SALT LAKE CITY — It's been a difficult decade for many Utah reservists who have spent multiple deployments away from their families. One family Wednesday received quite an award for their sacrifices and enjoyed a little celebration. While our nation's extended deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan are over, many of Utah's military men and women continue to make sacrifices overseas.

"There have been a lot of delays and I have a big family," said Patrice Thomas, an airman's wife who organized the gathering. It's not easy pulling together a big family get together, especially, when people are coming from a lot of different places. "So, trying to get everybody here is tricky."

It turns out, Patrice Thomas is quite tricky.

Everybody in the banquet room thought the Thomas family was at the City Creek Cheesecake Factory to get a military service award. In reality, it was a much bigger surprise.

With the help of the restaurant staff, Master Sgt. Brian "Bo" Thomas came home early from a Middle East deployment and surprised his kids and extended family.

"Did you miss me?" he asked his kids after he burst in the door and grabbed his youngest boys in his arms.

"I had no clue," said his 10-year-old son, Logan, wiping tears of joy from his eyes. "This is the best surprise ever."

Even the airman was overwhelmed.

"It's pretty incredible," said Thomas. "I'm kind of speechless."

He deployed to Baghdad in 2009, Southwest Asia in 2012 and just got back from six months in Kuwait. Thomas serves with the 67th Aerial Port Squadron, part of the 419th Fighter Wing. When they deploy, they move a lot of cargo and passengers wherever they need to go.

"We work like 12 hours a day, six days a week," he said. "It's kind of nonstop."

When his 11-year-old daughter Halle talks to her friends about her father's service, she speaks with pride.

"He's helping people out and not just sitting around," she said, adding that she can't wait to spend more time with her father now that he's home.

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Tech Sergeant Les Davenport and his wife kept his return a secret. His kids were told he would be coming home some time in June. Instead, he gave them the surprise of their lives by returning Tuesday and visiting them at their school.

But, when he's gone, the responsibilities of home life are often on his mind.

"The extra work that my wife has to do with the four kids all by herself," said Master Sgt. Thomas. "Sometimes you feel pretty helpless. You can't fix the garage door when it breaks, or anything like that. So, you have to rely on a lot of people to help out."

"My garage door did break," his wife said. "The air conditioner went out. So, it is tough when he goes."

Tonight, a lot of that stress is melting away.

"(I feel) relief," she said. "Time to sleep so that he can take care of the kids."

She set up the surprise to see the look in her kids' eyes.

"They've been asking for him for a very long time. So, it's finally the joy of seeing him with his kids again."

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