The Abou-Ghoches are thankful to be home.

Tom and Faye Abou-Ghoche and their children Ahmed and Amira returned  to High River Tuesday.

They'd been waiting since July to evacuate the Beqaa Valley where they were visiting relatives when the fighting broke out.

The Canadian government advised them not to take the earlier, more crowded boats from Beirut to Cyprus because of Tom's heart problem.  He says they waited in fear, listening to the radio and watching television.  "Every time they hit, the bombs [shook] the house.  Especially at night, the lights and the fire.  It was really scary."  He says his kids couldn't wait to come home

It took the family three days to make the trek after they jumped on the boat in Cyprus.  Tom also said he was pleased with the evacuation and thanked the government and Canadians for their "support" and "worries"

Tom, whose family runs My Pizza and Steakhouse, has been in High River since 1972.  He says he's a real "Pioneer", one of the first businessmen in town.