mythoughtis

Truthfully, I doubt the Duggars are making any money from the song. Walker wrote it and agreed to perform most likely under the theory that HE got to keep the rights to the song. Maybe Derrick and Jill together will make some percentage, but I hope Jim Bob gets nothing. Because, I think he and Michelle have formed a corporation to get the TLC money, and probably consider all the offspring volunteers rather than employees.

Are we sure the house for Jill and Derick has 20 acres? I ask because Jim Bob and MIchelle's house has 20 acres... they've commented that they would like all the kids to build on the property.

The proposal was nice (sweet, there I said it). Jill was expecting it, because they had probably been discussing the possibility just like normal couples do. Very few men are going to propose unless they have an inkling the woman will be saying yes. I have to sound off like everyone else that Michelle couldn't just BE QUIET and let Derick and Jill make their announcement. I gagged when Derick and Jill commented that they 'had gotten permission' to hold hands now.... aren't they the ones making their courtship rules? But, of course, we know they aren't. The wedding dress staged event was sad, neither Jill nor Jessa wanted to try on the dresses (who doesn't want to try on wedding dresses? Jessa was superstitious (kind of odd for a fundy ... wouldn't that be blasphemy of a sort?). I think it was an attempt to include the audience in seeing Jill in a wedding dress, and that the actual wedding dress purchase will not be televised. Loved, loved seeing Derick and his Mom. Such natural closeness, she wore pants, and acted like a MOM who knew her son and wanted to make him less nervous. I saw no advice like that for Josh when he was going to ask Anna to marry him. There is (IMO) something wrong with Josie, maybe on the autism scale. What was all that fake fly routine, and then eating same? She's old enough now to know better than that in a TH segment. Of course, Jana must not have been present. Jim Bob is such a bad actor. He knew very well that Derick had a job offer, and was taking it. That would have already been one of the group texts/phone calls.

A while back (a year or so), there was a session with the four oldest girls,, and the girls were asked if they were courting. Jana's answer was 'There was a guy, but....'. and she shrugged sadly. I got the impression that she had found someone who didn't or wouldn't meet the Duggar standards. Rumor was that someone had been texting her without the Duggar blessing or group texts. It has always been said that Jana wants to be a SAHM. I think Jana is one that would have benefited by a regular school, and a community college, a real church with a membership of more than a few families where she could have met various people and found a mate over time. I think she is just not forceful enough to get her wishes known and tolerated by her parents the way Jill and Jessa are.

I am really hoping that the home that Jill and Derick rent is NOT owned by Jim Bob or Grandma Mary. I can just see Jim Bob being both an intrusive landlord and father in law. I can see him dictating to Jill that there are not enough bible quotes on the walls, and that there are two many non religious items on display. I can also see him being nosy in the bathroom cabinet and confronting Jill or Derick about condoms, etc. I could also see him requiring them to attend his church in order to stay there. I also see him dictating the friends that Derick can have over.

FYI - a post I made earlier in this thread was unclear, and some posters asked the mods to have me edit it. It's too late to do so, so instead, I have quoted both the post I was referring to, and my reply. Hopefully this conversation will made more sense than my original post did.

The separate Sunday school is also done in the Presbyterian and Methodist churches. Presbyterians also have 'Children's Church'. The children stay with the parents in the sanctuary thru the opening of the service until just before the sermon. There is a very short story told to the children and then they leave for the fellowship hall. That way they don't have to sit thru 20-25 minutes of the sermon.

Isn't it interesting that Jill gets a 2 week trip halfway across the world to Nepal, and a courtship request in an exotic location.... while Jessa gets an awkward 'do you want to ''court'' me' in a dusty home office? then Jessa gets awkward 'love language' hints from her Mom over coffee.

Jill took some items to Nepal for Derek from his parents (they brought them to the house at Josiah's graduation). I also wonder if Jill brought some items for one of the clinics there. I think Derek has (gasp) DATED in the past. He is used to touching his girlfriend with a hand on her back and so forth. Nothing wrong with that, but it is obvious that physical contact seems natural for him

Ivy, I just googled and checked the CDC (center for disease control) info, 4 in 10 teenage and adult males that contract mumps will have some swelling in certain male appendages, but that rarely results in fertility.. I do remember that old legend about it causing sterility though. So, Jana would not have an out (most likely). However,given that Jana will be 25 at the earliest before she is allowed to try for children and 26 (again.. most likely) before they were born,,, there is always hope that she would only end up with 4 or so.

One of the reasons people use the 'aaaaaaaaaand' verbiage is because that allows them to keep the floor and continue talking. Its used a lot by children that are rarely engaged in conversation , and don't want to give up the floor when they are. I bet Anna was 'encouraged' to be seen and NOT heard when she was growing up. I would also guess that Anna has continued this habit with the Duggars because it's difficult to get a word in edgewise with them. The only other explanation I can come up with is that it's Anna's version of the baby voice that Michelle has when talking to the cameras. She thinks this is the way to talk to the 'millions' of children and young mothers that are watching their show for 'encouragement'.

A true chaperone would not need to be inbetween the couple in a car seat, or follow them around a minitature golf course. Since the purpose of a chaperone is to make sure they don't 'inappropriately touch', you can do that from across the room, anywhere in site of the 18 holes, or in the passenger seat, with your daughter next to her boyfriend. You can be in the same room as the Skype session (to ensure no 'sexting'), but you don't need to be two feet away. The truth is the Duggars are afriaid that the couple might actually discuss what they want in a marriage, and it might not match the Duggar 19 kid, report to Dad even after marriage, always wear skirts philosophy, Between having Dad screen the guy, and this constant supervision, it's all rigged to make sure the offspring never breaks off the leash. It's all geared to making sure the offspring stay well within the belief system from cradle to grave.

It was very telling that Jim Bob and Michelle trash talked their daughter on camera. If she gave her honest opinion of them, I doubt she would be on camera for months. Way to show some respect to your adult daughter who basically does all your grunt work. Ben is a very awkward 18 year old. not surprising given the non life experiences those children have. I think the courtship scene was staged. Surely given the fundy fascination on courting, there was surely a dinner date involved.