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

[Madtown]

How many bedrooms do they have? I see in the picture with Tessie, two cribs right next to each other. With that crew, I would be terrified that Newman would jump into Naomi's crib while she's in there.

[oliviabenson]

Philip must be so disappointed with his life. As a male he was told by his parents that he can have life goals. In his case a missionary. Must suck to come to realize that that’s never going to happen due to poor education and the parents not helping you with anything in life. In fact all your parents want is for you to get a job and give up your paycheck. Also everyone who is not like your religious beliefs is evil therefore you don’t have many options for friends. Being a Rod boy must suck even more than being a girl.

On top of it if he has a mental illness he will never get an assessment or treatment.

[Salacious Kitty]

1 hour ago, oliviabenson said:

I wonder if Nurie has all of her kids in 1 bedroom? How many bedrooms do they have?

3 BR, but Nathan has taken one as his "office." 

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

3 BR, but Nathan has taken one as his "office." 

Of course he has 🙄

[Notabug]

10 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

3 BR, but Nathan has taken one as his "office." 

I seem to recall Derrick doing similar when he and Jill were living in Arkansas.  Typical fundie male behavior.

As I recall, Derrick snatched up the bigger bedroom, leaving the 2 boys to share a really tiny room.

Edited July 24 by Notabug

[farmgal4]

1 hour ago, oliviabenson said:

I wonder if Nurie has all of her kids in 1 bedroom? How many bedrooms do they have?

I bet they’re all in the same room because they most likely have only 2 bedrooms; otherwise, why wouldn’t the baby have her own nursery?

[Salacious Kitty]

I assume that the baby is with Nurie for now. 

Nathan may have to move his "office" to the church soon. 

[libgirl2]

1 minute ago, farmgal4 said:

I bet they’re all in the same room because they most likely have only 2 bedrooms; otherwise, why wouldn’t the baby have her own nursery?

Probably all the kids share one room. Naomi might be with Nurie and Nathan for now. 

[BradandJanet]

13 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

Philip must be so disappointed with his life. As a male he was told by his parents that he can have life goals. In his case a missionary. Must suck to come to realize that that’s never going to happen due to poor education and the parents not helping you with anything in life. In fact all your parents want is for you to get a job and give up your paycheck. Also everyone who is not like your religious beliefs is evil therefore you don’t have many options for friends. Being a Rod boy must suck even more than being a girl.

True. Phillip had only to look at Tim's trajectory to see his own. Sam isn't even pretending to have a challenging "burden," and Gabriel has no incentive to try. 

It's interesting the sons are working in paid jobs, despite their father's not being any kind of role model for employment. While Jill and David go on and on about the evils of the secular world, BME and DBD certainly made peace with the paychecks that finance their own laziness and Jill's blatant materialism. 

[libgirl2]

10 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

It's interesting the sons are working in paid jobs, despite their father's not being any kind of role model for employment. While Jill and David go on and on about the evils of the secular world, BME and DBD certainly made peace with the paychecks that finance their own laziness and Jill's blatant materialism. 

Someone has to pay for Jill's sweat blouses/hats. 

[satrunrose]

17 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

True. Phillip had only to look at Tim's trajectory to see his own. Sam isn't even pretending to have a challenging "burden," and Gabriel has no incentive to try. 

By the standards of their subculture, Tim's not doing so badly. He flunked out of his path to having power and authority beyond his wife and kids, but he does have a house, a job (?) and a soon to be wife (approved sex!!!!). Now, what happens when he has 5 kids in 6 years on a salary that miiiiight support just he and Heidi with some creative budgeting, who knows, but the fundies definitely have not been "trained up" to think of long term consequences. 

The problem for Phillip, though, is that instead of turning to the internet (where the likeminded are easily found, unfortunately), he's going old school which leads to 

a) even fundy/conservative Christian businesses may be slightly reluctant to hire the guy who stands on the corner and yells at the flibbity flubheads

b) The chances that a likely fundy helpmeet is going to happen by his corner are slim to none. Remember, pretty much all the fundies we follow have had to go at least outside their state to find someone who is more or less compatible. 

Unfortunately, given what we've seen, I'm willing  that if yelling at people on street corners  doesn't work the way Phillip anticipated, he'll be calling us all flibbity flabbily flubheads instead of realizing that maaaaybe he needs to rethink some things.

[oliviabenson]

1 hour ago, Salacious Kitty said:

3 BR, but Nathan has taken one as his "office." 

Of course he did. He needs to scream pray in private.

[CalicoKitty]

If he is a legit preacher, I can see him needing an "office" for sermon writing and seeing people from his church.  Although, with 3 small children I don't see how he can be work-productive at home.  Maybe Jana or Jessa can come and make bunkbeds in the future.  Janna just built a fence, and Jessa built bunks for her kids, I think.  Plus that shelf over the head of her bed.  Are they in a church-owned house, or did they buy it themselves?

