A baby’s life revolves around those who provide all the attention, care, and love they need, and the little ones repay that in spades with a boatload of unconditional love.

For confirmation, we need to look no further than the absolutely epic reactions babies have when they set eyes on a loved one they haven’t seen for a while.

Often, the little princes and princesses will have some pretty long stretches when they don’t see dear old dad, who is hard at work to insure that his family is provided for.

When dad finally gets back home, it’s not uncommon to see the baby absolutely lose it.

Smiles, laughter, and excitement rule the day, and there’s a pretty good chance that the little ones desperately desire a big old hug from their pops.  

This video is chock full of these adorable scenes, and it’s pretty tough to make it all the way through without cracking several smiles. Impossible, actually!

The bond between little ones and their loving parents is truly remarkable when you think about it, and it should be treasured for all it’s worth.

That’s especially true when you consider the fact that these precious moments will really go by in a flash.

Before you know it, the little ones will grow up and seem as if they don’t need mom and dad all that much…

While nothing could be further from the truth, parents will often look back at the amazing times when they ruled the day in their child’s world.  

You can check out this memorable video below, and rest assured it will bring those memories back to the forefront.

Prepare the tissues!

Source: Shareably

The post When Daddy Comes Home – Adorable Baby Reactions That’ll Melt Your Heart appeared first on Addicting Stories.

The 84-year-old widow was married to a Marine Korean war veteran for 62 years, and she thoroughly enjoyed looking at the American and Marine flags that adorned her front yard as a reminder of her late husband.  

Then, shockingly, callous thieves would pilfer the flags right out from under her.

“I think I went into shock,” Naomi Litton said. “My goodness the flags are gone.

I was devastated and I think I shed a few tears. Of course I was thinking about my husband.”

Former Marines Scott Cole and Arthur Kennedy got wind of what happened, and they decided they were going to do something about it.

The veterans would arrive on Litton’s doorstep in Barberton, Ohio. Litton was a little startled when she opened the door, but her day was made soon thereafter.

Cole and Kennedy had brought her some new flags, and they even took the time to hang them up for her.

“It doesn’t matter what color, creed, age, the Marine will be there,” said Cole.

The soldiers’ gesture for the widow brought her daughter to tears.

“These guys took time out of their day to do that,” Carol Bailey said. “I’m so proud. I was so proud of our dad all of our life.”

“I can’t thank them enough, there’s no words to thank them,” she added.

“What wonderful men. Semper Fi, Marine, Semper Fi.”

It’s awesome to see that the widow can smile again after being so upset by the senseless theft that threw her for a loop.

Hats off to the pair of vets that were able to make that happen!

They went way above and beyond the call of duty here, and they deserve all the kudos and plaudits that are heading their way for their incredibly kind act.

You can check out some more details on this amazing story in the video below.

Marines Replace Stolen #Flags pic.twitter.com/1305xdKN4F @newnewspage

— Breaking News (@newnewspage) October 16, 2017

Source: Fox News Insider

The post After Punks Steal Marine Widow’s Flags, These Vets Drop Off A Surprise Present appeared first on Addicting Stories.

So, when that owner disappears for a while, the loyal companion definitely feels it. That’s why dogs are just SO excited to see us when we come home!

The longer we’re gone, the happier they are to greet us when we return.

No other animal on the face of the earth shows this kind of unconditional love; nope, not even cats.

Cotton here is one of the sweetest, most faithful dogs on the planet. He may be deaf but his vision is fine.

And that’s why he sits by the door, waiting for his owner – who has been gone for two whole days – to turn the knob and say hello.

His owner is a soldier and had to report for training over the weekend, so he had to be separated from his best friend…and his best friend was inconsolable.

That’s why the soldier’s wife, Shanti, decided to shoot a video of Cotton waiting for his master to return.

He just doesn’t move, sitting there at the door…waiting and waiting…

Then finally, at long last, the moment arrived, and it became pure internet gold.

We’re sure you can see why.

Source: DoggiesCare

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When danger arises, dogs often display heroic efforts to help the humans they love.

Dogs today are regularly tasked into military service where they work, often in harsh environments, to support soldiers who protect the world.

British Special Forces dog, Mali, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois, proved his worth to mankind during a dangerous mission in Afghanistan.

