Vocabulary 10
I squealed with delight as I ran towards my father. He had just gotten off the plane, and his arms were spread wide for me to jump into. It seemed like I had been waiting forever for this day to arrive. My dad was finally back from Iraq! I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed as hard as I could. I looked into the eyes of my hero, and I began to weep. I had forgotten how good it felt to have Dad’s arms wrapped around me!
My father had been fighting the war in Iraq for the last year. He is a captain in the army. I had not seen him for the last twelve months. We had written letters and e-mails to each other, but that wasn’t quite the same. I had been so worried about him. I knew that he was facing danger everyday in Iraq. I had been counting down the days until he arrived back home.
We found out about two weeks ago that plans were being made for his return. My mom called a family meeting to tell us the good news. She had known about this plan for about a month, but she had kept ithidden from us until things were definite. The army sent a letter informing my mom that they had arranged for a flight to bring my dad home, so my mom knew it was time to spread the word about his homecoming.
On the day of his arrival, mom took us to the airport to meet dad. The weather was damp and dreary, but it didn’t matter. The sun was shining in my heart. I had planned on this day for so long, and it was finally happening! A herd of buffalo couldn’t keep me away from my dad now!
We entered the airport and hurried toward the gate where we would meet him. Many people were huddled into the waiting area. I wondered if they were all as excited as I was. Suddenly the curtain to the runway opened and people began walking off of the flight. I stretched my neck hoping to get a glimpse of dad. Finally I saw him. Our eyes met at the exact same moment. A squeak escaped my throat and tears began falling from my eyes. Those were the happiest tears I ever cried.
Troup County Schools
Third Grade EDL Passages