By the time the candles were lit, Emma Carter had already decided that her eighth birthday was the best day of her life.

Three months later, winter blanketed Ohio in clean, quiet white snow.

In the pediatric clinic, the surgeon carefully removed the final silicone support splints from Emma’s nose.

"Take a look in the mirror, young lady," the doctor smiled, handing her a small hand mirror.

Emma took it cautiously. The swelling was completely gone. Her nose was straight and delicate, with only a tiny, faint silver line near the fold of her nostril that would fade with time.

She touched it with one fingertip, then broke into a brilliant, toothy smile. "It doesn't hurt anymore, Mommy!"

"You look beautiful, peanut," Daniel said, lifting her out of the exam chair.

As we walked out into the lobby, Daniel pulled an official military personnel envelope from his winter coat and handed it to me.

"What's this?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Open it," he grinned.

Inside was an official transfer order from the Department of the Army.

*Staff Sergeant Daniel Carter – Reassigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. Role: Senior Logistics Instructor.*

I stared at the paper, tears blurring the typed ink. "Dayton? That's forty-five minutes from here."

"No more overseas deployments," Daniel said softly, wrapping his strong arms around both Emma and me. "I put in for the training cadre position. My duty is right here with my family. Permanent station."

I buried my face in his chest, letting out a breath I felt like I had been holding for eight long months.