Kids with two parents serving overseas get big Memorial Day surprise

GREENVILLE -- Memorial Day Weekend was more like Christmas for two Wisconsin children after they got a surprise homecoming from their parents - both U.S. soldiers serving overseas in Afghanistan.

Travis and Isela Ulman didn't tell their family they were coming home to the Appleton area until a few hours before they were set to arrive.

"We totally lied to everybody. We told them we were coming back in December," Travis said.

The couple hoped to surprise their children, Tru and Tashia. The children came to the airport thinking they were taking a tour with the Boy Scouts.

"I was shocked!" Tashia said.

"I didn't really know we were going to do anything. I thought it was just a Scouts thing," Tru said.

"It was a surprise that words cannot describe," Travis said.

For Travis, the break comes in the middle of his first deployment. For his wife, Isela, this is her second trip overseas.

"It's hard, but it's for a reason," Isela said.

The Ulman's children say it's difficult having both parents away for so long.

"Kinda frustrating, because if you get in a bad mood, they're not there for you. They're not there to cheer you up," Tashia said.

Now that they have their parents home for two weeks, Tashia and Tru have big plans!

"Hug them over and over, and then I want to show them my room and I want to bring them to school," Tashia said.

"We are going to take it day by day, so we don't try to rush things and miss something. We're just going to do whatever happens," Travis said.