Our First Christmas With Emma

Hey, what's this Santa Claus guy all about? This stuff wasn't here when I went to bed!

I am starting to get the hang of unwrapping!

One of my many play cell phones.

Christmas breakfast with the family.

Christmas Eve at Uncle Mike's and Aunt Lynetta's.

Obviously Christmas 2008 was very special for our family. We spent Christmas Eve at my brothers house with great food, gifts, and fellowship. Christmas morning Emma slept a little later and when she walked into the living room, she really wasn't sure what to do. Santa brought her a shopping cart with groceries, a baby bed, and an Asian doll. Her stocking was filled with nuts, fruit, a book, and goldfish crackers. Abby and Kelly came over and we had a Christmas breakfast and opened gifts. That evening we went to my sister's house and had dinner. Candice didn't get in from Japan until late in the afternoon, so she didn't get to meet her little sister until today. It was a wonderful Holiday experience and we have so much to be thankful for!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

A very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

A special shout out to Hank Tricia, and Sophie.

We know 2008 will be the best Christmas ever!

GREAT JOB ABBY!!!

Cathy and I want to extend a giant CONGRATULATIONS to our daughter Abby for graduating last week with her degree in Family and Consumer Science. She also successfully completed her student teaching at NW Classen High School recently and is looking forward to a rewarding career as an educator. We are so proud of her as we know how hard she worked to get here. We both know what kind of person it takes to successfully work with young people and Abby has exactly the skills and personality to be an outstanding teacher and role model! Congratulations Abby!!! We love you!!!

The Holiday Season

Lot's of fun stuff going on over the Holidays. Today we went to Abby's college graduation and to Sidney's dance recital. We have one more week of school before our two week break. Emma is starting to put words together and is adding to her vocabulary all the time. Austin finished his semester at OSU and will be coming home next week. It will be so good to finally have all four of the kids together on Christmas Day!

Abby & Kelly's Shower

As we have told you many times, Abby and Kelly are getting married on January 2nd. Abby's friends hosted a shower for her on Sunday in Edmond. She received some very nice gifts and Cathy was happy she got to meet Kelly's family. Abby has completed her student teaching and will graduate Saturday. We are very proud of her!

Congratulations To Hank, Tricia, and Sophie

Sophie and Tricia Belz

About right now, 9000 miles away in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam. Our friends Hank and Tricia Belz are completing a dream. It's at the same place where Cathy and I completed our dream on September 22nd. They have been united with their daughter Sophie, forever. They are probably at the orphanage while I type or they may be at the government office signing the papers. But, when they leave Binh Duong in a little bit, their little angel will be with them. We have never met Hank and Tricia in person. We have spoken on the phone and by email, shared pictures and stories, and stood together as friends in our similar journeys. If you have never read their blog, please take a minute to do so: http://www.babybelz.blogspot.com/ They are an incredible couple whom life has thrown a few curve balls. Hank, Tricia and Sophie, we are so happy for you guys! You have endured so much in your life together. Congratulations on this incredibly special day! We thank you for sharing your very special story and can't wait for the rest of it! We look forward to getting together in person soon, and letting our two Binh Duong girls play and become lifelong friends!

With much love and respect,

Thomas, Cathy, and Emma Keller

Rolling into December....

Dad, are you even watching me?

Hmm, do I want to be a Pom girl, or a cheerleader?

Emma with her friend Laci at the PCN BB game.

Cathy's JV Cheer girls.

PC North basketball pep assembly.

Cathy's leadership class.

All the girls at Thanksgiving at our house.

Emma with her Nana Heidi and cousins.

Emma with her cousin Sidney in her car.

Hanging out with Dawson in the Kitchen.

November has turned to December and Emma's first Christmas is right around the corner. We have the outside all decorated, the inside will be done today. Abby's college graduation is next week and she has a wedding shower today. Candice is coming home the 24th. It is a busy month for all of us. Emma is doing very well. She understands so much of what we say, but struggles a little in saying it. She loves electronics; phones, remotes, laptops, anything with buttons to push. She is eating good, and is finally drinking all of her milk. She is doing very well at daycare and sleeps all night. It will be interesting to see what "The Two's" bring for us this next year. Hope everyone is well and having a wonderful Holiday season!

Abby & Kelly

Our daughter Abby is getting married on January 2nd to an outstanding young man, Kelly Williams. We are very excited that Kelly is joining our family! Abby is just about through with her student teaching and will graduate from UCO in a few weeks. We are so proud of her! Here are a few pictures we took of them today.

Bath Time

Well one thing is for sure, the reports we got from Holt that said Emma loves bath time were no doubt correct!

Precious

We just checked on Emma sleeping a few minutes ago

and this is what we saw. Too cute!

We're doing fine!

Hello friends and family. Haven't blogged in a week, but just wanted to let everyone know things are going very well! Emma is doing just fine at her daycare and she know longer crys when I take her in the morning. Our good friends the Hobsons who live in Massachusetts are visiting this week. They surprised Emma with a beautiful "My Twin" doll that you can see in the pics. Emma absolutely loves her twin! We went to church with Abby and Kelly Sunday and they babysat for us so we could go to the movies. Emma has really warmed up to people in the past few weeks. Austin came home from OSU for a short visit on Sunday and Emma loves to play with him. Things are good at school and we both have very good classes. Our kids missed us while we were gone and it is great to get to work with them again. Tonight we had dinner with Brian and Jill at our favorite restaraunt Vivo! Italian. We are friends with the owners and Emma got to play with their 16 month old grand daughter Adrianna as well as her new friend Blythe who is adopted from China. I will spend my first days away from Emma as I am flying to Denver this weekend to snow ski and attend the OSU-Colorado football game. I am looking forward to it, but already thinking about how much I will miss her. I can't wait to get out of school each day so I can go pick her up! Hope everyone is well and here are some recent pictures. Enjoy!