A group of heavily-armed suicide bombers was hiding in a multi-story building. Mali was part of a Special Forces unit that in 2012 went after the militants.

During the seven-hour mission, Mali sniffed out explosives and was injured by three grenade blasts.

Most dogs, even their human counterparts, would be done after such an attack.

But not Mali, who persevered through the fiery battle and helped save the lives of several fellow British soldiers.

The key enemy stronghold was secured, and the mission a great success.

Unfortunately, Mali’s injuries from the mission were serious, as his belly, chest, ears and teeth were all injured.

Thankfully, though, after enough time passed, he recovered fully and was then retired from active duty. Job well done!

Most such military sacrifices go unnoticed by the public, but the military wasn’t about to overlook Mali’s bravery:

Mali was chosen for a prestigious honor, one awarded to a select few military animals over the years.

Mali was awarded the Dickin Award from the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA).

In 75 years of the medal’s history, only 31 other dogs have received the award. Other animals include 32 pigeons, four horses and one cat.

Jan McLoughlin, PDSA director general, presented the award to Mali and was quoted:

“Mali has displayed a truly awesome ability and determination to seek out explosives and insurgents during a key operation.

To achieve this while exposed to close combat and such intense enemy attacks makes him an incredibly worthy recipient of the PDSA Dickin Medal.”

Of course, good ol’ Mali is still a dog…

When he received his Dickin Award during the special presentation, he forgot it was for his military service.

He playfully grabbed the medal with his teeth and had a brief tug-of-war with the presenter. Dogs will be dogs!

Anyway, Mali now serves in his retirement as a training dog for the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. He helps new dog handlers hone their skills for future service.

His continued service is certainly appreciated, and his sacrifice in battle one to remember – man or beast.

Source: iHeart Dogs

The post Mali The Military Dog Receives One Of The Rarest Honors Ever…Knows Exactly What To Do With It appeared first on Addicting Stories.

And to many, they’re even more than companions.

Sometimes, our canine friends are actually lifesavers, especially when it comes to humans with disabilities and other challenging ailments.

For example, many service dogs have been used to help ex-military individuals; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is extremely difficult to deal with, after all.

When Joshua returned home from Afghanistan, he knew he was depressed.

“Just going from a war zone to a civilian life and coming back, you feel totally isolated. You feel totally alone. You feel cut off from everything.”

The only joy in his life came from his two dogs, Mamma and Panda, who stuck by his side through all the dark times.

But when the PTSD got really bad, Joshua decided to move from Louisiana to California and unfortunately, he had to leave his two beloved pets behind.

Two months went by but he just couldn’t get used to not having dogs:

“Every day I wake up without them snuggled up underneath my blankets is a strange day, every day I don’t have to walk a dog is a wrong day,” he said.

Even worse, the PTSD didn’t disappear. And he started to wonder if he needed Mamma and Panda back…

But what to do? He had no idea where they might be after giving them up for adoption.

That’s when a kindhearted woman named Mariah stumbled across this story. She knew where Joshua’s dogs were and furthermore, she was going to make sure he saw them again.

She’d noticed Mamma and Panda had lost their appetites after losing their owner, so Mariah knew she had to reunite the pups with Joshua.

And then came the very special day.

The reunion is exactly what you need to make you smile because this really is heartwarming to the millionth degree.

“I’m just ecstatic they’re back. I feel complete,” said Joshua. “I feel like a person again.”

This is the power of a loving, caring animal, my friends. Right here.

What an amazing story!

Source: NTD TV

The post Her 2 Dogs Catch A Familiar Scent At The Park…Then She Looks Over, And Her Heart Shatters appeared first on Addicting Stories.

It’s a time for certain talks with dad about girls, new social connections and cars – maybe a time for a driver’s permit that leads to more freedom.

One Texas teenager, Justin Rozier, will never have those talks with dad.

His dad, U.S. Army Lt. Jonathan Rozier, was killed on July 19, 2003, while serving in Iraq.

Justin was only 9 months old.

Justin didn’t expect his upcoming 15^th birthday would be anything special; every birthday just has him missing his father, after all.

Then his mother, Jessica Johns, came across an old car registration last July.

She almost threw it away and then she realized…

The car once belonged to Johns’ late husband, Lieutenant Rozier. And that gave Johns an unconventional idea.

