Forty moments of pure joy from this year. Enjoy.
The waving panda cub
A giant panda cub stretches out and shows his belly while animal care staff check him over during his weekly exam at the San Diego Zoo.
Image by Ken Bohn / AP
The son who reunited with his mother after seeing her photo online
Olga Hernandez hugs her son Gabriel Salmeron Hernandez in Mexico. Salmeron Hernandez, who had disappeared during his journey through Mexico to reach the U.S., was reunited with his mother after seeing her photo on the Internet with a group of parents traveling through the area.
Image by STRINGER/MEXICO / Reuters
The dog who reunited with his human after getting lost in a hurricane
Fred Hollier is reunited with his dog T-Chen, who got lost during Hurricane Isaac, in Louisiana.
Image by TRAVIS SPRADLING / AP
The little boy who reunited with his father after his tour of Afghanistan
Gavin Shaw flashes a smile as he hugs his father, Master Sergeant Adam Shaw, during a Welcome Home Ceremony in Fort Carson, Colorado. The soldiers had been deployed for nine months in various regions of Afghanistan.
Image by Marc Piscotty / AP
