Things I'm Thankful For

1. My wife and kids.
2. The rest of my family.
3. Every visit with my mom.
4. Two-ply toilet paper.
5. My tailgatin' truck (currently being rebuilt).
6. Five pound largemouth bass.
7. Football.
8. Family Guy re-runs.
9. Micro-brews.
10. My wife's two incomes.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Best Week Ever

Of course you already know that this is Thanksgiving week. I look forward to this week more than any other. Christmas is nice, but over-commercialized. Turkey Day is about family, food, and football. Does it get any better than that? This year, we are expecting at least 24 people including six kids ranging from two to nine years of age. (Three of the kids are two-year-olds!) Oh, and we'll have five dogs, two cats, and a parakeet here, too. As always, there's never a dull moment in this family.

Social Butterfly

Yesterday was "Meet Truman Day" for a lot of people. First, he went with Bethany to visit her co-workers in Jeff City. Then, he met Grant while we ate brunch at Bob Evans. He was a big hit with the waitresses. Next, he went to the car auction I used to work for and met some of my good friends including Jerry, Lisa, and Kristin. From there we drove to Nonna's house for some quality time with her (and some smooches.) Later, back at our house, our neighbor's and their kids came over to play. Even after all of that socializing, Truman had enough energy left to dance with Mommy and Alex in the front room. It was a hoot.

Today, Truman is learning the importance of saying "please" instead of taking what he wants from someone without asking. Lots of tears. Several tantrums. Quite entertaining. But it has been a good day so far. I woke up early and built a cozy fire in the fireplace. I made coffee and when everyone else woke up I surprised them with pancakes and scrambled eggs for breakfast. And now, it's time to veg-out on the couch and watch college football all afternoon. Life is good, y'all.

A "Normal" Naughton

Truman has settled in quite nicely. Last night after going on the potty, getting his jammies on, and getting his teeth brushed, Truman laid down in bed while Alex read him a book. All of this without any tears or tantrums. And early this morning when he woke up in bed, instead of crying out for us, Truman simply got up and wandered around the house while babbling something in Chinese. I called out to him and he found our room, crawled into bed with us, and went back to sleep. (Just like his brother does most nights.) In his new house for only a few days, little Truman Jiang Naughton is perfectly at home with his new family. He's just a normal Naughton now. If there is such a thing.

#1 Son

With all of the attention focused on Truman lately, it would be understandable if Alex felt neglected or jealous. So far, however, he is showing no signs of that. He is being a super big brother and enjoys making his little brother laugh. He carries him around, helps him in and out of the van, and even took a bath with him last night to show him that bath time can be fun.

Last evening, we had parent-teacher conferences at school. Alex is getting perfect marks for reading, writing, and math. He still has some issues with self-control, but he's never in trouble for being mean or "bad." He just likes to talk a lot and it gets him in trouble sometimes. The past two weeks were hard for him while we were in China, but he is getting back to normal again now. He wants to take Truman to school for show and tell so he can show him off to his friends. How cool is that?!

Thank You, Everyone

Many of you have followed along with Bethany, Alex, and I for years as we have tried to add to our family. You know that we started "trying" to give Alex a little brother or sister since he was two years old. For six years you have been with us through all of the peaks and valleys of the emotional roller coaster we have been riding. And now, through this blog, you have had a daily glimpse at the drama that has been our lives over the past few weeks as we have completed the adoption of Truman. We have been overwhelmed by your voices of support on the phone, in emails, on the blog, and in person. We didn't realize how enthralling the journey to China would be to our family and friends. We are humbled by your support and words of encouragement. Although we were half a world away, we felt like our friends and family were with us every step of the way. I can't tell you how much that meant to us while we rode in Chinese taxi cabs, listened to Truman cry for hours at a time, and sat on a plane for twelve hours straight. In short, we thank you all for your love and support throughout this long, but ultimately worthwhile journey. So reward yourselves for being there for us by stopping by to visit the newest Naughton whenever you get the chance. You will fall head over heels for him, as we did, the second you meet him. I admit there's a very remote chance that I may not be the cutest Naughton boy afterall. I may actually only be the third cutest. I guess I'll settle for that.

