Barbara Jackson sat anxiously in the bleachers at the Edmonton Garrison on Saturday night, waiting with a group of others for a very special arrival.
"It's very stressful. It's just like a high coming down," she said of the moments before reuniting with her son, Sgt. Gregor Moon.
"He's going to be here and we're just going to smother him with love and hugs and kisses."
Moments later she and her family did just that.
Moon and about three dozen other members of Task Force 1-09 were greeted with cheers and hugs after returning from a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, and not even an early dose of winter weather could chill their spirits.
"It's great to be home. It was a good welcome party on the way in, good escort, lots of the fire trucks and police were there lining us in," said Moon.
"A little bit of snow on the ground but that's okay."
The timing of the return is proving to be an added bonus, with Jackson making a week-long trip out from Ontario to help throw Moon a Thanksgiving feast.
"We're just going to have the usual trimmings - pumpkin pie and whip cream and you name it we're have it," said Jackson.
"We're just going to sit back and relax."
The Sergeant is excited for the Monday meal, but may need to nap a bit before sitting down at the table.
"Hopefully I can stay awake for dinner," he said.
"I'm a little jetlagged but it's a good feast coming up so it's nice - a good holiday treat for myself."
