“What do you give the person who has everything,” is the question most people ask while shopping for the perfect gift.

For the family of Georgia Thomas, this question was slightly different. Thomas's sons asked themselves, “What do you give the person who has given everything?” The answer was obvious to them - they come home.

Thomas's three sons are all active members of the U.S. Army and currently stationed all over the country after having recently returned from tours overseas.

William “Junior” Lee Thomas, the eldest brother, is a Chief Warrant Officer 4 at a U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Sill, Okla. Charles Ervin Thomas is a staff sergeant in the 10th Sustainment Brigade stationed at Fort Drum, N.Y. While James “Timmy” Timothy Thomas, the youngest brother, serves as a 1st sergeant in the 4th Brigade Combat Team 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.

For two of Thomas's sons, returning home for their mother's birthday is a homecoming after their military duty abroad.

Charles returned from Iraq in late July after serving nearly a year in Operation Iraqi Freedom. James arrived back in the United States just last Tuesday after serving eight months in Afghanistan.

William, also, has been back in the United States for only a relatively brief time. He returned from Doha, Qatar last July after a nine-month tour.

While the sons' record of service and sacrifice to their country is well-documented, they insist that their mission this weekend has an even more important objective: to give their mother the best birthday imaginable.

Charles decided to plan a stealth operation and give his mother a surprise birthday party. Georgia, however, intercepted some top-secret information and caught on to her son's plan.

“There are no words to describe them being home. 'Ervin' was trying to do a surprise birthday party, but I found out about it and told him no. I just wanted the time with them. That was my birthday gift, and that was what I wanted,” said Georgia.

For Georgia and her husband, Bill, years have passed since all three of their sons home have been home at the same time. But, according to Geogia's sons, this is all a part of a military family's greatest sacrifice, which is not that of the soldier to his or her country, but instead that of the family giving up its child or, in the Thomas's case, children.

“We don't make sacrifices, families make sacrifices. They're the ones who sit by the phone and worry,” said William. “Imagine sending your kids overseas and worrying whether or not they'll come back. I'm a staunch advocate of the military and serving our country, but I'd be hard pressed to watch my child leave to serve. I'm impressed with my family and the thousands of families that go through this for years.”

“Instead of our sacrifice to our country, we're sacrificing our time this weekend to celebrate our mother. Throughout the whole time, she's always been a phone call away,” added Charles.

Through all of her sacrifice and support, Georgia has found ways to transform any doubts or fears surrounding her sons' work into action to positively influence her home community of Jonesville.

After finishing a career as a telephone operator with Embarq, Thomas decided to help local children by becoming a substitute teacher for Yadkin County Schools and working in the “Before- and After-School” program at Jonesville Elementary School. Georgia also served as executive director of the Tri-County Youth Center, formerly based in Jonesville.

“I give back to my community because my community gives so much to me. I think everyone should be treated equally and fairly,” said Georgia.

Georgia relates her love of both community and children to the inspiration she finds within her sons.

“I just love working with kids. My own kids are a motivation to me, and they keep me going. They're my pride, my joy, they're me. I survive off my sons – God first and then my sons,” said Thomas.

Husband and father Bill agrees with Georgia's efforts to use their family's network of support to set a precedent for the community.

“Now with my kids being absent for so many years, we try to pattern ourselves and know that kids are looking at us to make our community stronger,” said Bill.

For the Thomas's sons, however, it is the example of their parents that continually provides them with hope, discipline and faith.

“There are several people in the community I could thank for help along the way, but overall it's the support of our parents,” said James. “You are what your parents are. They can only give you the tools, but you have to take them and use them to get where you should be.”

Today, as Georgia celebrates her birthday, she could not be happier to see a gift that she has given to both her community and her country returned in full with her three sons' homecoming.

Said Georgia, “For me, they've done so much for the country. I feel like I've paid my duty to Uncle Sam through my kids because this is what they want to do. I'm blessed everyday, but this weekend I can't describe it because they haven't been home together in so long.”