Bartlesville Family Counts Down The Hours Until Soldier's Homecoming

The countdown to happy homecomings begins, as another group of Oklahoma's 45th Infantry returns to Sooner soil this weekend.

The anticipation of the arrival is almost too much for Green Country families.

Rebecca Wright and her son Gabriel had to stay behind in Bartlesville while the entire family goes to Oklahoma City to greet Sgt. Andrew Kellert, Rebecca's brother.

"I'm excited, but I'm sad I can't be there. My brother and I have been best friends since we've grown up, so I wish I could be there. But with being pregnant and everything, it's just too hard to travel," said Rebecca Wright, soldier's sister.

Andrew has been gone for a year, deployed to Afghanistan with Oklahoma's 45th Infantry.

"It's been long. Gabriel loves his uncle, so we try to get on the phone as much as possible," Wright said.

This is Andrew's second tour. His first was to Iraq. His family got to see him in January on his leave, but they want him home for good.

The 45th took a hard, devastating hit this tour, with several soldiers killed.

"Knowing he gets to come home safe and not in a box is bittersweet. We're more than excited for him to come home, but at the same time, it hurts a little knowing there are some who didn't get to come home," Wright said.

Gabriel got to ride in the local Veterans Day parade in honor of his Uncle Andy.

"Why do all of them serve? For us, for our freedom. He likes doing that kind of stuff and knowing that we can be here and live the life that we can," Wright said.

When you put it that way, that joyful noise and excited anticipation is so much better than a quiet house.

By the way, Sgt. Kellert is engaged and getting married this July. Kellert is one of more than 300 members of the 45th returning from Afghanistan and Kuwait this weekend. The groups arrive at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.