One of the happiest places to be the day before Thanksgiving is the arrival area of the airport.
All day today people are there waiting for someone special.
It's the kind of joy you just can't fake. The kind of smiles you can't force.
"Oh to see the grandchild smile and come to you is just, wow. It's a burst of sunshine," said a woman who'd been waiting for her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.
It's where the you get the first glimpse of that special someone. It's where you get the first hug and the first kiss. And when it's the holiday, the reunion is extra special.
Before the embrace though, there's the wait.
Kelley Freeman passed the time crocheting as she waited for her husband. The minutes sitting at near the bottom of an escalator were well worth it.
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"After he retired from the military he couldn't get a job anywhere but in Louisiana and I live in Oklahoma. So, we had to be apart for a little while because of jobs," said Freeman.
From there it's time to head home to a warm house and meal.
After the bags are claimed, the house is full, and memories are made, the story ends where it began; at the airport with hopes of looking forward to the next reunion.
"It is hard. But we're hoping that one day he'll get a job closer to home, so we won't have to keep doing this," said Freeman. "But we talk a lot on FaceTime, thank goodness for FaceTime."