  

[GeeGolly]

1 hour ago, libgirl2 said:

Someone has to pay for Jill's sweat blouses/hats. 

Bonnet caps. 🤣

[Salacious Kitty]

3 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Bonnet caps. 🤣

It's baseball bonnets. 😀

[ranchgirl]

Jill had precious time with Nurie before Naomi's arrival which included a beach trip, a day swimming at some spring, visiting a mall, eating Chinese food and a photo shoot of just her and Nurie.  (At least from the photos we have seen so far.)  Then she helped (somehow ... not yet known but no one else could have done it because she said, "... it was a good thing I was here!") deliver her 1st granddaughter.  Then she got another beach outing, a nice dinner out, a visit to Daytona Beach and made sure ALL those there had plenty of time to breath on and kiss baby Naomi.  Now it is time to go home.  Bye Nurie.   

[libgirl2]

8 minutes ago, ranchgirl said:

Jill had precious time with Nurie before Naomi's arrival which included a beach trip, a day swimming at some spring, visiting a mall, eating Chinese food and a photo shoot of just her and Nurie.  (At least from the photos we have seen so far.)  Then she helped (somehow ... not yet known but no one else could have done it because she said, "... it was a good thing I was here!") deliver her 1st granddaughter.  Then she got another beach outing, a nice dinner out, a visit to Daytona Beach and made sure ALL those there had plenty of time to breath on and kiss baby Naomi.  Now it is time to go home.  Bye Nurie.   

Jill had quite a busy schedule and none of it involved doing something useful, like preparing a meal, helping with laundry.... oh wait, maybe she did assist in the birth. 

[farmgal4]

3 hours ago, Madtown said:

How many bedrooms do they have? I see in the picture with Tessie, two cribs right next to each other. With that crew, I would be terrified that Newman would jump into Naomi's crib while she's in there.

Newman is probably being blanket trained already so he may be afraid to move away from his spot aka crib.

1 hour ago, oliviabenson said:

Of course he did. He needs to scream pray in private.

That scream/pray is insane.  Surely he’s not subjecting his young children to that insanity.

[Albanyguy]

5 hours ago, kaleidoscope said:

I get the idea that Nurie relishes her golden child status.  As a female, it is the only power she holds in their world.  To ensure that rank she puts up with so much.

It is very rare in Fundie families for a mere daughter to become the Golden Child. That role usually belongs to a pampered, spoiled eldest son like Josh Duggar. Daughters usually have to resign themselves to being beasts of burden.

[Salacious Kitty]

3 minutes ago, Albanyguy said:

It is very rare in Fundie families for a mere daughter to become the Golden Child. That role usually belongs to a pampered, spoiled eldest son like Josh Duggar. Daughters usually have to resign themselves to being beasts of burden.

Tim doesn't strike me as a Golden Child. Nurie definitely takes the cake in the Rod clan. 

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Tim doesn't strike me as a Golden Child. Nurie definitely takes the cake in the Rod clan. 

And wasn't Tim a bit rebellious as well? 

[Salacious Kitty]

Just now, libgirl2 said:

And wasn't Tim a bit rebellious as well? 

Yeah, I remember Jill saying something to the effect of Tim being her most difficult child. 

[libgirl2]

5 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Yeah, I remember Jill saying something to the effect of Tim being her most difficult child. 

She might not like him as much because of that. 

[Salacious Kitty]

8 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

She might not like him as much because of that. 

She didn't even visit him even when he was closer at college in Wisconsin. He was there, what about 9 months? 

That's like 3 trips to Florida. 🙄

[crazy8s]

49 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Tim doesn't strike me as a Golden Child. Nurie definitely takes the cake in the Rod clan. 

Jill's posts certainly reflect Nurie being a blessing. Never a negative word. Always obedient, diligent in all things, servant's heart, beautiful, mama's bff, perfect example for all the younger sibs.....

Posts about Timothy - whiny, difficult, needed to be disciplined consistently for even the slightest sign of well, anything. As a mama Jill claims hours and hours on her knees weeping to the lord to send him someone to court. Came home from college 2 and not allowed back in the boys room, out in a trailer in the driveway.

Side note I believe Jill referred to Nathan's screaming praying as "wailing for the Lord" that he had to do each night before they could eat dinner.

Edited July 24 by crazy8s

[Salacious Kitty]

Tim's second college was a regular community college. Fox River, IIRC. 

[crazy8s]

yes sorry - corrected it to college 2

Edited July 24 by crazy8s

[Notabug]

4 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Tim's second college was a regular community college. Fox River, IIRC. 

