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

[doodlebug]

7 hours ago, Temperance said:

Melanie Maxwell is pregnant! She is 43, had complications with all of her previous pregnancies and this situation is incredibly high risk.  She is due in May. The Maxwells like the Duggars/Bates are quiverfull. I hope she is okay and I wish their family the best. 

Melanie's first baby, Susannah, was born with a rare fatal syndrome and died after a couple of days.  It was something that isn't likely to happen again.  With her second child, she had premature labor and was hospitalized and placed on bedrest for weeks.  She was able to carry that baby to 34 weeks, 6 weeks early, but the baby did well.  I think one of her other kids was also born about that early.

Melanie takes care of herself, gets regular prenatal care, sees specialists when indicated and follows their instructions.  She gets weekly progesterone shots to decrease the chances of another preterm birth.  In other words, she is not Jill Dillard; she does what she can to prevent complications and I have no problem with her having another child.

Her last baby is only about a year and a half old, so this pregnancy isn't really much riskier than that one.

[madpsych78]

I suspect that if Melanie and Nathan's baby is a boy, his name will begin with a C. If it's a girl, it will begin with D.

Five kids: Abby, Bethany, Christine, Andrew (although they call him Drew), and Benjamin.

[Temperance]

3 hours ago, doodlebug said:

Melanie's first baby, Susannah, was born with a rare fatal syndrome and died after a couple of days.  It was something that isn't likely to happen again.  With her second child, she had premature labor and was hospitalized and placed on bedrest for weeks.  She was able to carry that baby to 34 weeks, 6 weeks early, but the baby did well.  I think one of her other kids was also born about that early.

Melanie takes care of herself, gets regular prenatal care, sees specialists when indicated and follows their instructions.  She gets weekly progesterone shots to decrease the chances of another preterm birth.  In other words, she is not Jill Dillard; she does what she can to prevent complications and I have no problem with her having another child.

Her last baby is only about a year and a half old, so this pregnancy isn't really much riskier than that one.

Well of course I'm not an OB/GYN, but as I understand it the last pregnancy was very risky too. Of course there are always risks in pregnancy, but it seems that this situation is more dangerous than usual.  It's telling that the Maxwells admit they're worried. I hope everything works out for them this time as well. 

[PikaScrewChu]

Damn. I wonder how Sarah Maxwell feels when she sees her 43 year old sister-in-law pregnant again. Does she feel jealousy or hope that maybe she will get to have a family of her own too?

[Temperance]

2 hours ago, PikaScrewChu said:

Damn. I wonder how Sarah Maxwell feels when she sees her 43 year old sister-in-law pregnant again. Does she feel jealousy or hope that maybe she will get to have a family of her own too?

Or maybe even relief that this isn't her life. 

[sondraK]

On 12/12/2018 at 4:28 PM, SirFilligryFlirt said:

Even when helping to exploit people out of their money, Tammy was far more likable. 

I agree.Jill has big googly eyes,and I really wanted to smack her when she talked about how 'they didn't want to be greedy' when they left up the gofundme after getting a car.That's EXACTLY what she was being! Her mouth was saying one thing,and her big eyes,another

[FakeJoshDuggar]

4 hours ago, PikaScrewChu said:

Damn. I wonder how Sarah Maxwell feels when she sees her 43 year old sister-in-law pregnant again. Does she feel jealousy or hope that maybe she will get to have a family of her own too?

That poor child will never be free until Stevehovah dies. 

[doodlebug]

There was talk on the Benessa thread of gateway fundies.  For many of us, it was Emily and her husband Dna (Em wasn't a great typist) and their little boys.  Her blog was Under 1000.  They lived on under $1000 a month.  It was equal parts disturbing, crazy, pathetic and scary.  Emily stopped blogging but she did archive it.  Beware: it is addictive and not in a good way.

http://under1000permonth.blogspot.com/2009/

All of this happened several years ago, and many of us reading the blog became very afraid for the well being of her kids.  Children's services was notified as was the administration of the seminary that Dna was attending at the time.  Somebody even sent Emily a new mattress for her baby after seeing photos of the kid sleeping on a tattered, stained mattress that she'd pulled out of the trash or something.  Emily sold the new mattress on Craig's list rather than use it.