What if she somehow found that car for Justin’s 16^th birthday?

Nice idea, but kind of a needle-in-a-haystack possibility…

After suddenly finding herself a widow and single parent in 2003, Johns sold her late husband’s 1999 Toyota Celica convertible back to the dealer.

Selling it back to the dealer meant she wouldn’t have to pay for an extra car “just sitting in my driveway,” as she told television news.

And she hadn’t thought of that car again until she found the old car registration.

But what could she do? Well, Johns took a shot in the dark and posted the registration and her idea on social media.

The car could’ve been anywhere – unused in a garage, rotting in a field, or in a junkyard smashed into pieces.

Her original goal was to find the car and get it ready for Justin’s 16^th birthday, if it was even available.

“It was Jon’s car (1LT Jonathan Rozier, KIA Iraq 7-19-03) and when he died, I wasn’t thinking ahead to when Justin (his son) would be driving 15 years later,” she posted online.

“If you facebookers could work your magic and help me find it, it would be an amazing present for his 16th birthday if it hasn’t become a tin can by now.”

Then social media magic happened:

The daughter of the car’s current owner contacted Johns. The car was in Utah.

The daughter wasn’t sure her father would give up the car but encouraged Johns to present her idea. She gave Johns her father’s phone number.

“It took me 12 hours to get the courage to call him,” Johns recalled.

The man listened to Johns’ request, but said he would have to think about it.

He called back an hour later.

“I think that your son will get more enjoyment out of having his dad’s car than I would,” Johns remembered him saying.

Beautiful.

And before Johns even thought about how to get the car from Utah to Texas, more good Samaritans were at work.

Follow the Flag, a Utah organization promoting patriotism, contacted Johns after seeing her social media post.

Follow the Flag took the lead and started a crowdsource fundraiser to pay for the car, restore it as needed and transport it back to Texas.

All this would be completed before Justin’s 15^th birthday – a year earlier than expected.

“Imagine the feeling of holding the steering wheel of a car your late father once drove,” Follow the Flag co-founder Kyle Fox wrote on the fundraising web page.

“A father you never knew. A father who died in the line of duty serving his country. What a priceless gift.”

Justin was shocked when the car was presented to him in October for his birthday.

“I started getting emotional because I never saw John drive that car home,” Johns said.

The look on Justin’s face was unforgettable, according to Johns, especially when he turned to her for confirmation of the gift.

“I was waiting for him, for it to click – that’s Dad’s car,” she said.

“He starts looking at it, gets in. He looks so much like his dad.“

A car that was once his father’s pride and joy now belongs to Justin. It’s heartbreaking but fitting in so many ways.

It’s a new connection, a talk if you will, from father to son.

Source: Today

The post 9-Month-Old Justin Lost His Father In Iraq. 15 Years Later, A Surprise Arrives At The Door… appeared first on Addicting Stories.

It doesn’t matter what age you are or how you choose to honor those brave men and women in uniform.

However, when thoughtless people mock you for being a patriot (and in this case, a good brother), you’re understandably angry.

11-year-old Isaiah Picklesimer’s brother Aaron is in the Navy and on the day after 9/11, Isaiah thought he’d pay Aaron a small tribute by wearing his Navy uniform to school.

His mother Mellanie warned Isaiah that he’d probably get mocked and teased but the brave boy didn’t care.

He wore it proudly though as his mother said, he was taunted by school bullies, who said things like, “Hey pajama boy” and “You look like a joke.”

Mellanie was so infuriated, she took to Facebook in defense of her patriotic son:

This post went viral in just minutes and thankfully, the school also saw it and took action against the bullies.

They also told Isaiah he could wear the uniform to school whenever he wanted, and he was even invited to a Navy Chief Pinning Ceremony that weekend.

But that wasn’t the best thing that happened.

Next door lives a 7th-grader named Nate and when he heard Isaiah was being mocked for wearing his brother’s uniform, Nate told him he’d wear his grandfather’s Army uniform to school.

And that’s exactly what he did.

The next day, the two middle-schoolers showed up to class wearing their uniforms.

Our military members would be so proud.

These kids teamed up against hostility and ignorance and stood tall, and they did it together.

Hard to get more inspiring, especially considering how difficult it can be for youngsters to rise up in the face of stinging adversity at school.

Well done, boys!

