It's the final stretch for these Stateline soldiers before reuniting with their cheering families.

And it brought a clear sign of relief for Karen Collins after spotting her husband and pointing out "Daddy" to her son.

"I'm so relieved and so happy," Karen Collins of Sycamore said.

"As many times as I've seen it on TV, it's unbelievable in person, unbelievable," Sgt. Chris Collins said.

Sgt. Collins had 24 people awaiting his arrival Monday at the Machesney Park Armory, family members and co-workers. But right now, it's all about catching up with son Lucas and daughter Kira.

"She's a little shy, but she kept saying that's my daddy, that's my daddy," Karen Collins said.

"I miss the poopy diapers. I miss getting up in the middle of the night when they needed mommy or daddy, the bad dreams, everything," Sgt. Collins said.

"You look adorable. I got it," a visitor shouted, snapping a shot of a couple reunited Monday.

An adorable couple back together again with more than this engagement ring to remember each other.

"I get to see him every morning. I'm just so excited," said Kristi Buss of Freeport.

"When I saw her face everything else went away. This last year was forgotten," said Sgt. Colton Love of Orangeville.

Along with catching up, wedding planning is on the agenda for this couple. Love it or not.

"He can give me his opinions on everything," Kristy Buss said.

"Yeah, we'll see about that. No really, it gives us something to do," Sgt. Love said.

Something to do on home turf now for all of these soldiers glad to be families and couples once again.

These troops are members of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team based in Machesney Park.

While in Afghanistan, they did everything from training Afghan police to securing borders from the Taliban.

Everyone in the unit came home safely.