WALLER, Texas – The sacrifice of life in the military often means missing important moments with family, like visiting their kids at school or even witnessing the birth of a child. But Friday, one local soldier came home to do both.
Krestyn Ivy, 7, and her brother Gavin, 5, huddled inside the Holleman Elementary School gym to honor our troops for a pre-Veterans Day celebration. What they didn't know was that the soldier they'd be honoring was their father, Army Spc. Ben Ivy.
As the two siblings stood for the Pledge of Allegiance, Ivy emerged and Krestyn went running into her dad's arms.
"It's been too long," Ivy said, bouncing both his children on his lap. "It's a great feeling to know that you're not (forgotten.)"
Ivy has been stationed at Ft. Eustis, Va., for months preparing for his deployment to Afghanistan early next year. Before that, he spent two years at Ft. Bliss in El Paso.
"I've missed both their birthdays a couple different times," Ivy said. "I missed my wife's birthday and anniversaries."
But tomorrow is a birthday he will not miss.
"We go in tomorrow and have a C-Section and have a baby," Ivy's very pregnant wife, Lindsey, said wiping away tears of joy. "It's amazing. Words can't describe it. (Ben) is here. Everything's gonna work out fine."