Sweet Fellowship: Duggars and Friends (aka the Bates Family and Other Featured Families Thread)

[Zella]

1 hour ago, BradandJanet said:

I think those two narcissists would fight for the alpha dog spot.

I don't know if Jim ended up with any money after his "problems," but he is on TV now selling survival rations for the apocalypse, so he might be building up some wealth. JillR could definitely be onboard to pose as a sweet helpmeet if enough jewelry and clothes were involved. 

He's also got condos and houses he's selling. I drove through Morningside--his little Ozark outpost--last year. It was eerily quiet, especially for a weekend right before the holidays. 

[Lunera]

Ughhh......

Was it necessary to post a video of the baby crying his eyes out while getting the IV. Why was that moment even being filmed?!!

[Absolom]

Have to get those sympathy points for showing his suffering.  I find it disgusting.

[YupItsMe]

Um, For a moment there I thought Isaiah 2 was a churchy way of writing Isaiah Jr.

[GeeGolly]

Where's the mom?

[Barb23]

3 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Where's the mom?

I think she's the photographer. 

 

ETA:  I have had what seems like a zillion IV's placed.  Even though it doesn't bother me, I sure don't want it filmed.  I'm sure the nurses were already frazzled trying to get the IV and didn't appreciate being filmed.  I wonder if they gave their OK. 

The ERs in the  hospitals I've been to have signs posted saying filming or pictures aren't allowed.  

Edited December 30, 2019 by Barb23

[Marshmallow Mollie]

WHAT THE?!?!?!?! So this poor sick baby is having an IV placed and looks up for comfort from his mom...but sees a phone in his face instead?! What in the world?!

 

[Barb23]

17 hours ago, Temperance said:

An announcement from Chelsy Bontrager Maxwell and John Maxwell. Their second child is due in June. Their first baby was born January 2019, so these kids will be about 16/17 months apart.  Her "sis in love" Sarah Maxwell took the pictures.

Chelsy is the oldest Bontrager child and she will be 29 in a month. She's married to John Maxwell, one of the reversals, who will also be 29 next month.  

Both the Maxwells and the Bontragers are good friends of the Duggars. The Bontragers have 4 grandchildren and two on the way. Their son Joshua Bontrager and his wife Cassidy are expecting their second child sometime late spring. The Maxwells have 15 14 grandchildren with 3 more on the way. Elissa and Joseph Maxwell are expecting their third at the end of January.  Anna Marie and Christopher Maxwell are expecting #6 in February. 

John and Chelsy's second wedding anniversary is tomorrow. The announcement was made on Chelsy's blog Chelsy Renee. 

Does Chelsy still sing with her family?  Do they live near her family?  If so, how did that come about since usually the girl moves to where her husband's family is when they get marriage?  I try to keep up with the Maxwell blog and they are rarely seen or mentioned in their day to day activities like the other son's families are that are close by.   

I still remember when the Bontragers visited the Duggars way back in the day.  JB had a terrible time remembering & pronouncing the Bontragers' name.  I don't think he ever said it correctly on the first go round.  

[Absolom]

 Chelsy moved to the Maxhell borg in Kansas.  She has her own blog so they aren't dependent on getting through the Steve filter on news.  She doesn't seem to be have been on tour with her family since the wedding.  She and her family seem to visit each others' homes somewhat regularly.  

[Oldernowiser]

The nurses should have kicked mom and her phone out of the room. They needed to concentrate, not worry about some idiot filming them.

Good grief, do NONE of these people have any common sense?????

[Temperance]

5 hours ago, Barb23 said:

Does Chelsy still sing with her family?  Do they live near her family?  If so, how did that come about since usually the girl moves to where her husband's family is when they get marriage?  I try to keep up with the Maxwell blog and they are rarely seen or mentioned in their day to day activities like the other son's families are that are close by.   

I still remember when the Bontragers visited the Duggars way back in the day.  JB had a terrible time remembering & pronouncing the Bontragers' name.  I don't think he ever said it correctly on the first go round.  

She still visits her family, but she doesn't tour with them. Chelsy and John could if they wanted to, because the Maxwells also use to tour musically along time ago. John owns his own home "debt-free" like all of the Maxwells within a mile of Steve's house.  Chelsy reminds me of fundies I know personally, because she drives long road trips as quickly as possible to see family. She talks about this on her blog: Chelsy Renee

The Maxwells did their own blog post today. It celebrates Chelsy's and John's second wedding anniversary and the announcement of their second child.  Chelsy had announced the pregnancy on her blog the day before.  Chelsy is wearing jeans and a longer tunic on her blog. The Maxwells only posted pictures of them from the waist up. 

