RebeccatheWriter
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Posts posted by RebeccatheWriter
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26 minutes ago, dargosmydaddy said:
I am assuming this was an auto-correct mistake for Heparin, but it cracked me up :)
Typing on a kindle fire is not easy. But heroin is not the cure either lol.
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2 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:
Whitney's bio parents were present at Bradley's birth. Kelly obviously got on Whitney early in the marriage to make up/peace with her bio parents, shunning her adoptive parents in the process.
You are right. I was thinking that was her adoptive parents. Kelly jo has two sisters her mom adopted. Wonder how she reconciles that with how she had worst encouraged or best witnessed Whitney handle this.
1 hour ago, sATL said:Chad = The Lord ... same difference in Erin's mind... what happened her health issue, requiring the need to give daily shots to keep the pregnancy? Is it in remission ?
If Whit made up the accusations - wouldn't social services be able to sniff that out ? I do give DFACS credit for finding a foster-adoptive home, which appears to be in the same area, for a teenager, while she still was a teen. I guess I've been in a big city too long, as most teens are not so lucky. They get caught in the "system" until of age (16-18).
That is assuming it was a DFACS case. One of the versions circulating is that Whitney was friends with the adoptive parents child who died in a car accident. That would indicate a private resolution rather than involvement of authorities. Most teens who alleges abuse are sent to group homes first and then maybe foster care. It is rarely seen that they go to a family friend. I worked during college in those group homes in the southeast. Not pretty. Just speculation, but it sounds like perhaps Whitney made an allegation and the parents of her friend stepped in to offer to raise her. Given that they were raising/adopting so many kids in a short period, I'm guessing it was done privately rather than through the court system.
I had a neighbor who would foster children of prisoners. She and her husband were horrible people and neglected the 15 they had in the house. We found out they started their own nonprofit and worked with a church to get parents facing incarceration to sign over their kids rather than risk them to DFACS. It was all a money scheme. They got government money and were always grifting on the news for new vehicles, house repairs, etc.
As for Erin, that blood clotting disorder doesn't go away. Heprin is treatment not a cure. But it falls in line with Duggar/Bates mentality that it is God's will and to die creating God's army is more nobel than a healthy life with no kids or a small family.
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14 minutes ago, floridamom said:
BitterApple: My thoughts exactly. I watched this episode today, when I was completely awake. What the heck is up with Whitney? It has been reported for a few years now that it was HE PARENTS who ABUSED HER. As a result, her bio parents lost custody of Whitney and she was lucky enough to be actually adopted by another couple. Has this been reported wrong? Are Whit's parents innocent of these accusations and Whitney made up the whole abuse allegations herself? From Whit's teary-eyed, sorrow filled display on this episode, I had to wonder.
I also agree that before any 5 year marriage vow renewal, this young lady needs good, qualified therapy. If anyone knows the truth about what went down (accusations and guilt/innocence) please set the record straight here as to what it is that Whitney is so guilty about. No need for specifics, I respect their privacy (but they themselves put this out). Are the abusive charges against Whit's bio parents true or not?
3The story is all rumors at this point. Originally it was rumored that Whitney's parents were killed in a car accident. Whitney never confirmed or denied this until it became known that she was talking to them again at Kelly Jo's urging. Then it was the rumors about abuse and the state terminating their parental rights. Again no denials or confirmation of this. There is a blurry line between private lives and reality television, but there are too many holes in this story. No need for details, but there has to be a way to address the elephant in the room without leaving viewers to speculate. They also haven't really addressed what is going on with her adoptive parents. Are they upset with her for reaching out to her bio parents? Were they invited to the renewal? Will Whitney have another renewal in 5 years when she splits with her parents again so that her adoptive parents can have an opportunity for a renewal too? Was that part of the reason she wants another baby so her parents can be in the delivery room since he adoptive parents were with Bradley?
