Anyone driving down Ridge Avenue in Sharpsville might see a camouflage-clad mannequin standing watch over Mike and Toni Taylor's home.

"A couple of people have asked why G.I. Joe is guarding my porch," Mrs. Taylor said. "I said, excuse me, it's G.I. Jane."

The solider represents Mrs. Taylor's daughter-in-law, Kimberly Taylor, a supply sergeant in the Army Reserves.

Sgt. Taylor was called up for active duty in November and left her South Pymatuning Township home, leaving behind her husband Chris and their three children, 6-year-old Jessica, 11-year-old Andrew and 13-year-old Nick.

So, Mrs. Taylor dressed an old mannequin in one of Sgt. Taylor's uniforms and put it and an American flag on her porch.

"I did it because my grandkids were missing mom," she said. "I did it in honor of all the moms over there. It was our way of having her with us during Christmas."

After the holidays, Mrs. Taylor decided to leave the solider on the porch.

The Taylors don't know where Sgt. Taylor is stationed but are pretty sure she was in Uzbekistan at one point. They're not allowed to know what time zone she's in, or even the weather.

"Nothing that could give away her location," Chris Taylor said.

Sgt. Taylor's orders are for 365 days, not to exceed two years, so no one knows when she will be back.

Her absence caused some juggling in work schedules so Taylor could be home with their children. Before she left, Sgt. Taylor, a processing and distribution clerk at Pittsburgh Bulk Mailing Center, worked the midnight shift while her husband, maintenance supervisor at the Youngstown Post Office, worked days. He was supposed to work afternoons, but he's back working days.

"Phones are miserable" in the war zone, Taylor said, so the family keeps in touch with her through letters and e-mail.

Although the kids miss their mom, Taylor said he keeps them busy with activities.

"We're getting along fine," he said.

Sgt. Taylor, who has been in the Army Reserves for almost 18 years, was also called to active duty in Operation Desert Storm.

She is not the only member of the family in the military in the family. Taylor served four years on a Navy ship, one of his brothers is in the Air Force and at the top of the list to be shipped out and another brother works in military intelligence.