Truman's New Life

Truman is settling in to his new home nicely. The first night, all four of us slept in our king sized bed. It felt more like a twin size with all of us in it, but it was nice and cozy. Alex and I woke up at a normal time, but Bethany and Truman slept until 2:00 in the afternoon. (Fourteen hours straight, without getting up once.) After the sleepyheads finally got up, we went to spend time with Nonna and then with Grandma Glee and Jessie. Truman was quite generous with giving everyone kisses. Today, Alex is back in school, Mommy is back in bed, and Daddy just changed a nasty diaper. Now, I'm sipping coffee and blogging while watching Truman play. Life is good.

Home Again!

This series of photos is a tidy little summary of our 28 hour odyssey home yesterday. The trip was so long and crossed so many time zones that we saw the sun rise twice and saw darkness three times in one day. (On a personal note of pride, I peed in three countries in one day. Top that!) We started in Guangzhou China, waking up at 5:00am to catch a ride to the airport. We flew for over four hours to Tokyo and another 10 or so hours to Minneapolis. The first picture is of Mommy and Truman at the Minneapolis airport. It was at that airport that Truman was processed as a new immigrant. When the officer stamped his paperwork and said "congratulations" I struggled to keep it together in front of the several hundred other immigrants and families in the room. My son became an American. That's a pretty awesome distinction, and after spending two weeks in China, it's one that I'll never take for granted again. Then we flew to KC where Doug, Char, Oliva, Morgan, Duncan, and Grandma Glee were waiting for us. By "us" I mean Truman. Wow, can that boy work a crowd. He had everyone in stitches within minutes of landing. The second picture shows big brother Alex and little brother Truman in one of many smooches they shared. How cool is that!? Then, Nonna landed in KC, returning from Blake and Meredith's house in Baltimore. And she got some Truman kisses, too. After a lot of hugs, the Columbia-area family drove home. What a great feeling it is to be back. The third picture shows Alex and Mommy helping Truman brush his teeth last night. The final picture pretty much speaks for itself. Two brothers, cozy in their parents' bed, watching Winnie the Pooh and feeling happy and loved. I used to think the greatest sound in the world was that of a baby's laughter. However, during our drive home I could hear my two sons playing and giggling in the back seat of the van. That sound filled my heart so full of joy I could barely contain myself. I reached over to Bethany and gave her hand a little squeeze and she returned the gesture. She looked into my eyes and at that moment we both knew that our family was now complete. Beyond any doubt, I'm the luckiest son of a gun you'll ever meet.

The Truman Show (Reflections of China)

On September 16, 2006 a boy was born in Guigang City, Guanxi Province, People's Republic of China. A young couple's joy of anticipation turned to bitter disappointment when they saw that their child was born with physical defects including a malformed left hand and foot. To many Chinese, birth defects are a sign of bad luck and the mother is often blamed for them. She may be shunned or even kicked out by her family. Farming families, seeking healthy sons to help with the crops, often abandon daughters or deformed boys in hopes that they can try again for a normal son. No one knows exactly why five-day old Jiang Yi Zhan was left by the side of the road by his biological parents. What is known is that he became one of the thousands of orphans left to languish in a dismal state run institution with no one to love him and no one to love.