Her behavior wasn't just the tears. It was the way she barely looked at them as she made these tearful pleas for forgiveness. There was just something very off about the whole thing. Her mother seemed stilted (camera shy maybe?) and her father seemed awkward. Like most IBLP the Bateses thrive and focus on that rule about respecting your parents. I wonder if some of the blubbering and guilt was directed toward Kelly Jo and the children to show that she is like them and does respect her parents no matter what...
QuoteI'm so tired of hearing Erin crow on about 'babies'. Yes, I agree that she may be the one who gives Michelle Duggar a run for her money in the baby-making derby. What the heck is wrong with Chad? He must have a pair of balls under his pants because he has 3 children. I also love how Erin says it would be 'up to Chad'....I thought it was up to the Lord? Chad, utilize those balls of yours for something else than baby making and tell Erin when enough is enough. It's not Erin that gets up every morning strutting out to work, it's you, babe. Man up.
Seriously, chick is on my last nerve. For a girl who was so uninvolved with her siblings while at home (at least on camera), she's all about the baby making. I kind of hope that Michael hauls off and slaps her one of these days.
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18 hours ago, Adeejay said:
I find it interesting that the Bates girls are allowed to hold hands and hug full frontal with their “intended”. I’ll never forget when newly engaged Jessa and Ben went to dinner with their parents, and Jessa had the audacity to hold Ben’s hand while they were praying. Michelle almost had a heart attack. Different strokes, I guess.
For their faults, Gil and Kelly do seem to allow their sons and daughters to have some role in their decisions about dating (courting) and marriage. Not freedom, mind you. But in the first season on UP, Michael said something about hugging Brandon but that they would reserve hand holding until after engagement. That seemed strange to me because hugging is far more intimate. However, Tori, Carlin, and Josie get or were very touchy feely during courtship.
I guess it's just for the cameras, but I have to laugh at Erin trying to sound like the wise old sage to her sisters. Girl, you married a guy you barely knew. You two still interact like you barely know each other despite having three kids. I'm thinking that I would go to someone else for advice on relationships.
1 hour ago, BitterApple said:I agree with what you said, and I really hope it isn't the Gothard teachings that are leaving Whitney wracked with guilt. Reuniting with her biological parents wasn't even on the radar until Kelly pushed her into it.
I also agree that the mother's affect was strange. She seemed pretty disconnected from the whole thing, while everyone else was a weepy mess. I wonder if there's an element of blame towards Whitney for whatever went down.
Whatever happened, I know that the family that adopted (legally?) Whitney as a teenager adopted several children. Within that family, she's said to have 11 siblings (most adopted). And while the truth might be that she was difficult or even delinquent in some way in her youth, her parents were the adults in the situation and would shoulder at least some of that burden. I hated to see Whitney basically cast herself as the villain in the situation, as whatever she said and did that led to her life away from her parents at a young age was done before she was completely mature. One has to wonder if whatever happened shaded Kelly Jo's vision of her, as there were a lot of rumors early in that relationship that Kelly Jo wasn't very pleased with her son's choice in a wife. And if on screen actions are to be believed, Whitney still acts like she is trying to impress her mother in law and the rest of Zach's family at times. She is closer with the girls in the middle than say Michael or Erin.
I guess it is the writer in me, but I would want to set the record straight if I was Whitney. Even if it was just a social media post explaining it (not in great detail). She should say something rather than letting the rumors circulate.-
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2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:
The one woman in the Seattle season (I think it was then) who had an accent, was scary, and seemed unbalanced.
1That was Carla Pellegrino. That woman was unhinged. The only thing entertaining about her was the look of horror she would earn from the other chefs. She's got a nice pedigree, but she's a piece of work. She was (think they are divorced) Frank Pellegrino, Jr. of Raos.
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19 hours ago, dleighg said:
I recently stumbled across an old season (might have been All Stars?) where Tiffany Derry was FOH. She was awful-- her laughing with a table of customers echoing across the room as she simultaneously failed to do the simple things (greet, make sure people got menus and drinks, describe the dishes, etc.) She took the "great personality" thing way too seriously.
