Thanksgiving Day For Smarts

"It's probably the best and happiest day of our life,"said Charles Smart.

He was referring to Wednesday when he and his wife, Dorotha, saw their "lovely granddaughter return home, healthy and well, and happy to be with her family."

In an interview on The Early Show she said the couple drove nine and a-half hours from Palm Springs after they heard the news of Elizabeth Smart's return to her family Wednesday afternoon. They arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, at 3:00 a.m.

"We have not seen her yet," Charles said of his granddaughter, who was taken from her home in June.

"I want her to be able to rest," added Dorotha Smart. "And I want her parents to be able to be with her and whenever we can, we will help and come in and see her."

Proud of the family for their perseverance and unity, she said, "This is just Thanksgiving in March for us. That's it. All the way, we were driving home, and thanking God."

For the joyous outcome, they also praised their other granddaughter, Mary Katherine.

"I think that Mary Katherine mentioned the fact last October," Charles Smart said. "She came to her father and said 'Daddy, I think I know who it is. It's Emmanuel.' And Edward went directly to the police, and we waited for a long time to see if they could find her. And finally, through the help of the public and everybody else, why, she has been recovered."

Through this time of waiting, the couple said, their faith in God kept their hope alive for a positive outcome.

"We were prepared for whatever the answer was. But we never gave up hope. We said, and my husband had said until it's proven otherwise, we will believe that Elizabeth is there, and that we hope for her return," Dorotha Smart said.

Along with her husband she said she could not help but think of the families who still have their children missing and those who have received the tragic news that the child will never come back.

"We know what the grief is," she said. "We've been through a lot of grief. And we're going to pray for you. And we are anxious to see this Amber alert go through. Immediately. And we're just grateful for all of the help. And today is just a day of thanksgiving."