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Posted at: 10/26/2009 6:59 PM Families Prepare for Troop Homecoming(ABC 6 NEWS) -- In just two days, hundreds of Iowa National Guard soldiers will be reunited with friends and family. The two units have spent the last year serving overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Shinn Family for Mason City is just one family who is preparing for their soldier's return. It was a trip to the craft aisle for poster materials and a stop at the balloon shop Monday for Robyn Shinn and young Jayden and Hayley as they prepare for an exciting homecoming. "To know that you're finally going to be able to run into them and give them a big hug and kiss that you wanted to give them, and to know that you are going to finally be able to do that is overwhelming there's just no words for it," said Robyn Shinn. Shinn's husband, James was deployed to Iraq two months before Robyn gave birth to their youngest child Jayden, leave has been the only time James has been able see her. "Actually he got to spend a full fourteen days with Jayden, but that's been last time he's got to hold her or touch her or anything like that and I mean babies grow really fast in that first year, so he's missing a lot," said Shinn. He also missed celebrations for four-year-old Hayley. "He missed my birthday party, did missed it. And you wanted him here? Um huh. Glad he's coming home now? Yeah," said Hayley Shinn. More than two hundred soldiers like James Shinn are scheduled to be home on Wednesday. And although James has missed some of the girls’ childhood, he hasn't missed everything. "Welcome home daddy," said Hayley Shinn Welcome home ceremonies are planned in Audubon, Iowa City, Perry, Marshalltown, and Mason City. The Mason City homecoming will take place at the North Iowa Fairgrounds 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 28th. The community is welcome to attend, but your asked to let the families get the first greeting.
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