She was awful at it. But I have a feeling that she was simply trying to avoid the drama of Marcel and Mike's bickering. If they had said one chef needs to bus tables, I think she and others would have jumped at that to avoid the micromanaging pettiness.
53 minutes ago, Gummo said:Put me in the vocal minority that LURVES Restaurant Wars! Sure, it's totally artificial and nothing like that happens in real life, but so what? This is a game show, there's nothing real-life about it. It's all about putting these contestants thru hell and seeing if they can still focus and deliver their best work.
I also think the early 3 way restaurant wars is good in that it destroys the contestants' expectations for the season. TC has been on long enough that the rhythm of the season has been well established - at least 1 of the chefs mentioned that he expected RW at 8, just like it's always been. That's reason enough to shake things up and keep the contestants guessing.
Yes, the designers really screwed all 3 teams, but it's still better than the seasons when they sent chefs off to buy tablecloths and centerpieces and who knows what all else.
And as regards dish choices, seems like They Never Learn. As other posters have already pointed out, pulling out complicated, labor-intensive dishes for RW is just stupid, yet here we are.
I could tell by the 40 minute mark that there was no way they could finish in 1 episode. Not sure why so many feel put out by that; haven't they split RW into 2 episodes before?
The designer stuff is always so insane. In early seasons they had the FOH person out there assembling tables or hanging pictures. Then there were the inevitable budget issues.
I think it is good to shake things up for the contestants. The chefs coming in are pretty blase about things even though they seem woefully unprepared. That's why I'm not opposed to sudden death quickfires, etc.
No, they never learn on the too complex dishes. If you are plating with tweezers, it might be time to go on restaurant wars.
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5 hours ago, Carolina Girl said:
Through the magic of Hulu and a boring day at work, I rewatched Season 1. I had really forgotten what a completely loathesome woman Tiffani is/was. It really was a shame that she had immunity at the Kids' challenge - because Tom was ready to kick her snobby ass out the door for her attitude alone.
And Stephen.....oh man, watching the Junior League challenge and his snobby lecture. Dude, do you even realize WHO the Junior League is? These are women who HIRE wonks like you to cook their dinners. Their palates are probably as sophisticated as it gets and their wine cellars are better than anything you could ever hope for. I did notice that by the time of the reunion, he'd had a chance to reflect on his interactions with the others and did like his apology to Candice, which seemed heartfelt. So props Stephen. As they say, we learn something new every day.
And Ken. How did that psychopath get past the screeners? Watching the Reunion, I have to ask - was he drunk? On drugs?
The majority (few exceptions) of season 1's cast would not pass a psych test for most jobs. That was a crazy bunch who seemed to bring out the crazy in each other.
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Nicholas from Season 11 still grates my nerves (his win). I don't think I will ever get past that one. He seemed like he was one temper tantrum away from a meltdown at any moment.
Eli and Mike from Las Vegas were the top of my hate pile too. I found them both gross, condescending, and demeaning toward women (especially Robin) to the point that I can't even watch that season. I own almost all the seasons on Amazon, but that one I can't handle. It's sad since I am friends with and a big fan of Kevin.
Honorable mention would go to Josie for how she treated Kristen and that annoying way she wanted to be center of attention. Lisa from Season 4 and her death glare/pout also hits me wrong. Marcel was immature his first season, but age hasn't improved that demeanor. He's a professional victim in many ways. John Tesar annoyed me too, as I felt like many of his annoying moments were orchestrated to show him as annoying. Carla Pellegrino's screaming and screeching earned my side eye too.
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That's one of the things I liked about the first season compared to later seasons of Top Chef...fewer contestants. You really got a sense of who each of them was versus this whole thing where I watch and go is that...hipster number 1 or number 2?
