Summertime!

It's been a long time since our last post and many of you have been wondering what's been up with the Wests....

William

Our friend from U.VA came for a visit before the weather warmed up.

Cousins

Joel's sister Felica and her family came to visit from Kentucky. It was a short visit. It rained a little, but we still got to play badminton together! ("Everybody do the airplane dance!") :)



Auco

By chance, we met a college friend of mine in the airport, Auco ("o-ka"). She was at the same gate as us, headed to Pennsylvania!!


To California

Baba received us to L.A. with a wonderful "Huo-guo" welcome. This food, "fire-pot" is what my grandfather used to make for us. It's my favorite. The little boy in the picture is Kathleen's nephew. He is one year older than Annie and speaks Mandarin very well.

Annie's first time at the beach!
A Gift from Baba

My father is a magician and did a show for the Renaissance hotel in Long Beach. They paid him and also gave him a night's stay, which he bestowed to Joel and I. What a nice anniversary gift! (with a great view!).


Happy Birthday Mama! Hello Auntie Summer!


On my birthday we went to the zoo to see our sister Summer, who is studying in grad school in San Diego.


Happy Birthday Annie!





Happy Anniversary Mama and Papa!


Good-byes

This is our goodbye before Baba, Ergu, and Brina head to Chengdu, China. (Sabrina for the first time!)




To Dallas to see Auntie Meg

My sister Megan works at this nice restaurant and is currently finishing up her Bachelors at Dallas Baptist.
She took us to a luxury mall that had turtles and ducks inside.

"Ready to go home, Mama?" (We were gone 10 days and flew on five airplanes. Whew!)


Hello, Uncle Lukie!


Greetings from India!

Pastor Joseph Rutgers, the director of the orphanage in India, where Megan and I worked as English teachers seven years ago came and stayed with us for a couple days.

We invited our friends from Stuarts Draft (and their visitors from NY) over for a picnic and to hear about Joseph's ministry. He has recently opened a widows home also and many of the children at the orphanage that Meg and I taught are now going to college.\

Welcome Home, Mom and Dad!

Mom and Dad also came home from Jerusalem to stay with us for a couple weeks. Here mom is holding baby Pearla, born just a couple months ago.



There were more than 50 people here!

That night we watched fireworks in Grottoes. Yea!


~ The End ~