[louannems]

11 minutes ago, Temperance said:

She still visits her family, but she doesn't tour with them. Chelsy and John could if they wanted to, because the Maxwells also use to tour musically along time ago. John owns his own home "debt-free" like all of the Maxwells within a mile of Steve's house.  Chelsy reminds me of fundies I know personally, because she drives long road trips as quickly as possible to see family. She talks about this on her blog: Chelsy Renee

The Maxwells did their own blog post today. It celebrates Chelsy's and John's second wedding anniversary and the announcement of their second child.  Chelsy had announced the pregnancy on her blog the day before.  Chelsy is wearing jeans and a longer tunic on her blog. The Maxwells only posted pictures of them from the waist up. 

I went to Chelsey's blog. So many of the same pictures to announce her pregnancy.  One or two would have sufficed.

[Annb67]

16 hours ago, Lunera said:

Ughhh......

Was it necessary to post a video of the baby crying his eyes out while getting the IV. Why was that moment even being filmed?!!

Wth is wrong with people? Why do they want to remember that? You know what I hope? I hope when these attention-seeking parents get old, they shit themselves and the kids film it and put it on social media. Or better yet, next time Ma Caldwell delivers a baby, let's film her taking a shit then and plaster that everywhere. Idiots.

[DkNNy79]

That poor baby and shame on those idiot parents for posting these pics of him when he is not feeling well and in distress.  Fame whores!

[libgirl2]

20 minutes ago, DkNNy79 said:

That poor baby and shame on those idiot parents for posting these pics of him when he is not feeling well and in distress.  Fame whores!

Its just awful. I would never do that to my son! The one time he went in for surgery on his adenoids, I remember them taking him to surgery in a little wagon and him waving goodbye to me. It was so cute. He was smiling.... that I would love to have a picture of. Not of him in post op (it was a same day) vomiting and crying when he woke up. 

[xwordfanatik]

As a COL (Clueless Old Lady) I find it troubling that parents would think to post photos of their child's painful moments.  What does that say about them?  Are the kids supposed to look back on this stuff fondly?  I know damn well I wouldn't.  

 

[galaxychaser]

Is there a go fund me request?

Really poor taste to post baby screaming.

[Tigregirl]

I was thinking about Tim Rod today.  He must have to have a computer and internet access at school beyond what he can use at the library.  You really can’t get through college without it anymore.  Does he have to report his search history to precious mama each night?  Is he allowed a smart phone or does he have a basic flip phone?  Not that there’s anything wrong with a flip phone but does he have any choice in the matter?  Seems so ridiculous to be asking those questions about a young adult away at college, but I can’t imagine Jill loosening the reins enough to give him any independence to make his own choices about what he wants to do online.  Or is he so brainwashed into thinking everything outside his little cocoon is so evil that he doesn’t dare look at anything online not bible or school based?  I just cannot imagine him at a public college and being comfortable around all the other students.  Maybe his mind is being opened somewhat to the world around him and he may be realizing that there are good people from all walks of life.  More likely though he goes home each night and prays for the souls of all the evil heathens.

 

[Zella]

6 minutes ago, Tigregirl said:

I was thinking about Tim Rod today.  He must have to have a computer and internet access at school beyond what he can use at the library.  You really can’t get through college without it anymore.  Does he have to report his search history to precious mama each night?  Is he allowed a smart phone or does he have a basic flip phone?  Not that there’s anything wrong with a flip phone but does he have any choice in the matter?  Seems so ridiculous to be asking those questions about a young adult away at college, but I can’t imagine Jill loosening the reins enough to give him any independence to make his own choices about what he wants to do online.  Or is he so brainwashed into thinking everything outside his little cocoon is so evil that he doesn’t dare look at anything online not bible or school based?  I just cannot imagine him at a public college and being comfortable around all the other students.  Maybe his mind is being opened somewhat to the world around him and he may be realizing that there are good people from all walks of life.  More likely though he goes home each night and prays for the souls of all the evil heathens.

 

If he's anything like the sheltered fundies I encountered at even a Christian college, he's probably a mixture of horrified and intrigued and confused when it comes to his secular classmates. 

Like, I can totally see him praying for the heathens while privately also being quite fascinated with them. But also then being horrified with himself for being fascinated. 

[awaken]

12 hours ago, Absolom said:

 Chelsy moved to the Maxhell borg in Kansas.  She has her own blog so they aren't dependent on getting through the Steve filter on news.  She doesn't seem to be have been on tour with her family since the wedding.  She and her family seem to visit each others' homes somewhat regularly.  