I am a paranoid person by nature so I would probably be expecting challenges at every turn. It bothered me that they were so "shocked" that they would have to cook after the meal. You are competing on a cooking show, all the judges and guest judges are in the room with you. You're eating in front of the cameras. Hell yes you're going to have to cook. It reminds me of how annoyed I was in the Miami season where they cooked for the people coming out of the nightclubs. Some of the women were upset that they got all dressed up and had to cook.
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I like Blais more now than I did in the all-star season. Having met him a few times and interviewed him, I will say that he is more low key in person than as a judge or as a cheftestant. In person he comes off as almost insecure, which I think translates to him coming off as trying to hard on camera.
I quite liked him when he was on season 4. But his constant whining about not winning that season during the all-star season grew tiresome. He even commented that his season was remembered for him losing. Actually, no, dude. But whatever. He's clearly not the great restauranteur he had hoped to be. If he'd never done Top Chef, he'd probably make a good executive chef at someone else's restaurant.
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I hate these "holiday episodes" that were clearly taped months ago. I also hate dessert challenges, as the cheftestants flail around like the idea never occured to them. How many times do we have to hear, "but I'm not a pastry chef."
I would say Nini is growing on me, but that is usually a kiss of death.-
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On 12/6/2018 at 6:45 PM, Mu Shu said:
So fucking sad. Jael went through a lot. I hope her next life is filled with happiness and health. She had a good heart.
She did have a good heart. I remember her on the show and how she really did try to be a friend to everyone. That was one of the most backstabbing seasons and yet she approached each of them like she had their best interests at heart.
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On 12/12/2018 at 11:45 AM, Cherrio said:
I remember after she was cleared by her doctor and rang the bell to celebrate she had decided to ignore the doctors advice to lay low and rest.
She had been offered a keynote at a conference. The doctor clearly advised against it. There was a scene (imo producer/Jen driven) where a group of people wanted to take a photo with her and she didn't do it.
So it seems it was more important to her to give her speech, than to stay home, recover her strength and most important bond with her new daughter.
Speaking as a cancer survivor and as the daughter of one, we don't always make the best decisions. I would probably say that normalcy was more important to her at that moment. When you have spent months being poked, prodded, told that you might not make it, experiencing highs and lows, never quite feeling like the old you, etc., the one thing you want more than anything is to have a normal day or do something that would have seemed so easy before your diagnosis. My mother wanted to go to her family's annual reunion picnic. Doctors said she shouldn't. I said she shouldn't. She insisted and ended up winning out so that she could sit in a chair under a tree and visit with the same people who visited at the hospital. For me, it was a writing conference I had promised myself I would go to if I lived until that next year (5 years cancer free now and going strong). My doctor wanted me to avoid public places and people for a while longer. I went to the conference and sat toward the back of the sessions. I went to and napped in my hotel when I needed to do that. It was my reward to myself for making it that far and I wasn't going to give it up if I could help it. Sounds silly, but it was a big step for me from cancer patient to cancer survivor. I took other time to rest, spend time with my daughters, and enjoy the sensations of taste, smell, etc. again that go haywire with all those meds.
The show didn't delve very far into Jen's diagnosis other than to say she was sick and how hard the treatments were, but I would be willing to bet that she had many of the same feelings that many patients get. Looking back at this episode now, I recognize that in her. She was clearly trying to be positive, especially in front of the cameras, but there is a part of you with that kind of diagnosis that craves both normalcy and the mundane. There's a little voice in many of our heads during treatment that this may be the last... (fill in the blank). During chemo my appetite was zilch and even talking about food made me sick. If I had been receiving treatment over the holidays like Jen, I would have been excited to have Christmas sans chemo just so I could participate in things like breakfast casserole while opening gifts and sneaking my mother's potato salad (my favorite) while she insists on cooking everything herself for the big meal.Thankfully, Jen was able to beat her issues and continue on with her life.
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12 hours ago, sATL said:
RE: the first set of teeth on children....
