Hilton, N.Y. – Monday was a very heartfelt night for a local military family, whose hero has returned home.

After seven months of training, Specialist Paul Hayhurst decided to come home in style – even if it meant squeezing into a small box.

“It’s a pretty small box,” he joked. “I thought I was going to fall out the back end of it.”

But it was worth every second.

Hayhurst surprised his three-year-old daughter, Isabella, at her dance studio in Hilton, capping off the performance in style by jumping out of the box at just the right time.

Hayhurst surprised his son, Travis, earlier in the day, and is spending time with his whole family – including three-month-old Colin, for just the second time.

“The hardest part was being homesick,” said Hayhurst. “Seeing pictures and not really being able to talk to them.”

The National Guard will decide how long Hayhurst is home for. Until then, he plans on enjoying every minute of it.

“Everyone is back together,” he said, “and now it’s time to get back in the swing of things and being dad again.”