"Zhan-Zhan's" luck began to change when he was slightly more than one year old. He was placed in a foster home and was well cared for there. He grew to love his "Ma-ma" and became settled in his new enviornment. Almost one full year later, he was torn away from the only mother he ever knew and placed in the arms of two red-eyed, pale-skinned strangers. For days, little Truman (as he has been re-named) cried endlessly for his foster mother. He was reserved and didn't eat much. His new parents worried that he was not handling the changes in his life well. But then, we flew to Guangzhou. A change of scenery brought a change in attitude for little T. He didn't crawl out of his shell- he bounded out of it. He learned to eat pizza, throw temper tantrums, perform for crowds, and flirt with the ladies. He has, in a matter of days, become a full fledged member of the Naughton family with all the quirks that make us who we are. He is certifiably nuts- just like the rest of us. He will fit in just fine at the Hartsburg Homestead. We can't wait for you all to meet him. Between him and Alex, we are no doubt the luckiest parents around.

Today, Truman was blessed by a Buddhist monk at a beautiful temple. Later we shopped some more and finalized the adoption at the American Consulate. When we land on U.S. soil, Little T will be a legal U.S. citizen. We leave for the airport at 5:00am tomorrow. We'll be home in our own bed at about 10:00pm Saturday night. Wow. Did we really just spend two weeks in China?!

Thursday

We just got back from a long walk at a local park. Paths lined with banyan trees, a huge former colonial mansion, a lake, ping pong tables and a tribute to former Chinese president Deng Xiao Ping were some of the highlights of the park. Thursday is drawing to an end, leaving us with one day left in China. Tomorrow, we plan on visiting the Six Banyan Temple, a famous Buddhist landmark. Then, we will take the oath at the American Consulate making the adoption and American citizenship of our son final. Later, Bethany has plans to do even more souvenier shopping while making time for one last Starbucks run. And I will have a final word on this blog about our experiences in China. Stay tuned...

Wednesday In Guangzhou

Today, after breakfast, we went back to our room and just lounged around for a lazy morning. We didn't leave for lunch till about 2:30, when we walked across the street to McDonald's. Eventually, we decided to catch a cab and head back out into the city to do some shopping. We were back at our room by 5:30. And guess what. Truman has finally realized that being in a hotel room with his new ma-ma and ba-ba is not such a bad thing afterall. He has gone to bed without fussing and slept through the night for three straight nights. He even let Mommy brush his teeth yesterday while I held him. He throws temper tantrums, gives kisses, and eats regular food (he is eating a panini from Starbucks as I type this). In less than two weeks, a scared little orphan has transfomed into a typical two year old member of a family who loves him with all their hearts. Just two more days and a wake-up and we'll be headed home. We can't wait for you to meet Truman. If you've enjoyed his pictures, just wait till you see him in person. As Jack Nicholson said as the Joker, "Just wait'll they get a load of me."

Tuesday Morning

We went to a park in Guangzhou today. It was a good excuse to be outdoors on a beautiful day. I think the temperature is around 72 degrees or more. Truman fell asleep and as he lay in my arms a Chinese woman stopped to admire him. She felt the material of his shirt and gave me the international look of "shame on you for not having this child bundled in three layers of clothing plus a fur-lined parka." Some other parents have had strangers pull their child's pant legs down so that not an inch of skin would be exposed to the savagely cold temperatures. The well-meaning woman also pointed at Truman and then held up one finger to indicate "one year old?" I held up two fingers and she gave me a look that clearly said "You are crazy. You do not even know how old your child is." She held up one finger again. I held up two followed by the universal sign for "little." She nodded, but walked away in disbelief. She did smile and say bye-bye. Most Chinese are quite friendly. Take the gentleman I conversed with at the park. He walked right up to me and shook my hand. In rough English, he asked where I was from. I said the middle of America. He said what a great place that must be. I agreed. He then asked if I voted for Barack Obama. I said that I did. He said, "He only won 54% of the vote, that seems dangerous." I said that from where I'm from, you only need 51% to win. He said, "I don't understand your Congress. You have Senate. You have Representative. Only 100 Senate, but Representative I don't know." I explained the bi-cameral make-up of our legislative branch and he seemed to grasp the concept. He thanked me for visiting with him and wished me well. If China converts to democracy in the next few years, I will take full credit for it.

