Monkeyrocks

If any of these people really wanted to help anyone,while also seeing new places, they could join the Peace Corps. Or even Americorps, if they're afraid of landing in Danger America or something. I doubt they'd last half a day, but, you get housing, a living stipend, health insurance, etc. They give you language training if needed. You don't need to have gone to college. Of course, you'd actually have to have a work ethic and learn to live with people from different cultures, so, yeah, they'd never be able to do it, but, there are ways to actually *help* people and, if not get "paid" for it, not have to pay yourself. It's actually a dream of mine to join the Peace Corps once my daughter has graduated and flown the nest.

I think it's due to a couple things. 1) Abbie was a full-fledged adult when they started dating/courting/whatever. She had some education. She had a job. She had to have dealt with people outside their circle at some point. 2) JD never seemed sold on the whole super-fundamentalist bent. I think he's held on to a lot of their crappy beliefs, but, I don't think he's a full-fledged member. I mean, he was a bachelor until he was almost thirty; I think the only reason he WOULD have married Abbie was because he really felt something for her, because he seemed to have absolutely zero desire to end up with the sort of life his parents and most of his siblings had.

I know it's not exactly the same situation, but, as a former military wife, it usually took me a few weeks-couple months to adjust to the new normal. BUT, I was not raised in a cult, had a job, had lived independently on my own before, etc. I know a few military wives who married rather young (like, straight from their parents' home to married), and they had absolutely no idea how to do things I took for granted, especially financials. Things like disputing a credit card charge, renewing a lease, paying the water bill, etc. In one case, how to write a check. If JB has taken this over, it shouldn't be too difficult for Anna on a day-to-day basis(what really will have changed? Did Josh help with the kids at all? How present was Josh ever, anyway?). If she's now taken over most of this, or even a lot of the non-financial decision making (which I doubt - I feel certain that she has probably always deferred to Josh if there was ever a question, and I expect she's deferring to JB now), there is going to be a VERY steep learning curve for her, and I could definitely see her having massive trouble adjusting, especially with seven kids attached. I think she has almost like Stockholm syndrome. She'll never fully admit he's guilty. She might have moments of doubt, but, she'll never truly believe he did these things.

They've been visited by CPS before, though, haven't they?

Or something like lawn care/landscaping type stuff? I could see Jill exaggerating and stating he's Johnathan's employee when all it really means is Johnathan is more senior on some sort of crew.

My daughter was a very slow grower (from a family of above-average height/weight). You'd best believed I raised concerns with the pediatricians repeatedly. She was below the charts for a few years for weight:height, and around age 11 (she was 59 lbs), the ped put her on TWO cans a day of the 540cal/can boost (not plexus), because there was nothing clearly wrong other than she just didn't put on weight. They finally tested her for some thyroid stuff when she was 13 and still tiny. A couple things came back slightly low, but nothing super concerning, so, everyone chalked it up to just an anomaly. She'll be 16 in a couple of weeks, and is now 5'4" and about 115lbs, but, it was very odd how little she was for so long, given our family statistics. I have a friend with a child almost the same age who had similar issues, and was tested around the same age; it turns out he needed some growth hormone, so, sometimes it's just a late grower with a fast metabolism, and other times, there are medical issues. In that family, I've no doubt those kids are so starved and malnourished they *can't* grow. It's gross how Jill not only keeps them mentally and emotionally undeveloped, but literally stunts their physical growth, as well.

I actually did that when my daughter was little because we were quite poor, and all my spare money went to my custody battle. I would scrub in the bath tub and then hang on a drying rack rather than pay $2.50/load. When my daughter was six, her classroom got lice, and I nearly cried because I knew I had to machine wash and dry on hot all our clothes, linens, etc., and I hadn't factored that into the month's budget because it was obviously unexpected. The practice has actually served me well. We doing much better now, and have our own washer/dryer, but, I still tend to hang clothes on the line/rack (which saves electric and wear and tear on the clothes, and is obviously better for the environment), and when we travel, I'm a pro at washing clothes in the sink so we can bring just enough to not have to pay to check bags. And when the zombie apocalypse comes, I'll at least have clean underwear, unlike the Rods.