Do the 1st four come in then the molars , then the rest between - leaving a noticeable gap ? I can't remember... Zoey keeps crying and I am noticing her teeth...
Isn't it an option to wear masks, if their immune system was compromised, as opposed to staying in most all of the time? I mean as long as one feels physically up to it , maybe getting out of the house will make a person feel better.
Masks don't stop everything. It is by far better to stay in and get as much rest as possible before a chemo treatment. Assuming that she was referring to a low white cell count, we're talking about something serious enough that a simple cold could have killed her. It is clear that Jen and Bill were aware of the seriousness of her condition and were trying to balance that with normalcy for the children.
Additionally, there are very few masks that are a good enough fit for a little person or child. It's not like Jen could have just worn a surgical mask. Most of those leave a huge gap that basically leaves you just as exposed as no mask at all. Even more expensive respirator masks are not designed to fit smaller faces and heads. On an average size person there is a failure rate of 25-30% on the seals on these things. It has to be far higher for people of Jen's stature.-
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21 hours ago, cereality said:
Oh totally agree it’s an Evan decision. Mother and daughter aren’t even subtle about these things. When he went to South Carolina w them earlier this yr — Kelly was screaming in her shrill voice — Evan buddy the beach is a great place to propose. Same thing she did with Bobby, Brandon etc — clearly announce the desperation. And girlfriend was no better — announcing she had switched from regular college to online classes like a year ago so she could finish school and get married faster. A normal woman would’ve been pissed to leave school a year early and then it turns out you’re not getting married for 1.5 yrs anyway. But fundies that what they’re supposed to do - sit around waiting for the wedding night. I imagine the delay is bc it suddenly occurred to Evan that he’d have to provide and being a lifetime receptionist wouldn’t cut it. He hurriedly took up electrician training but sometimes trade school plus apprenticeship can take 1+ yr before you get a real paying job. Guess Carlin has to wait . . . .
That was the same episode where Carlin spoke to Papa Bill about plans to move to Nashville after the wedding (when there was no wedding planned and no engagement either). Michael wasn't much better with her caveats in her speech about "when we get engaged." Tori and Josie at least kept that off camera for the most part. However, they were both clingy and desperate for that ring.
Yes, my ex-husband and I discussed that we might want to get married. But we weren't making assumptions and plans when there was not a ring nor a proposal. It was more, "if we get married..."
I guess it is part of their courtship idea that they are spending time together to move toward marriage. I would just have a hard time being that presumptuous. -
3 hours ago, cereality said:
So Carlin and Evan aren’t getting married until May 25 2019? How incredibly slow and “normal” of them? He says he fell in love with her in Sept 2016. So courting in the spring of 2017. Engaged in the fall of 2018 and married 6-7 months later? How normal?! Wonder why Carlin and Kelly haven’t been able to hurry this along.
I'm guessing that was more of an Evan decision than a Carlin one. Carlin and Kelly have been salivating for that ring for a long time now. Girlfriend was practically screaming I do every time he bent down to tie his shoes.
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3 hours ago, SnarkEnthusiast said:
Re: inappropriate or not, I say good for him. If these miserable puritanical fuckers are going to starve their grown adult children of any physical touch because they're not married, they better not clutch their pearls if the couple puts on a bit of a show when finally allowed. It was a sexy, confident way of reminding everyone that even though he (might've) stuck to the rules and is a 30-year-old virgin, he's still an adult who knows what he wants and won't be intimidated out of showing affection for his wife. Plus imo it was tastefully humorous/playful and not sexual or overly intimate (as opposed to PornBreath Lauren).
I did gasp when he kissed the shoulder away from the camera because the angle made it look like he was kissing the top of her breast lol. Maybe one Duggar is aware of the concept of foreplay! And when Abbie was clearly anticipating JD kissing her lips and he teased her by taking his time to kiss her cheeks as deliberately slowly as possible...that was fucking hot.