Damn, this kid is cute.

Today, we went to the medical clinic for Truman's required exam. The doctors were fascinated yet unconcerned about his unique left hand and foot. Clean bill of health. Afterwards, we went shopping and bought the little guy a traditional Chinese outfit and some souveniers. Later, we went to dinner at a much tamer restaurant than the one we visited last night. Oh, and Truman slept the whole night through last night. Ten hours straight! It was another great day.

A Good Day

What a difference a day makes. This hotel has a playroom for kids, which Truman enjoyed for quite a while. It also has a huge breakfast buffet, which Mom and Dad enjoyed. But for dinner, we went on an adventure. Six families walked in downtown Guangzhou to a local restaurant. For Blake and anyone else afraid we would only eat at Western restaurants, you would be proud. As we were escorted to a dining room, we walked past cages of live snakes, tank of frogs, fish, and shellfish, and a pond with live gators/crocs. After we were seated, the waiter asked me ( I sat closest to the "head" of the table) what we would like to order. I said I would like to see a menu and he said "No English on menu." I said that I would look at the pictures (which did not help.) By this time, everyone was concerned that we could wind up eating something undesireable/unidentifiable. One member of the group had some names of common Chinese foods written down and he and I were able to order dumplings, Peking duck, a chicken (including its head), noodles, rice, and good ol' pijiu (beer). Twelve adults and five children ate and drank till we were full for a total of just under $100. We all had a lot of fun (and Truman had three full bowls of congee (rice porridge). As we left the restaurant, a worker dropped a live frog on the floor that must have weighed over a pound. The "splat" sound it made was a perfect final note for the evening.

A change of scenery

This morning, we flew to Guangzhou. Truman didn't fuss a bit on the one hour flight. In fact, he has done pretty well all day. He even took a nap without starting World War Three. He is still going thru his routine of gathering his things and standing by the door, but he's not screaming "mama" for hours on end. Baby steps. In about an hour we are going to get his picture taken for his visa. On Monday he'll get a routine doctor's visit and then we'll have three days of free-time. Then, we go to the Consulate for final interviews and an oath of some sort. Then, on Saturday we finally fly home. One week to go.

In the photos: I had to throw in another picture of a smiling Truman. Then you'll see the three-story high Wal-mart in Nanning. Next is a shot of us boys feeding the koi. Finally, a group of Asian tourists mobbing our travel companions Lisa and James. You can't see them through the throng, but Lisa has blond hair and blue eyes, which makes her something of a phenomenon around here. People have been taking her picture since we landed in China.

More pictures later...

Oh, Bethany is content- there's a Starbucks in our hotel.

Friday Morning

These pictures show a few of the events of this morning. The first picture is of my Chinese wedding. I got yanked up onto the stage during a traditional stage performance and endured a Chinese dance, saki drinking, a wedding ceremony, bride carrying, and various tests of my manhood. I think I passed the test, because after making me drink four shots of rice wine and literally getting kicked in the arse by the emcee, I was forced to bribe my new wife into letting me go. Everyone, including Truman, enjoyed seeing me look ridiculous.

The next three pictures capture the daily ritual in our hotel room while the last picture is of a bridge in the park we went to today. It was made without any nails in the style of ancient local bridgebuilding techniques. We also toured a museum of local artifacts and rode in yet another taxi. Big day already, and it is only 1:00pm. Tomorrow brings new adventures as we depart for Guangzhou where we will stay until next weekend (when we can finally come home.) I haven't responded to anybody's emails, but please know we appreciate your support and we're glad you're enjoying the pictures.

Zai jian!

Here are some pictures of the hotel and surrounding area. The illuminated bridge has an integrated cascading water feature that runs the length of the span. The buildings trimmed in blue lights have high-res video screens the size of our house on their flanks. Nanning is quite a city. Oh, and I threw in another Truman picture for good measure.