S11.E12: A Quarantine Courtship

[Zella]

1 hour ago, sATL said:

what type of property is JD and Abbies home on? The big parking lot, right off of the highway and big building confused me..

It's a Marshallese church in Springdale. I've often wondered how that's working out for both parties. . . .

When I was poking around earlier this year, that property was one of the earliest I could find Michelle and JB owning that they still had in their trust. 

[bichonblitz]

2 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Justin will be married before his 19th bday I’m sure. 

The Duggars usually get married shortly after courtship. The fact that the family was applauding with glee at this 17 yr old's announcement is disgusting. Not one of them thinks "whoa, slow down a little, buddy." They are all sick.  

[louannems]

22 hours ago, Kellyee said:

Do these people really believe that their audience is going to be happy that a 17 year old BOY is basically engaged to be married? Are they really that out of touch with the world? Honestly, it made me really sad, and I wonder if he's being pushed into this for ratings, or because he just liked this girl and his parents immediately thought he better be COURTING or he'd end up a nasty whore. Lots of Christians go college. Have any of the Duggar kids gone to college, or even had it as an option? Or are they all forced to work at one of Jim Bob's many businesses lest they be cut off from the family fortune?

Arkansas is one of the states where things never completely shut down. And I think what did shut down opened back up pretty quickly. I doubt they do much mask-wearing either. Even though Carlin Bates got COVID. 

 

 

 

Even though Arkansas actually has more cases per one million of their population than the USA as  whole.

The USA average is 21,597 confirmed covid-19 cases per one million people.

The state of Arkansas has 25,834 per million.

So they really haven't done a good job at all.

[Zella]

10 minutes ago, louannems said:

Even though Arkansas actually has more cases per one million of their population than the USA as  whole.

The USA average is 21,597 confirmed covid-19 cases per one million people.

The state of Arkansas has 25,834 per million.

So they really haven't done a good job at all.

In the early stages (March and April), Arkansas was actually doing a pretty good job of keeping things contained. Though we didn't have an official stay at home order, a lot of things were shut down, and we had a fairly low case total, all things considered. Then, for reasons I will never fathom, the state reopened in early May, with restrictions, and it has all gone to shit ever since. There are still quite a few restrictions and a statewide mask mandate, but a lot of that is reactive to the alarming surge in cases that happened in the late spring/early summer and seems too little too late. 

It's really flaring up in my little town right now. 😞 

Edited September 24, 2020 by Zella

[louannems]

19 hours ago, Adeejay said:

Seems Ben's parents thought so, too.  

I think that Ivy was the only cousin Jinger thought to send Felicity's hand me downs, because the other babies are still small.  Doubt they will fit.

A lot of posters said that they didn't know there is a Justin.  I remember him; he was part of Jessa's buddy group.  However, if Jason were to mug me, I wouldn't be able to tell them who did it.  

During the video chat, I couldn't help but wonder if the two blacked out squares at the bottom of the screen were Josh and Jill.  

19 hours ago, Adeejay said:

Seems Ben's parents thought so, too.  

I think that Ivy was the only cousin Jinger thought to send Felicity's hand me downs, because the other babies are still small.  Doubt they will fit.

A lot of posters said that they didn't know there is a Justin.  I remember him; he was part of Jessa's buddy group.  However, if Jason were to mug me, I wouldn't be able to tell them who did it.  

During the video chat, I couldn't help but wonder if the two blacked out squares at the bottom of the screen were Josh and Jill.  

I always remember Justin because, as a young boy, for whatever reason he was always allowed to wear his wavy bangs straight down over his forehead.

All of the other Howlers had 1950's style slicked-back hair.

That made Justin stand out to me.

[libgirl2]

26 minutes ago, bichonblitz said:

The Duggars usually get married shortly after courtship. The fact that the family was applauding with glee at this 17 yr old's announcement is disgusting. Not one of them thinks "whoa, slow down a little, buddy." They are all sick.  

Got to contain those sexual urges in a Godly marriage! 