I really hope N and N only have boys. I am convinced if there is a girl, they will name it Nevaeh, (Heaven! Spelled backwards) which I don't like to start with, but then they will use a Kre8iv spelling, and it will be Nevajeh, to "honor" Jill with a random J, and the girl will go her whole life being called "Neevuh-Jay" or "Nuh-VAH-juh" or something else ridiculous.

My daughter started caddying at the local country club at 14. She does that during the summers, and now, at 15, she also works part-time at Dairy Queen during the school year. And picks up the odd pet-sitting job here and there. I told her she's not getting her license until she has a year's worth of car insurance saved up (Because, yo, that is EXPENSIVE, and I do believe she should pay for it both to demonstrate responsibility and to have the "realness" of the expense kind of hit home). So, she works.

Hate to rain on their parade, but, Hungarian is one of the most difficult languages for an English speaker to learn. The FSI ranks it as a starred category four, meaning it takes somewhere between 1100 hours and 2200 hours of study to get "professional working proficiency (level 3)". And that is "the average length of time for a student to achieve proficiency, though the actual time can vary based on a number of factors, including the language learner’s natural ability, prior linguistic experience, and time spent in the classroom." I have somewhat of a natural ability for languages, a huge vocabulary in English, with an interest in etymology, speak Spanish (not perfectly, but, was an exchange student there), studied french for five years, and then took a Croatian course, which is only a "regular" category four (so not as hard as Hungarian), threw a TON of time and effort into it, and I only got to about a level 1. I mean, good luck with Hungarian, guy.

I would win that season. My tinder profile has no photos of me in makeup, and I pretty much am like, "My cat has more personality than you, so, pass" (Granted, my cat has a LOT of personality). And my mom bought me new flannel pjs for Christmas. LET'S GO!!!!

Did he wear running shoes with a full-on suit?

My parents met when my mom was 18, and my dad 32. They got married a month after my mom's 20th birthday, I was born 2 days after her 21st birthday, and they celebrated 45 years of marriage last april. I mean, it *can* work out. I do think expectations might have been less in the mid-70s, though, as far as "life experiences". And, to be fair, who was the oldest woman there? Was there even any woman over 30? I'm not sure Kenny had much pickins as far as that.

I don't know if it's that they're uncomfortable with each other. Not-Nurie just looks like she has no idea why BME is taking photos. That's the "WTF?" look my teen daughter gives me when I want a random pic and she thinks I'm ridiculous. Jonathan is smiling the smile of a young man who knows he's about to know someone...ahem...biblically

He looks like a fireman I dated about seven years ago. Of all the various fundie boys and suitors, he's the only one where I haven't immediately recoiled (I think a couple of the Bates boy-men were good looking, but, they seemed like such egotistical jerks it overshadowed everything else). Maybe that bodes well. Or maybe I've spent too much time alone. Here's hoping Not-Nurie can be Not-Near-Mama soon!

I haven't watched this show in probably 15 years, and just happened upon it this year on Hulu. I hate Blake. He's totally a type that I want to punch every time I see them. He also has crazy eyes. Hunter is a jerk, through and through. He reminds me of some character from a movie or something, but, I can't quite place him. I am totally team Greg. I love that he seemed very genuine, and he didn't seem at all discomfited about crying in front of the other guys. I hate the idea that guys have to be these strong, non-emotional stereotypes, so, I really appreciated that. That said, I hope he doesn't end up with Katie, because, just, no. She's irritating me. Especially with the whole Blake thing. I kind of hope he doesn't become the next Bachelor because I feel like I would end up lowering my opinion of him, and I'd rather he just go home, and in six months meet a really nice woman where he lives and we get updated after their wedding in a couple of years.

I know around here there’s a rule that sex offenders can’t live within so many feet of a school/playground/day care, etc. I wonder if the compound would be considered in a similar way just because of how many minors are on it? i absolutely think Anna has been brainwashed for years, and I know what it’s like to be an abused wife, so I do have some sympathy. That said, both my grandmother and I got out when our then- spouses went after our kid. If Anna won’t get out, having seen that Josh doesn’t have the familial boundaries that some molesters seem to have, I would think she’s incapable of protecting them, and would hope the children would be placed with someone else. Not JB and Michelle, since they’re clearly incapable of protecting their kids, but maybe Jill, JD, etc

Oh, and even if Jill is bragging, even if it is something genetic, good for her. I’ve posted pictures of my daughter dressed up and commented on how beautiful she is, which is luck of the draw and a mom’s opinion. I like reading my friends “brags” about their kids. I don’t think it’s irritating unless it becomes excessive. And, honestly? I just find it refreshing to read a brag from a duggar that isn’t about their child having such a humble servant’s heart.