Which of the Bontrager girls could have been at a fundie summer camp in Pennsylvania in the 80’s-90’s?  I am positive I knew them and they were a big deal in the community. Along with other theologians’ family members- the Tozers, etc. 

[Sew Sumi]

Judgy Chelsy is the oldest Bontranger daughter, and she's far too young to have been at a camp, even in the 90s. Maybe some of her aunts were there? Except, IIRC, they come from Mennonite stock. 

Edited December 31, 2019 by Sew Sumi

[Zella]

14 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

Judgy Chelsy is the oldest Bontranger daughter, and she's far too young to have been at a camp, even in the 90s. Maybe some of her aunts were there? Except, IIRC, they come from Mennonite stock. 

Ah okay that makes sense about the Mennonite connection with the Bontrager name. I have some friends with a very similar surname--add a letter to Bontrager--and their surname was of Mennonite origin. I guess their grandparents left the Mennonite faith. Because of that, I'd wondered about the Bontragers. 

[Temperance]

3 hours ago, awaken said:

Which of the Bontrager girls could have been at a fundie summer camp in Pennsylvania in the 80’s-90’s?  I am positive I knew them and they were a big deal in the community. Along with other theologians’ family members- the Tozers, etc. 

It could be cousins of theirs. Chelsy will soon be 29. She was born January 1991. 

[becca3891]

On 12/26/2019 at 8:28 PM, DangerousMinds said:

Doesn’t Jill’s beloved bible prohibit eating pork?

The Old Testament definitely does, and Gothard and the Duggars still abide by that. I'm guessing the Rods don't follow every Gothard talking point to the letter because attending his seminars is just too expensive. 

 

[Guest]

Not-Nurie is wearing a bedazzled I ❤️ Jesus cap and they're eating at the Golden Corral -- meals which were apparently grifted from Grandma Julie. Shrek looks like he put a wrecking on the carving station.

 

[madpsych78]

21 hours ago, Temperance said:

She still visits her family, but she doesn't tour with them. Chelsy and John could if they wanted to, because the Maxwells also use to tour musically along time ago. John owns his own home "debt-free" like all of the Maxwells within a mile of Steve's house.  Chelsy reminds me of fundies I know personally, because she drives long road trips as quickly as possible to see family. She talks about this on her blog: Chelsy Renee

The Maxwells did their own blog post today. It celebrates Chelsy's and John's second wedding anniversary and the announcement of their second child.  Chelsy had announced the pregnancy on her blog the day before.  Chelsy is wearing jeans and a longer tunic on her blog. The Maxwells only posted pictures of them from the waist up. 

Yes she did. Those are legit jeans she is wearing. The tunic covers her rear, but does not come all the way down to her knees, so cannot function as a dress, at least by fundie standards. 

There are a lot of fundies who wear pants, but Chelsy married INTO the Maxwell family, who tend to pooh-pooh knee-length skirts, much less pants under a long tunic. Methinks John is much more relaxed than the rest of his family (certainly more than Christopher).

[louannems]

18 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

Not-Nurie is wearing a bedazzled I ❤️ Jesus cap and they're eating at the Golden Corral -- meals which were apparently grifted from Grandma Julie. Shrek looks like he put a wrecking on the carving station.

 

So baby Janessa sits far from her parents' help?  The sister moms get to tend to her needs so JillRod and Deadbeat David can eat uninterrupted.

[PradaKitty]

Was that the yearly meal for the kids?

[GeeGolly]

Golden Corral and other all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants make their seats and plates just for folks like the JRods - uncomfortable and tiny.

[beckie]

2 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

Not-Nurie is wearing a bedazzled I ❤️ Jesus cap and they're eating at the Golden Corral -- meals which were apparently grifted from Grandma Julie. Shrek looks like he put a wrecking on the carving station.

 

I hope all the kids got to eat their fill, and not just have to sit and watch daddy wolf down everything in sight!

[xwordfanatik]

2 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

Not-Nurie is wearing a bedazzled I ❤️ Jesus cap and they're eating at the Golden Corral -- meals which were apparently grifted from Grandma Julie. Shrek looks like he put a wrecking on the carving station.

 

Some men can carry extra weight and still look OK.  This David guy is not one of them.  He looks sloppy.  It's nice that the underfed among them got to eat what they wanted.

[PradaKitty]

I assume Jill and the girls all brought large purses to fill at the buffet...

[Westiepeach]

7 minutes ago, PradaKitty said:

I assume Jill and the girls all brought large purses to fill at the buffet...