Sources: Shareably, Facebook

The post Bullies Torture 11-Year-Old For Wearing Navy Uniform – Then 1 Classmate Sprints To His Defense appeared first on Addicting Stories.

Such achievements should be treasured and appreciated, which is why so many awards get passed down through families.

But when a decorated Royal Marine heard about a little girl in desperate need of help, he knew he could do something to help.

It was on Facebook that 35-year-old veteran Matthew Goodman read about Lottie Woods-John, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma last year. She was only 2 years old.

Goodman had never met Lottie but he knew how expensive her treatments would be – the cancer treatments would cost upwards of $250,000 – and her parents weren’t wealthy.

So, he stepped up and decided to auction off the three service medals he received while serving in the Iraq War.

“As a father myself, I couldn’t imagine seeing my baby daughter, Freya, suffering like that and I knew I had to help in some way,” Goodman told The Sun.

“My medals were just sitting in the drawer doing nothing, and I thought they could be used for something worthwhile.

“They were awarded for the sacrifices I made, but I’m happy to forgo that honor if it means helping a little girl in desperate need.”

After a 13-hour operation during which time doctors were able to remove 95 percent of the tumor, Lottie started her immunotherapy to kill off the last of the cancer.

Unfortunately, she also needs a new vaccine treatment that’s only available in the US, which of course adds to the cost. And she’s going to have to really fight to survive.

Said her mother, Charlotte Woods:

“Lottie has been given 20 per cent chance of surviving the next five years and there’s an 85 per cent chance of the cancer returning.

“The vaccine treatment prevents the cancer from returning, so Lottie needs the cutting-edge treatment straight away, meaning we need the £200,000 imminently.”

She said when Goodman contacted her and told her what he planned to do, she was “speechless.”

As for the selfless hero in question, he finished by saying:

“If people stand up and support families like Lottie’s then it makes all the difference.

“Once they’re sold, in the place of my medals I’ll be wearing a childhood cancer awareness ribbon.

For me, nothing is worth a child’s life.”

If this doesn’t brighten your day, nothing will.

Source: The Sun

The post Cancer-Stricken Girl Needs $250K To Save Her Life – Then 1 Hero’s Sacrifice Leaves Her Parents Speechless appeared first on Addicting Stories.

For these poor souls, the nightmare just never ends. And if the condition was caused in part by another nightmare, one can only imagine the difficulties they face every day.

Such is the case for 84-year-old Vietnam veteran Lawrence Silk, who wakes up some days thinking he has to ship out and fight again.

The brave patriot who participated in three different tours in Vietnam has dementia, and his family wishes he could find some relief.

Perhaps that’s why his daughter Julie Dunn and her husband Kenny posted about the man’s condition on social media; they wanted to bring attention to the situation.

“He believes he has to return to the war to complete his tour and is very upset that his memory care home will not let him go,” wrote Kenny. 

“He is currently in hospice care and through his ups and downs, he consistently is haunted by his need to do his duty.”

Well, it seems this worked because Lt. Col. Andy LaFrazia saw the post and decided he’d visit Silk to deliver a very important message.

The couple begged the military official to give the suffering man some sort of award or certificate that would remind him of his service, and put him at ease.

LaFrazia couldn’t pass it up. He had served in the same squadron as Silk back in Vietnam and he volunteered to visit his old comrade at the care home in Vancouver.

The result? Magic.

LaFrazia presented Silk with a certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Air Force, a USAF Civil Engineering badge, and challenge coins from the Prime Beef and Red Horse Units.

Julie added:

“He also brought with him a reassuring message that his responsibilities to the USAF and the Vietnam Conflict have been concluded and he never has to worry again about returning.”

Social media has since exploded with an outpouring of support, which Julie and Kenny greatly appreciate. They also appreciate Lt. LaFrazia for everything he has done.

Again, this is an extremely difficult situation and while Silk’s dementia won’t be cured, this could help a great deal. And at the very least, it’s a matter of “comfort and dignity,” as Julie said.

“We feel truly blessed that a community of strangers came together to help us bring that to him when he needed it the most.”

Not only does this story restore one’s faith in humanity, it reminds us of the deeply entrenched honor of our heroes who serve in the military. It’s a truly great thing.

Sources: GoodNewsNetwork, Facebook

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