Gabrielle Giffords makes first public appearance after being shot

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords made her first public appearance on Monday Night after being shot in the head in an attack on Jan 8.

She was attacked in her home district of Tucson, Ariz.

Giffords, the Arizona Democrat arrived at the Space Center Houston auditorium, where her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, was set to receive his Spaceflight Medal for his recent trip on Space Shuttle Endeavor an ABC News report said.

Giffords who is still on wheelchair, rose from her seat to offer Kelly a congratulatory kiss and hug in front of the crowd. Giffords reportedly smiled and interacted with those sitting around her, the report said.

This is the first time Giffords appeared at a public event since her injury. The lawmaker had also attended her husband's first space shuttle launch date in May but was away from the public eye.

People did get a glimpse of Giffords' recovery earlier this month through staff released photos of her

Kelly announced last week his decision to retire from NASA and the Navy to support his wife's recovery and to spend more time with the family.

Gifford's return to Congress during this term and her future political plans are still under speculation, and there has been no word from the family on it so far.

Meanwhile, there are also rumors about Kelly himself joining the political arena now that he's ended his career as an astronaut.

Prior to the January shooting, Giffords had been tapped as a possible 2012 candidate for Senate. The Fix reports on interest among Arizona Democrats in a Kelly candidacy for his wife's House seat--or possibly the open Senate seat, an AP report stated.