"Longest Post EVER"

WARNING: THERE WILL BE ALOT OF PICTURES. If you make it to the end of this post, you are indeed a very good friend! 

It's been a crazy few weeks for the Joye family.  Jay was out of town at a youth retreat for a week and I was holding down the fort alone. EB got 3 nasty viruses during that week which made it an especially difficult week. We got him well, and traveled 9 hours to visit Jay's family for about 5 days. We arrived home, did laundry, slept a few nights in our own beds before packing up again to head to the beach with my family. Several days before we were supposed to leave for the beach, Jay had a freaky reaction to his vaccinations that he needed for his upcoming trip to Haiti. He ran a very high fever for several days before I convinced him that he needed medical help. He literally drug himself to the doctor only to find out 1 hour before we were supposed to be leaving for the beach that he had not only had a reaction to his vaccinations, but he also had the FLU!!   We quickly realized that he would not be able to join us at the beach. So, I decided to stay home for 3 more days to make sure that he was well enough to be left alone and planned to leave with EB on Wednesday afternoon. Jay went to work that morning, checked his email and was shocked to find out that his mission trip to Haiti had been cancelled!!! He really was quite devastated because the way it was handled was not good.  It was not our church that had cancelled it, but the mission board in Haiti and we still do not know the reason it was cancelled. Jay had done a ridiculous amount of work to prepare to take his team from church down there to work in an orphanage for a week, so he was really sad - and especially sad for those sweet children who were going to hear the Gospel that week.  As if the week had not been crazy enough already and then to get that news...., it was just wild.  So, our plans changed yet again and Jay was able to join us at the beach, which was an unexpected blessing.   We packed up 4 days later than originally planned and headed South for several days with my family at the beach. Every July, my Dad is in charge of a huge convention for the Alabama Bar Associated for lawyers. We spent several days with 400 lawyers and their families!  There were so many fun activities planned for the families...., movie night, fireworks, dancing, receptions, visits from Grover and Elmo, a family fun run, and this year Build-a-Bear even came and let the children build their own animal for free!! It was a huge hit. 

Below are MANY pictures from our trip, and in no particular order.  I wanted to post as many as I could for our family and friends who do not get to see us or Elijah Brooks regularly. 

Family Photo - my camera lens was so foggy because of the humidity 

EB and cousin Bradford dancing to the steel drum music at one of the receptions 

Chris, Elliot, me and Jay watching our crazy kids dancing together WAAAAY past their bedtime and having the time of their lives! 

Is this the face of a child who is utterly exhausted?? He really hides his tiredness better than any child I have seen. 

Bradford grabbing EB on the dance floor! 

I love this picture!  Jay and EB praying before dinner. He hasn't quite gotten the closing of the eyes yet, but he folds his hands every time. 

Me and my big boy eating our dinner before dancing 

Look how adorable my niece is in this picture! 

Mom, me, and Elliot after we ran the 5K family fun run 

A sweaty family picture after the race! 

A sleepy head at 5:25am out on our balcony. If he was going to get up that early each morning, at least we had pretty scenery to look at. 

And speaking of pretty scenery, look at this sweet face! 

So silly! 

Love the smile here - he was on his way to go dancing! 

Giving Elmo "five".  

Showing off his crown that he made at the Build-a-Bear party 

He chose a puppy to make at Build-a-Bear (how does that work?)  He loves his puppy and has slept with him in his crib every night since we have been home. 

Giving a heart to the lady to sew up in his puppy. He talks about his puppy's heart several times a day. 

An afternoon bike ride with mommy and daddy 

Our hotel at sunset. It was so classy and elegant. 

Don't they look so innocent here? But, oh the mischief these 3 can get into! 

Mommy and sleepy boy at the marina 

Dancing in the street! His new move is the "shoulder shake". Hilarious! 

What better way to beat the 100 degree heat and humidity than frozen yogurt. 

This became a very familiar scene on our trip - 2 little runaways!  Bradford is in front, Chris is chasing her down, and EB is on their heels. 

I love my E-Daddy so much! 

I love my Bebe so much too! 

Water break at the pool. 

We have waited a long time to see this much hair on our son! Had to get a picture of it blowing in the wind. 

E-Daddy pointing out the fish in the water 

He was absolutely fearless of the ocean - scared me to death. The water was quite rough a few days and the waves would knock him down so quickly and the current was extremely strong. It really made me so nervous - so I stayed on top of him, I would have anyway of course! 

My sister and her precious son Wyatt. This is one of my favorite pictures of them. 

Me, Elliot, and EB 

Just hanging out in the sand.