Probably the most disturbing episode was when Emily's 4 year old got sick.  She didn't do doctors and was doing all sorts of crazy herbal stuff.  It was only after he lay in bed nonresponsive (ie, comatose) for a day or so that she got medical help.  He ended up in the ICU with a life-threatening infection.  He did recover, thank goodness.

Rumor has it that Dna left the seminary and they later split up.

Edited December 14, 2018 by doodlebug

[PikaScrewChu]

The parodies of Dna were great. A cry for help and The Dae of Dna.

That pairing was a strange one. Now Emily is an atheist and Dan is more devout than ever. I'm surprised Emily hasn't scrubbed her old blog from the interwebs knowing what she knows now.

And yes, it seems they've split up.

Edited December 14, 2018 by PikaScrewChu

[FakeJoshDuggar]

1 hour ago, doodlebug said:

There was talk on the Benessa thread of gateway fundies.  For many of us, it was Emily and her husband Dna (Em wasn't a great typist) and their little boys.  Her blog was Under 1000.  They lived on under $1000 a month.  It was equal parts disturbing, crazy, pathetic and scary.  Emily stopped blogging but she did archive it.  Beware: it is addictive and not in a good way.

http://under1000permonth.blogspot.com/2009/

All of this happened several years ago, and many of us reading the blog became very afraid for the well being of her kids.  Children's services was notified as was the administration of the seminary that Dna was attending at the time.  Somebody even sent Emily a new mattress for her baby after seeing photos of the kid sleeping on a tattered, stained mattress that she'd pulled out of the trash or something.  Emily sold the new mattress on Craig's list rather than use it.

Probably the most disturbing episode was when Emily's 4 year old got sick.  She didn't do doctors and was doing all sorts of crazy herbal stuff.  It was only after he lay in bed nonresponsive (ie, comatose) for a day or so that she got medical help.  He ended up in the ICU with a life-threatening infection.  He did recover, thank goodness.

Rumor has it that Dna left the seminary and they later split up.

I remember someone sent them a mattress. It was organic and rather expensive. Emily and Dna were a train wreck. 

Remember how much weight Dna lost in a short period of time? He certainly had dental issues but her gloodles and teaspoon of tube meat on a tortilla was not enough calories for a grown man. 

[xwordfanatik]

Wait, what?  Someone named their child Dna?  How would that even be pronounced?

[PikaScrewChu]

13 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

Wait, what?  Someone named their child Dna?  How would that even be pronounced?

No. His name is Dan but he couldn't spell. I think one of his typos was Dna and it stuck.

I went and found his Facebook profile earlier and his spelling is still that bad. I always wonder if he has a learning disability.

[Sew Sumi]

It was assumed that Emily wrote his papers when he attended Bible college. 

[graefin]

I wasn't aware of them previously, but I am now! It would seem they split but then reconciled and went on to have three more sons as of 2013, at least. They also bought a foreclosed house.

[xwordfanatik]

1 hour ago, PikaScrewChu said:

No. His name is Dan but he couldn't spell. I think one of his typos was Dna and it stuck.

I went and found his Facebook profile earlier and his spelling is still that bad. I always wonder if he has a learning disability.

Maybe dyslexic?  I'm very familiar with that, I just thought someone had a thing for weird names.  Thanks :)

[Zahdii]

Oh, Dna.  The last I heard, he was contributing to a fetish site talking about his fixation for urine.  He also said that he was divorced and had custody of the kids.

[Heathen]

6 hours ago, Zahdii said:

 He also said that he was divorced and had custody of the kids.

