Welcome Home, Teresa! Exclusive Look Inside the Giudice Family's Emotional Reunion
See just how the newly released RHONJ star's Christmas wish has come true
There’s no place like home for the holidays – just ask Teresa Giudice, who was emotionally reunited with her family on Wednesday.
Only PEOPLE has the intimate photos, shared by the Giudice family, of the moment Teresa was welcomed home by Joe and her four daughters.
The reality star arrived back in New Jersey at 7:30 a.m. after being released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, following a nearly year-long sentence for fraud.
Giudice’s attorney, James J. Leonard Jr., told reporters outside the star’s family home that she had a “very emotional, very private” reunion with her husband Joe and daughters, Gia, Gabriella, Milania and Audriana.
The family was “anxiously anticipating her arrival,” a source tells PEOPLE, and “Joe was waiting for her in the driveway smiling.”
Joe gifted the star a brand, new black Lexus SUV, which was waiting in the driveway with a big red bow when she pulled up.
For more exclusive images and details of Teresa Giudice’s first days home, pick up the upcoming issue of PEOPLE, on stands Dec. 29.
Giudice’s daughters also festively decorated the house with signs and Christmas decor, and Gia tweeted her joy over her mother’s arrival, writing, “welcome home.”
Joe and the children were waiting in the kitchen with more signs and posters, and immediately swarmed her with hugs and kisses.
“Joe kind of stood off to the side for a second and let them all greet their mother,” a source tells PEOPLE. “Then the whole family kind of embraced each other and had a moment together.”
Another source also told PEOPLE that Giudice’s daughters “could hardly sleep last night because they were so excited that their mom was coming home.”
The Real Housewives of New Jersey stars will spend a “nice, quiet, low-key” holiday with their extended families, Leonard told reporters, and Giudice has no plans to make any public appearances in the coming weeks.
A source previously told PEOPLE the reality star was “beyond excited to finally see her family.”
They added, “It has been a pretty challenging year for her and her family, to say the least.”
“She has missed them all so much while she was in prison,” the source said. “She is going to spend as much time with them as she can.”
The whole homecoming has been a little overwhelming for the Jersey native.
Regardless, according to one of the insiders, “She was just really excited and happy and, smiling from ear to ear the whole time.”