Yes, I believe he chose it because there was some godly pilot near there who was willing to give him flight lessons.

Then Tim got a job at some sort of care facility/nursing home and got a little too close to one of his female coworkers.  Shortly after we saw some photos online of Tim standing very close to her; Mahmo dragged him home.

Edited July 24 by Notabug

[satrunrose]

The thing is, as much as Jill goes on about manliness and wimps and wonderful hunks, what she really wants is someone who will let her run the show without making her feel like she's stepping outside the limits of her cultural norms. That same culture puts mothers and sons in a weird place, though. Adult sons are headships, so technically they don't have to obey Jill anymore, but "honour thy mother" is Jill's favourite commandment for a reason. The girls, on the other hand, are subservient to everyone except their kids, so they are free to obey Mahmo and keep that golden status forever (aren't they lucky?). 

[precious pupp]

6 hours ago, satrunrose said:

By the standards of their subculture, Tim's not doing so badly. He flunked out of his path to having power and authority beyond his wife and kids, but he does have a house, a job (?) and a soon to be wife (approved sex!!!!). Now, what happens when he has 5 kids in 6 years on a salary that miiiiight support just he and Heidi with some creative budgeting, who knows, but the fundies definitely have not been "trained up" to think of long term consequences. 

The problem for Phillip, though, is that instead of turning to the internet (where the likeminded are easily found, unfortunately), he's going old school which leads to 

a) even fundy/conservative Christian businesses may be slightly reluctant to hire the guy who stands on the corner and yells at the flibbity flubheads

b) The chances that a likely fundy helpmeet is going to happen by his corner are slim to none. Remember, pretty much all the fundies we follow have had to go at least outside their state to find someone who is more or less compatible. 

Unfortunately, given what we've seen, I'm willing  that if yelling at people on street corners  doesn't work the way Phillip anticipated, he'll be calling us all flibbity flabbily flubheads instead of realizing that maaaaybe he needs to rethink some things.

Critical thinking is in none of the Rod's wheelhouses.  Questioning anything that Jill and David drill into their heads?  Unthinkable.

[Lady Edith]

Did I miss something or was there no photographic evidence of Ma and Pa Keller visiting the newest N?  It was all Rod, all of the time. 

[Meow Mix]

I really wonder about Nathan and Jonathan's upbringing.  If someone called me an outsider in my own home, they would find out what the outside looked like in a hurry.  Like those dog food commercials where someone gets thrown out for complaining about dog food in the refrigerator.  But Nathan does nothing and even treats Jill to more outings and gifts.  

As for Phillip, I wonder how he views the fact that his missionary dream is over.  I just can't believe he is capable of connecting the dots to realize that his education was too poor for even the tiny Bible colleges he attended.  Sadly, I think it has just fed into his persecution complex which fuels his ranting on street corners.  I got a strong whiff of anger when he said those who don't love the Bible need to get their heads straight.  He's scarier than Tim was at that age, and that is saying something.

[merylinkid]

29 minutes ago, Lady Edith said:

Did I miss something or was there no photographic evidence of Ma and Pa Keller visiting the newest N?  It was all Rod, all of the time. 

Oh please Jill take a picture of someone else with her FIRST GRANDDAUGHTER?  Also the Kellers probably were waiting for the screeching horde to leave.

[mythoughtis]

37 minutes ago, Lady Edith said:

Did I miss something or was there no photographic evidence of Ma and Pa Keller visiting the newest N?  It was all Rod, all of the time. 

When would they have been able to visit?  Nathan, Nurie and the baby were never home  while the Rods were there. 

[CalicoKitty]

55 minutes ago, Lady Edith said:

Did I miss something or was there no photographic evidence of Ma and Pa Keller visiting the newest N?  It was all Rod, all of the time. 

Maybe they waited until Jill left.

[Absolom]

Now they can show up, bring food, and actually help.

[ginger90]

[Salacious Kitty]

Shocked that Nurie didn't get up to play for services the day Naomi was born. Hell, she had a few hours to freshen up. 🙄

[satrunrose]

Good googley moogly, can you imagine trying to complain to  Jill for anything ever?

Ahhh! An alien just burst out of my chest, my foot fell off and an airplane crashed on my house

Jilldo: Well I lost all my blood in childbirth and broke 75 things in my knee, but you don't hear me complaining! Have you tried plexus and Jesus (but mostly plexus)?

Edited July 25 by satrunrose

[Salacious Kitty]

Oh look, a sister photoshoot! You know that Jill is fishing for the "You don't look like their mother!" compliments. 🙄

[mythoughtis]

3 hours ago, ginger90 said:

I posted a few daye ago that Jill would have Nurie out working in a field if they owned one.  Her post illustrates my point.  No, it is not working in a field… but it is work. Why do this people place such little value and respect on  mothers of their children?  except for Jill herself of course.  There is absolutely no reason that Nurie had to be performing a week after Naomi was born, pastor’s wife or not. 

