Nancy, Willie's sister, had set all this in motion – hoping to be able to surprise her siblings and their parents with Willie & Celia's homecoming – the end of October. She didn't get confirmation that her brother would be coming home though, until mid-December. It was an emotional up and down wait – but, thanks to some very special people, everything pulled together.

My family and I felt very honored when we were asked to share this family's Christmas with them. This was an evening that will be engraved in my heart forever. It was amazing the love I felt in the room that evening. The house was filled with so much laughter. It was the first time in years that Mr. & Mrs. Guzman had all 6 of their children in the same room at the same time. They welcomed, us into their home and lives so graciously – that I now feel as if they are truly an extension to my own family.

Christmas evening was a confirmation that what we do through Send a Taste of Home and what other organizations that help our troops do – that we are touching the lives and hearts of others in such an enormous way. This life experience has me so charged and fueled for our next task at hand – which is showing love and support to 350 soldiers (351 – we've added Sgt. Guzman to our list) once they deploy next month.

I need to take a moment to give special thanks to Ernie and his staff at Let's Bring 'Em Home (www.lbeh.org) Without their compassion for our troops, this soldier and 146 others – would not have been able to be with their families for Christmas. Please make sure you visit them, and give them all the support you can muster up. They are doing a GREAT thing for our troops!

We were also blown away by the self-less act of love of Edman & Kim Whitman. They gave their frequent flyer miles and solicited their friends and family – to help Celia, Willie's wife to make it home as well. It never ceases to amaze me how perfect strangers will step up to the plate, to show our troops, how much they are loved and appreciated. Without LBEH and the Whitman's the Guzman's family Christmas would not have been complete.