Being a military parent can be challenging at times, especially for those who are single parents of young children. The benefits can be great, but they often come with at a hefty price – deployment and taxing work schedules.
One Navy mom knows this all too well. Serena Gonzalez is a single mom to a 3-year-old girl, Ariella. Unfortunately, she works for the Navy which means being deployed on the water for months at a time.
While Gonzalez is stationed in San Diego, her precious daughter is living with her Uncle Billy on the East Coast. Naturally, Gonzalez deeply misses her baby girl, but she wanted to continue pursuing her career in the Navy to offer Ariella the benefits that the military provides.
Speaking with USA Today, Gonzalez explained that her daughter is her whole world, but she wants to give her the gift of college and a nice house so she stays with the military to be able to provide the best she can.
It’s not easy, but she knows it’ll be worth it – and the moments she gets to see her daughter give her the strength to keep going and push on.
While living in San Diego, Gonzalez had come off the boat to shore after a long stretch away. She was sleeping at a friend’s house when she was awoken at 4 am with the best surprise: Her daughter!
Her Uncle Billy and 3-year-old Ariella had traveled all the way across the country to surprise her, and it was all worth it. In a video captured by a friend, you can see Gonzalez sleeping on the floor with a blanket, when Ariella walks into the frame. Uncle Billy creeps behind Gonzalez and grabs her arm to gently wake her.
At first, Gonzalez looks around quietly, clearly hazed from being tired. She looks at Ariella, looks at Uncle Billy, and back – and then lets out a wild scream. Within a split second, her daughter is in her arms for a tight embrace and tears are streaming down her face. It’s emotional and heartwarming.
Gonzalez shared the video to Facebook, saying, “I got the best surprise of my life this morning.
My child. To be able to hold her. And feel her arms around me again. To see her smile again in person. The greatest love I’ve ever know is from my boogie woogie. I am blessed infinitely with her life everyday.”
Watch the video below:
I got the best surprise of my life this morning. My child. To be able to hold her. And feel her arms around me again. To see her smile again in person. The greatest love I’ve ever know is from my boogie woogie. I am blessed infinitely with her life everyday.
Posted by Serena E Gonzalez on Monday, March 18, 2019