The 68 New Jersey National Guardsmen - led by Madison's Daddy Lieutenant Colonel Paul Rumberger - served in Afghanistan for nearly a year.
During that year, little Adom Toussaint was born.
Angela Cappetti also graduated high school and started college.
Finally, the soldiers arrived and the official ceremony got under way.
Then, the moment everyone had longed for and Madison got to hug her daddy.
Was dad feeling equally as excited?
"It's really good. It's touching, I'm almost speechless at this point," said Lieutenant Colonel Rumberger.
And Adom's daddy got to hold him for the first time since a short two-week leave when he was born in July.
What does he hope to do now?
"Absolutely nothing, absolutely nothing. Just try to get back to the normal way as soon as possible," said Lieutenant Belinsky Toussaint.
On Chief Warrant Officer Dominick Cappetti's to-do list? See his daughter's dorm room at Drexel and get a good meal.
"I've got lasagna, meatballs and chicken potpie at home and that's just to start with," said Bernadette Cappetti.
Meanwhile all of the soldiers have to report for debriefing on Tuesday and then it's finally family time.
