Army couple surprise children at Outagamie County Regional Airport

GREENVILLE - A couple serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan returned home on Tuesday afternoon to the emotional surprise of their two children.

Travis and Isela Ulman didn't tell their family they were returning to the Appleton area until a few hours before their arrival.

“We totally lied to everybody,” said Isela Ulman. “We told them we were coming back in December.”

The surprise remained a secret to the couple’s two children, Tru and Tashia. The children arrived at the Outagamie County Regional Airport thinking they were taking a tour with boy scouts.

“I was shocked,” said Tashia Ulman, 11.

“I didn't really know we were going to do anything,” said Tru Ulman, 9. “I thought it was just a scouts thing.”

“It was a surprise,” said Isela Ulman. “It's just a feeling more or less, words can't describe.”

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

“It's hard,” said Isela Ulman.

The Ulmans' children say it's difficult having both parents away for so long. The children had not seen their parents since last October.

“Kind of frustrating because if you get in a bad mood, they are not there for you,” said Tashia Ulman. “They are not there to cheer you up or anything.”

Now that their parents are back 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,” said Tashia Ulman.

“We are just going to go and take it day by day so we don't try to rush things and miss something,” said Isela Ulman. “We're just going to do whatever happens.”

The Ulmans' permanent active duty post and home is near Anchorage, Alaska. While they are serving overseas, their children stay with a grandmother in Shiocton.

When the Ulmans return to their parchute-jumping unit in Afghanistan, they expect to be there until October.