planning and effort between Melanie and her boys.
“After a number of very stressful setbacks and several weeks of thinking we wouldn’t be able to pull it off, finally both boys were given the green light to come home and we could start planning the surprise,” the mother of three said.

“After I picked up Drew, we had to sneak him into the house, where he stayed in my daughter’s empty room.”

It’s amazing how the surprise wasn’t spoiled. Their daughter couldn’t make it to the restaurant, but according to Melanie, Shelby did arrive back home, surprising Jeff once again.

Having the family around is the best birthday gift ever.

Dinner must have been awesome back home for this family. And they definitely deserved it!