I don’t know about Arkansas, but, where I live, a local interventionist agency screens kids and provides those who qualify free services in day care/pre school, or in the home if the child doesn’t attend either of those places. They probably don’t even have to pay anyone

My daughter was under tenth percentile for height, and third percentile for height to weight for YEARS. It wasn’t until she hit puberty that she even got on the chart. It was frequently commented on, by me AND others because, although perfectly healthy, she’s an outlier (I’m 5’9”, the shortest in my family, and a size 12; her dad is taller than me). Commenting on a kid’s stature isn’t necessarily a brag, and it’s especially common to do around a Birthday. Again, maybe this means the kid is getting well-child checkups on a schedule, or maybe he was just measured on a wall (I still do that with my almost 15 year old) and Jill compared how much he grew in the past year, along with comparing it to his relatives. Again, with the Duggars, knowing all the kids’ names was a stretch for the parents; Jill not only know’s his name, she knows his height and how he compares to relatives! It’s those little things that show an involved parent.

I agree. I see nothing wrong with homemade birthday cakes. I’ve done them for my daughter. My mom did them for me. My daughter made me one when she was 12. And, it takes a pretty good deal of time to decorate a cake, even if it’s not polished. It’sxreally the little things that count - the personalised cake, colours and all, favourite cereal for breakfast, dinner at Taco Bell, getting his birthday announced on the radio. And, honestly? Most of that isn’t going to cost a lot more than normal. What it does take is time and a willingness to buy the favourite food, call the radio station, make/decorate the cake, etc. And, as a teacher, I love that his parents support his love and enthusiasm for school, and were willing to plan it perfectly for him to hear both announcements. It bodes well

Our family does not talk much about family. 😂 My mom has two step sisters, and my dad has one brother. I know the first names of the two step sisters, and the one lived near us when I was little so I met her two older sons. I *think* I know one of their names? I think she had two more kids, a boy and a girl. No idea on the third boy’s name and I think the girl is Crystal? My uncle was a philanderer and has four kids. He was married three times. I don’t know his first wife’s name off the top of my head. I do know his second wife’s name, and my cousin’s name. We hung out together at my gram’s. He also has a son, and I knew his mom and his name (again, hung out a lot at gram’s). There are two other kids somewhere. One might be named Victoria? I have no clue about the last kid, including gender. For perspective, when my gram in my dad’s side died, I was the only one in the family who knew she’d had TWO sisters who’d died young. I kept insisting there was a Baby Rita, who died in a fire accident, and everyone thought I was crazy. I found the records on ancestry.com a couple years ago. I was not crazy.

Eh. I have a cutesy spelling of my nickname. It’s a boring name both my parents could agree on (think, say, Susannna) and my mom wanted one nickname for me (say, Anna) but everyone called me “Susie” so she declared if she couldn’t have an “Anna”, she was having a fancy Susie, and promptly began spelled my name with two Es at the end. I would hate it if it wasn’t my name, but I love it since it is mine and very unique. Ftr, my name is not Susanna 😂

In PA, teachers need 180 hours every five years. You have to do next to nothing to miss it, with all the PD the district has us do. Something like a one hour workshop counts one hour, a bonafide college course credit counts for 30 hours. You also have to get thirty credits beyond your bachelors in the first six years of *working*, but those can also count toward your 180 hours. They also let you roll over up to 50 “excess” hours, so, since I did my masters degree my first cycle, I was pretty set for the second cycle, and rolled extra over for my third, and I’m back in college for an ESL cert, so I literally have something like over 500 hours and I’m not even due to renew until 2023.

I think the true indicator will be whether she renews it in 2022. You need to complete a certain amount of hours/education/training to renew it, so, if she does, it means she’s at least keeping up with requirements. It’s not arduous to complete them, but, a lot of people who don’t intend to go back into a field don’t keep up with it (I’m a teacher, and we have to complete X hours of education to every five years to renew our certifications, whether we’re working or not).