The Sweetest Welcome Home Fort Campbell, KY || Gibson Family

I guess, before you get too far into this, I should warn you, I totally overshot this welcome home ceremony, but y’all…Meredith is one of the sweetest souls I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and I swear I couldn’t help myself! This was her first homecoming, which makes everything that much sweeter and scarier at the same time. We spent months talking about how a Fort Campbell homecoming runs, what to expect, how she was feeling. By the time the big day rolled around, I felt like we’d been friends forever!

We had the cutest moment happen once we went out to the airfield to wait for the plane to land. I was facing away from the landing strip, taking a few candids, when Meredith burst into tears and I heard a plane land. As I’m snapping away, I turn, and burst into sympathetic giggles. It was a military plane, not her plane, which caused her to burst into giggles because she wondered how in the world they traveled so far without windows. And that simple little thing helped ease some nerves as she waited impatiently for her Soldier to get home.

She told me as we waited that she didn’t want me to focus on her when they were reunited, she wanted to look back and see his reaction first. So that’s exactly what she got, and I love every image! These two were lost in their own world when they found each other, and I was so happy to stay tucked in the background, quietly snapping away. Like I warned you, I totally overshot, but it happens basically every time. As a Veteran, I adore military homecomings, and as a former member of the 101st Airborne Division, a Screaming Eagle welcome home is always extra special. Thank you Gibson family for letting me a part of this special day, and welcome home sir!

P.S. In case you missed it, a few of Meredith’s beautiful homecoming photos were finalists in this year’s Shoot and Share worldwide photography contest! Check out that post here.