1I was having flashbacks of Monica on Friends where she is talking about the number of erogenous zones. I was about to start calling out numbers.
4 hours ago, ShaNaeNae said:Anyone notice they were standing on the wrong side? I don't know who picked traditional wedding sides of groom on left, bride on right way back when but they had it opposite.
All the weddings I have been to have it as the bride on the left and groom on the right. So maybe it is different in your region?
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On 11/17/2018 at 12:37 AM, Lizzing said:
And maybe I need to go on a true crime diet, but I better than half suspected that some kind of incest relationship going on with Kerrie and Lloyd was going to be revealed. I was glad to be wrong on that.
I had the same thought. I was cringing at the surveillance camera footage from the hotel.
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33 minutes ago, toodles said:Be nice. Maybe this person is legally blind or something. That's the only explanation I have.
Maybe it's a regional thing, but "when my time comes" is something people around here say when they refer to their death. So my immediate reaction to that was that she wanted to be buried in one of Michelle's dresses.
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The "little old people" comment got a raised eyebrow from me. But I will still hold off too much judgement for the moment. Abbie is in an actual career field and not a glamorous one at all. She did not seem very at ease in front of the camera and probably made the comment without regard for how it would sound. Given what she went through (probably) as an assistant and then as a nurse, I'm sure she's been around enough to know working in gerontology is not all sunshine, roses, and glitter. I also appreciate that despite her tone deaf words, she apparently chose that field rather than the norm of something like some of these girls say about wanting to "play with the babies all day." Time will tell though...
There were more positives for me about her than negative. She corrected John David a few times and disagreed with him. That's a step up from the stepford wife gazes and giggles of so many of these girls and women. She was kind and complimentary to her bridesmaids with the comment about how they all looked. Her comments to her father were not all that inappropriate. She clearly had her own opinions and didn't go with an overly Duggarfied wedding. I liked that she evidently didn't think she was going to get married and was seemingly okay with that (JD too). So many of these fundie girls are all about when not if they are going to land a man.-
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1 hour ago, Spike said:
Is it the media or are hurricanes becoming more frequent in Florida? They may have dodged this one, but how many more over the next 20 years?
There has been increased activity of more substantial storms. This is combined with an increase in pressures on state and local governments to request funding and resources earlier than needed has left many feeling like there is an emphasis on these storms as of late. You'll hear that the governor is declaring a state of emergency. This used to be reserved until during or after the event. However, now states do this so that communities can request help without waiting on the process. Not only does this free up funds, but it can be as simple as getting enough gasoline in reserve for chain saws and work trucks. If they make these declarations, it is always followed by evacuation orders for those in the direct path. That is newsworthy.
Because of the 24/7 news cycle, we do see more of the preparation, duration, and aftermath. It used to be that a weather person in another part of the country would mention the storms briefly and you might get a little b-roll footage or still photographs of the damage. That was about it. However, our world has become smaller with 24/7 news, social media, etc. Each network and outlet sends its own crew to cover each and every storm. Those crews are instructed/ordered to get more than the obligatory shots of people boarding things up, long lines, someone standing in the rain and wind, and someone standing in front of a house with a tree on it (or other damage).-
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13 hours ago, TwirlyGirly said:
I apologize for the double post; I meant to quote/address this earlier.
I worked for a major corporation for 22 years. For suits I would shop in the boy's department in high end department stores, because I could buy suits made with high quality fabrics AND get free alterations.
My first suit was a beautiful camel colored corduroy Ralph Lauren jacket and pants - it had the leather patches on the elbows! Because the pieces were sold separately, I was able to purchase a smaller size for the pants and a larger size for the jacket. Yes, men's and boy's jackets button the "wrong" way, but in all the years I wore boy's suits, no one ever noticed. Even my best friends were surprised when I pointed it out to them.
Sure, it's hard to shell out $200.00 - $300.00 for an outfit made for a child, but a custom made suit would have cost me more than double (easily), and the cost of altering a suit purchased in the ladies department would have also cost more (and still the fit wouldn't be exactly right; there are certain things alterations cannot do).
