COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A military wife and mom in Colorado has come up with a unique way to include her deployed husband in this year's family Christmas photo.

Brandon Sistrunk isn't set to return from his southwest Asia deployment until next month. After seeing her friends' family Christmas photos, his wife, Ashley, wanted to make sure Brandon was included in theirs. So, she had Brandon take a photo on base while holding a sign reading, "Merry." She took a photo alongside their four children while holding a sign that read "Christmas." After putting the pictures together digitally, she had her family Christmas photo.

The picture has gone viral since she posted it on Instagram last week . She says the attention is "bringing light to the other half" of military families.