Edited July 25 by mythoughtis

[libgirl2]

6 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Oh look, a sister photoshoot! You know that Jill is fishing for the "You don't look like their mother!" compliments. 🙄

Except she does. 

[Kbo]

11 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

Maybe they waited until Jill left.

After the stunt they pulled at the wedding, I’m betting the Kellers avoid the Rods whenever possible. I feel so sorry for Nurie. I can’t fathom having 3 babies back to back with a horde of people to entertain right after giving birth. And this is only the beginning. It’s so bleak I don’t even want to imagine it for long. 

[libgirl2]

The Kellers are hardly saints, they are bad people, but I don't think they descend on Nurie and Nathan expecting to be entertained. 

[Minivanessa]

55 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

The Kellers are hardly saints, they are bad people, but I don't think they descend on Nurie and Nathan expecting to be entertained. 

💯 this. 

Nurie's just doing her job, dropping babies for the correct Jesus. Maybe she's being a passive-aggressive showoff, letting Jill haul her around I think less than 24 hours after giving birth, etc. In contrast to Jill's OTT drah-mah about some of her childbirth experiences. Or maybe she's just young and strong enough that she can take all of it in stride. Lord Daniel knows that she was not coddled during her childhood and adolescence. Even as Jill's favorite child, she must have done a sh*tload of housework, sistermom tasks, plus performing on demand at all those churches and revivals. And of course performing for Jill's camera 24/6/365. 

For all I know, Nurie finds her life as a wife and mother of now 3 young kids (including an infant), in her own home, far less exhausting than life as Mahmo's Favorite Never-Complaining Child. 

ETA: Nurie's likely to hit a tipping point if she keeps pumping out kids, where she'll struggle to keep up with all of it. I'd like to think that even though he's a Keller, her husband will be helpful when that time comes. Or maybe at least not an abusive jerk. The bar is low in fundie-land.

Edited July 25 by Minivanessa

[Madtown]

10 hours ago, satrunrose said:

Good googley moogly, can you imagine trying to complain to  Jill for anything ever?

Ahhh! An alien just burst out of my chest, my foot fell off and an airplane crashed on my house

Jilldo: Well I lost all my blood in childbirth and broke 75 things in my knee, but you don't hear me complaining! Have you tried plexus and Jesus (but mostly plexus)?

Exactly!
Jill,

Nurie doesn't complain because she isn't allowed to complain. Most mother's don't tell their daughter to pack up their other kids and newborn and take a trip to the beach. They also don't bring a hoard of other kids to visit said daughter right after birth. You making Nurie do this(Nurie doesn't know any better as she probably isn't allowed to tell you no)just so you can brag to the world that your daughter never complains about anything, including going to the beach and church right after giving birth, is beyond selfish! Most mothers visit their daughter's after a birth to help take care of the baby, so the new mom can rest. You suck!

[libgirl2]

30 minutes ago, Madtown said:

Exactly!
Jill,

Nurie doesn't complain because she isn't allowed to complain. Most mother's don't tell their daughter to pack up their other kids and newborn and take a trip to the beach. They also don't bring a hoard of other kids to visit said daughter right after birth. You making Nurie do this(Nurie doesn't know any better as she probably isn't allowed to tell you no)just so you can brag to the world that your daughter never complains about anything, including going to the beach and church right after giving birth, is beyond selfish! Most mothers visit their daughter's after a birth to help take care of the baby, so the new mom can rest. You suck!

Exactly, Nurie isn't "tough", she was taught to not question anything, to obey her parents (Jill) and plaster a smile on her face. I give a pass to going to church because it isn't quite a strenuous as lugging kids and stuff to the beach or doing a photoshoot when you just want to rest. 

And here I'm not defending David, but I get a feeling he wouldn't suggest "let's spend the day at the beach!". 

[BradandJanet]

While I'm sure Jill was excited to see her new granddaughter, she wouldn't have stayed so long if Naomi had been born in a less desirable location. Jill loves the beach and the seafood restaurants. 

[libgirl2]

7 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

While I'm sure Jill was excited to see her new granddaughter, she wouldn't have stayed so long if Naomi had been born in a less desirable location. Jill loves the beach and the seafood restaurants. 

She would be a drive by Mimi.... Nurie would hold up the baby as she drove by and waved. 

[Notabug]

13 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

She would be a drive by Mimi.... Nurie would hold up the baby as she drove by and waved. 

Oh, Jill would stop for a second to take a selfie with the baby so she can post it and brag that she looks young enough to be the mother.