I asked my friend about her suits at one point because I'm 5'1" and have rather short arms in proportion to the rest of me. Even with tailoring, suit jackets always look off kilter. She said she did buy a few jackets/blazers in the boy's department and had them altered. However, once she found a seamstress she liked, she got a few made specifically for her. The good news with women like Jen who don't seem to fluctuate in size (weight) like I do, is that their wardrobe continues to be usable and grow even after longer periods of time.
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On 11/17/2018 at 3:17 PM, Brown eyed girl said:
Josie’s wearing pants.
Good for her. I wish her parents were more genuine in their statements about the girls wearing dresses and skirts. They claimed early on that the girls and Kelly had felt that "God laid it on their heart to wear skirts and dresses." They use the same language about the girls cooking meals and asking for chores like laundry. I get that it is Gil and Kelly's house and their rules, but it would be nice for them to be honest and say..."We required the girls to dress this way. We asked that Alyssa, Michael, Tori, etc. help with certain chores." Quit acting like everyone made this decision as a group and there was a vote on it.
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46 minutes ago, retiredviewer said:
Years ago she would shop in the children's department. I guess it helps that some kid's clothes are grownup style.
I have a friend who is a few inches (maybe 2 or 3) taller than Jen. She does most of her shopping in children's departments/sizes. However, she does have some specifically made for work, as children's departments rarely sell such things as business suits.
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53 minutes ago, LolaGeek said:
I read their exclusive People article, sounds like they're walking through a surreal experience together...
These families use the word surreal all the time. Do they even know what it means?
On a less snarky note, the baby is quite cute and has a so much hair.-
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Season 8 Discussion
in Bringing Up Bates
· Edited by RebeccatheWriter
If I have the timeline right, they seem to have started adopting after the death of their daughter. I do wonder if that was a psychological/emotional response to their loss.
As for the special sister time, they are starting to border on those stilted conversations and back story comments that I hate about the Duggars. It was clear that the conversation at Zach and Whitney's was staged for television. That's fine, but it loses some of the genuine feeling that people like about the Bateses versus the Duggars. It would have made more sense to have a scene like that with the sisters talking before the ceremony (include Michael and Alyssa). Carlin always comes off so fake in those scenes and has from the very first episode. She hugs her siblings and tells them how proud she is of (insert this week's theme here). Then she jumps in to take selfies with said sibling.
As for Whitney, maybe I skipped over it, but did her parents ever really respond to her displays of histrionics? My mother would have slapped me and told me not to air our dirty laundry. But that's the way she is about such things. I think the awkwardness of it (aside from never explaining what she was asking forgiveness for in the first place) was that she seemed alone in her struggle there. Her father seemed a little emotional there when he was praying, but otherwise he and her mother seemed very stilted and not really a part of the drama. There didn't even seem to be a brush off remark like, "Whitney, it's in the past and we moved on...We have always loved you and are happy to be reconciled...We appreciate what you have done to make us part of your day..."
I felt sorry for those in attendance. Imagine being there and watching her sob. I'm sure the photographer was over it too.
I was surprised too, but even more that they didn't immediately address it. If I was producing that episode, I might have included the announcement and then fade out to Zach and Whitney on the couch talking about the miscarriage or even a black screen explaining the situation. It just added to the awkward feeling since followers of the show had seen just a few weeks ago the social media video where Whitney and Zach say they miscarried. Now you have a bunch of stans congratulating them on the baby on social media.
I do have empathy for those who suffer miscarriages. I have had four myself and wouldn't wish that on anyone. But I'm really not wanting a season 1 repeat of Erin. Every time they showed or referred to Erin that first season there was talk about her miscarriages. It's a fine line, but I don't want to hear it over and over again like she's no longer Whitney, but now Whitney who had a miscarriage and really wanted another baby.