[DangerousMinds]

2 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

The Duggars usually get married shortly after courtship. The fact that the family was applauding with glee at this 17 yr old's announcement is disgusting. Not one of them thinks "whoa, slow down a little, buddy." They are all sick.  

And allowing a “courtship” during a global pandemic? When this requires out of state travel? What is wrong with them?

[babyhouseman]

20 hours ago, Texasmom1970 said:

Seen a lot of cringeworthy things on th is show. Jimboob in that car, sunglasses on hair plastered with Aquanet, ugh!

Jim Boob's version of a midlife crisis. I guess he won't dump Michelle for a younger version so he can have 19 more children.

[ouinason]

Maybe they have announced this relationship because Justin has moved to Texas on the sly and they have to explain it.  Cause, I didn't see anyone with him on his end of the call to be "chaperone" for his visit.

[Hockey Addict]

Hockey Addict's new courtship (well, not really a courtship) is also occuring during pandemic. However, unlike the Duggars, no chaperones. Also, we don't plan on marying right out of the gate.

[FizzyPuff]

8 hours ago, babyhouseman said:

Jim Boob's version of a midlife crisis. I guess he won't dump Michelle for a younger version so he can have 19 more children.

I don’t think any woman on this planet wants him other than Mechelle.

[Kellyee]

Quote

Maybe they have announced this relationship because Justin has moved to Texas on the sly and they have to explain it.  Cause, I didn't see anyone with him on his end of the call to be "chaperone" for his visit.

I believe the People article said the Duggars are long time friends with the Spiveys, so maybe the other family is able to provide chaperones. I really think these marriages between Duggars and friends of Duggars are more arranged by the parents than anyone realizes. And I believe this courtship was pushed for the season finale episode. Or at least manipulated to happen right on time. 

Nothing beats the creepiness of Jim Bob following behind 30 year old Jana on her girls trip to Las Vegas. I really wanted to see that in an episode, and see Jim Bob try to explain himself and see Jana try to claim that she really wanted him to be there. 

 

 

 

[Churchhoney]

23 hours ago, Kellyee said:

I made the mistake of checking out some of the Instragram comments. There are many people trying to minimize what is actually going on here, and saying it's just a form of Christian dating. They don't want to acknowledge that it's really more like an engagement, and way too serious of a relationship for a 17 year old homeschooler with no experience in the world. 

 

If it weren't for denial, I think there'd be few actual admiring fans of the Duggs and their way of life. 

[Churchhoney]

19 hours ago, ozziemom said:

Since these couples are never alone I think they only spout bible passages to each other. Does Boob only have a questionnaire for the guys trying to marry in? 

I'd guess probably not.

It seems under the Gothard-and-similar regimes, young women are viewed mainly as items of exchange with little initiative for good or ill, so they're more likely than the mighty males to simply melt into the mold of their new owners.

Plus, if a woman were a slut or, dog forbid, a rebel, the story would probably already be out so they could easily avoid her. They all do much more to protect the reps of the godly and all-important males and hide their shortcomings (see Duggar, Josh), so I suppose you have to dig harder to find out their histories when you're looking to make a dynastic marriage with one. 

[SunnyBeBe]

What amazes me is how they all get so excited over a pregnancy announcement, in light of how often they happen.  They are thrilled, but, I don't think they really stop to realize how when a family expands so large, the members drift apart and the sheer volume of people make it impractical to stay close to each other, the way the immediate family used to be.  Even with modern technology, they will grow further and further apart as the families get larger.  Maybe, the Duggars will be the exception, since they have a tv show, but, I doubt that will prevent it, even without covid.  

Right now, besides Jinger and Jeremy, which of the immediate family members are living near the big house?  Eventually, even the big house won't hold them all at once.  

[Fostersmom]

Justin and Claire looked relatively the same age in the Zoom call, but In the more formal pics I’ve seen, they look like a high school teacher who’s dating her freshman student.

[Albanyguy]

6 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I don't think they really stop to realize how when a family expands so large, the members drift apart and the sheer volume of people make it impractical to stay close to each other, the way the immediate family used to be.  Even with modern technology, they will grow further and further apart as the families get larger.

