Tears of joy shed at a Rindge elementary school on Thursday morning when a member of the New Hampshire National Guard surprised his children by a reunion with first graders Evan and Aria Griffin. It was the first time they had seen their father, Maj. Mark Griffin, since his April deployment. The surprise homecoming was part of a annual meeting at the Rindge Memorial School honoring the family. “It was a lot of emotion, a little bit stifled,” said Mark Griffin. “It was good and exciting to see her.” His wife, Alyson Griffin, said the moment still felt unreal. With four young children, she said, there were some tough times. “It’s hard to go to bed. “You cried a lot. Christmas was tough.” For the Major, there are thoughts of what he’s missed, such as his youngest’s first steps. But he said the hardest part was just being gone. Now his children are looking forward to the coming days. “We can spend time with him wherever we go,” Aria Griffin said. said Evan Griffin. Mark Griffin served overseas as an intelligence officer. Now that he’s back home, he said he’s looking forward to just being a dad.
Tears of joy shed at a Rindge elementary school Thursday morning when a member of the New Hampshire National Guard surprised his children with a reunion.
This family reunion took months to prepare, and when it finally happened, it came as a big surprise to first years Evan and Aria Griffin.
It was the first time they had seen their father, Maj. Mark Griffin, since his April deployment. The surprise homecoming was part of a annual meeting at the Rindge Memorial School honoring the family.
“It was a lot of emotion, a little bit stifled,” said Mark Griffin. “It was good and exciting to see them come by.”
His wife, Alyson Griffin, said the moment still felt unreal. With four young children, she said, there were some tough times.
“It’s hard to make bedtime. Every single night, just a lot of emotions all the time,” she said. “They cried a lot. Christmas was hard.”
For the Major, there are reflections on what he’s missed, such as his youngest’s first steps. But he said the hardest part was just being gone. Now his children are looking forward to the coming days.
“We can hang out with him anywhere,” Aria Griffin said.
“The best part about having Dad home is we can now do stuff with our whole family,” said Evan Griffin.
Mark Griffin served overseas as an intelligence officer. Now that he’s back home, he said he’s looking forward to just being a dad.