Hey, gotta collect that food to serve all those wedding guests. You don't expect the R's to actually PAY to feed the guests, do you? All this extra buffet food will keep until July, no?

[Celia Rubenstein]

3 hours ago, louannems said:

So baby Janessa sits far from her parents' help?  The sister moms get to tend to her needs so JillRod and Deadbeat David can eat uninterrupted.

... is Janessa eating off the table?  There is a plate in front of her but it looks like whatever was on it has been raked off into little piles for her to eat with her hands. Off the table.  

I guess I shouldn't complain. At least they're feeding her.

[BigBingerBro]

15 minutes ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

is Janessa eating off the table? 

Yes, she's probably never had her own plate before, so she does what she normally does with the food scraps she gets.

[emma675]

For once, I hope this group of people (minus David, but who am I kidding) went back to the buffet multiple times and stuffed food into their purses. This might be the most food those kids get a year.

[becca3891]

I've noticed NotNurie seems to wear baseball style hats full time now. I hope it's just to save time and avoid gallons of hairspray teasing her bangs, and not hiding bruises or anything. 

 

[Barb23]

On 12/30/2019 at 5:13 PM, libgirl2 said:

Its just awful. I would never do that to my son! The one time he went in for surgery on his adenoids, I remember them taking him to surgery in a little wagon and him waving goodbye to me. It was so cute. He was smiling.... that I would love to have a picture of. Not of him in post op (it was a same day) vomiting and crying when he woke up. 

Oh what a cute idea with the wagon. Nothing scary about a wagon ride vs a big stretcher (even if it does roll.) 

14 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

Not-Nurie is wearing a bedazzled I ❤️ Jesus cap and they're eating at the Golden Corral -- meals which were apparently grifted from Grandma Julie. Shrek looks like he put a wrecking on the carving station.

 

 

12 hours ago, beckie said:

I hope all the kids got to eat their fill, and not just have to sit and watch daddy wolf down everything in sight!

I wonder if any of the Rod kids get sick or at least have  an upset stomach after eating a huge meal their bodies aren't used to?  I would think larger than their normal portions of dairy, greasy & fried foods would do a number on them if they are used to getting a couple of spoonfuls or just half a sandwich at meals.

..  

[floridamom]

Daddy Dearest Rodriguez looks like he put on some weight. Can't say that for any of the children.

[queenanne]

6 hours ago, floridamom said:

Daddy Dearest Rodriguez looks like he put on some weight. Can't say that for any of the children.

He looks huge, and also seems to be developing a dowager’s/camel hump made of fat.

[LilJen]

On 12/27/2019 at 8:53 PM, Chicklet said:

Those girls need a good face wash, tailored clothes, and a clue. I'm guessing they don't have mirrors wherever they live in at the present.

I would add posture lessons. (pet peeve with this grouch! so much terrible posture these days!)

[Sew Sumi]

Those Bates girls sure carry small. Joy was bigger at 15 weeks.

 

[libgirl2]

On 12/31/2019 at 2:04 PM, GeeGolly said:

Golden Corral and other all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants make their seats and plates just for folks like the JRods - uncomfortable and tiny.

That place is far from scrumptious! 

[BradandJanet]

Jill needs to post a photo of the Golden Corral sign? 

If David keeps gaining weight, Jilly might get her wish of being on a TV show--My 600 lb. Life. All those emaciated-looking kids running around bringing dear papa heaping plates of food and Jilly cooing about being joyfully available would make some awesome train-wreck TV, even by TLC standards. 

[irisheyes]

14 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

That place is far from scrumptious! 

When you  compare it to Jill R's cooking, however...

[Westiepeach]

6 minutes ago, irisheyes said:

When you  compare it to Jill R's cooking, however...

Wait, JR cooks? Why didn’t anybody tell me?

[galaxychaser]

19 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

Jill needs to post a photo of the Golden Corral sign? 

If David keeps gaining weight, Jilly might get her wish of being on a TV show--My 600 lb. Life. All those emaciated-looking kids running around bringing dear papa heaping plates of food and Jilly cooing about being joyfully available would make some awesome train-wreck TV, even by TLC standards. 

🤮🤮🤮

[MargeGunderson]

45 minutes ago, Westiepeach said:

Wait, JR cooks? Why didn’t anybody tell me?

We didn’t want to scare you. 

[Temperance]

When David and Priscilla announced they were pregnant, they estimated her due date as late May/early June. When they announced they were having a boy, they apparently said that the baby is due early May.  So apparently they were month off in estimating their due date.

[Sew Sumi]

I noticed that. How can one miscalculate so badly?