While some of the Duggar kids seem closer than others (Jill and the children she raised seem fond of each other), I doubt if most of them actually care about being close to the rest of the gang. They were raised in an atmosphere of distrust, with parents who played one kid off against the other and encouraged them to rat each other out. In many ways, Michelle is almost a stranger to most of her children and grandchildren. I think many of them don't see much of each other at all unless there's a public appearance or the TV crew is filming them. And when the cameras stop filming, I think there's a lot of quarrelling and backbiting going on, despite their insistence that they're all "best friends".

[SideofSlaw]

How are John and Abbie simultaneously boring AF and creepy AF? The monotone voices, glazed looks, John-Boy nickname, the creepy as hell happy birthday singing....ugh!

[emmawoodhouse]

11 minutes ago, SideofSlaw said:

How are John and Abbie simultaneously boring AF and creepy AF? The monotone voices, glazed looks, John-Boy nickname, the creepy as hell happy birthday singing....ugh!

They live in their own private Idaho. They can be creepy together. 

[zenme]

I always have remembered Justin because he was the one in the buddy group with Jesse and Jordyn. There was an episode years ago where it seemed like early morning and the grownups and teens must’ve still been sleeping. Justin has Jordyn with him and got her a sad little breakfast of instant oatmeal prepared with cold water and a simple slice of bread. Just bread, no butter and  untoasted. He was saying that he did that every morning for her, and it just broke my heart. I thought it was so sweet of him, and my dislike of mom and pop duggar went up a few notches. 

Edited September 26, 2020 by zenme

[Churchhoney]

2 hours ago, zenme said:

I always have remembered Justin because he was the one in the buddy group with Jesse and Jordyn. There was an episode years ago where it seemed like early morning and the grownups and teens must’ve still been sleeping. Justin has Jordyn with him and got her a sad little breakfast of instant oatmeal prepared with cold water and a simple slice of bread. Just bread, no butter and  untoasted. He was saying that he did that every morning for her, and it just broke my heart. I thought it was so sweet of him, and my dislike of mom and pop duggar went up a few notches. 

Oh, yeah, I remember hearing about that incredibly sad little incident now.

On top of its general horror, imagine how unprepared the Duggarlings are to face the concentration-and-learning-Mt.-Everest of a totally human-free-computer-screen-facing "school" day after breakfasts like that every damn morning. And yet of course JB and M preen themselves about the matchless virtues of their homeschooling achievements, too.

Their crowning glory is the number of their offspring, but the level of real neglect in that household has likely been staggering when you add it all up. How many years now has Meeechelle been mentally checked out? And I'd be surprised if JB's ever fixed a breakfast for a single person -- including himself -- in his entire life, really.

Edited September 26, 2020 by Churchhoney

[BigBingerBro]

Wasn't there also an incident where one of the howlers was caught by the film crew breaking a family rule of sleeping in the same bed as one of his brothers?  It was like a 30 second thing but I recall thinking how absurd it was that small children couldn't even sleep together for fear of ????  It might have been Justin.

[Scarlett45]

On 9/25/2020 at 11:33 AM, Fostersmom said:

Justin and Claire looked relatively the same age in the Zoom call, but In the more formal pics I’ve seen, they look like a high school teacher who’s dating her freshman student.

I think she’s finding out which makeup looks flatter her. A lot of teen girls look instantly older with heavy makeup. 

[rue721]

I think Claire looks her age, but there’s something about her makeup and how she carries herself that looks very proper and even polished, and that makes her look older. Her makeup is more formal than anything I would ever wear to work and I’m a 34 year old accountant lol

[thehorseofpower]

I don't know...I must not be seeing what so many others are re: Claire's age. I think she looks like a baby, particularly in every smilng picture with her braces front and center. I would guess she was younger than 19. 🤐 

[Genevrier]

On 9/23/2020 at 4:32 PM, Adeejay said:

A lot of posters said that they didn't know there is a Justin.  I remember him; he was part of Jessa's buddy group.  However, if Jason were to mug me, I wouldn't be able to tell them who did it.  

There’s a Jason?