Good on Dna for getting custody of his kids. I always thought Emily's treatment of Dna and the kids was rooted in extreme passive-aggressiveness or maybe even hatred. 

[galaxychaser]

Has Jill R posted anything new?  Like how her adoring children given her more useless presents while being starved?

Has David R stopped eating all the ham?

[realityfan26]

6 hours ago, galaxychaser said:

Has Jill R posted anything new?  Like how her adoring children given her more useless presents while being starved?

Has David R stopped eating all the ham?

Haha, how true! I do wonder what is going on. Did Jill go visit Tim?

[beckie]

Wasn't Tim gifted miles so he could go home for Christmas? He should be getting there any time now, unless his classes don't let out until the end of the week?

[ginger90]

8 hours ago, beckie said:

Wasn't Tim gifted miles so he could go home for Christmas? He should be getting there any time now, unless his classes don't let out until the end of the week?

Friday the 21st, is the last day.

[Mollie]

On 12/16/2018 at 3:59 AM, realityfan26 said:

Haha, how true! I do wonder what is going on. Did Jill go visit Tim?

She said that she was going to go visit Tim.  Instead, she bought herself a diamond ring. 

Edited December 17, 2018 by Mollie

[NotFundie]

9 hours ago, beckie said:

Wasn't Tim gifted miles so he could go home for Christmas? He should be getting there any time now, unless his classes don't let out until the end of the week?

Over on FreeJinger, someone posted that Tim said he isn't coming home until Christmas Eve due to his work schedule.  Good for him!  He's supporting himself and understands the importance of not letting his employer down.  (And maybe he's really enjoying being away from home and isn't in a hurry to go back to that house chock full of crazy.)

Also - it occurred to me that this might be Tim's first plane trip.  He is going to school to be a "missionary pilot" and this is probably the first time he's ever been on a plane! 

[PradaKitty]

Hope he doesn’t get  air sick. That would put a crimp in his plans for the future....

[Jynnan tonnix]

36 minutes ago, PradaKitty said:

Hope he doesn’t get  air sick. That would put a crimp in his plans for the future....

Even if he doesn't, that's no guarantee that he will  be able to fly. It takes a certain combination of  traits to make a good pilot. I think I mentioned, a few weeks ago, that my son, who was in the flight program for the Marines failed his flying test despite being the model of a potentially good pilot in most respects. But it turned out that he got a bit too rattled in real-life flying situations when faced with conditions which were new to him (especially when he knew that he was being tested in his final flights, and he'd only had 12 actual hours in the air). Now, I suppose the Marines are probably a LOT more stringent in their requirements for pilots, but I'm not sure that Tim looks quite the type to have the sort of steady nerves a good pilot requires.

My son, by the way, is currently waiting to find out which of his other choices for work in the Marines  he will be assigned to. Hope it's something he will be happy with!

[SMama]

This would have never happened had she married Josiah. Good for Marjorie. Sorry, I had to crop to be able to upload.

[Rabbittron]

48 minutes ago, SMama said:

This would have never happened had she married Josiah. Good for Marjorie. Sorry, I had to crop to be able to upload.

If those two did get married she have at least two maybe three kids by now.

[awaken]

14 hours ago, NotFundie said:

Over on FreeJinger, someone posted that Tim said he isn't coming home until Christmas Eve due to his work schedule.  Good for him!  He's supporting himself and understands the importance of not letting his employer down.  (And maybe he's really enjoying being away from home and isn't in a hurry to go back to that house chock full of crazy.)

Also - it occurred to me that this might be Tim's first plane trip.  He is going to school to be a "missionary pilot" and this is probably the first time he's ever been on a plane! 

What a thought!  He really may never have been on a plane before, or may have very limited experience with flying!  

[doodlebug]

29 minutes ago, awaken said:

What a thought!  He really may never have been on a plane before, or may have very limited experience with flying!  

I know Nurie and Chubby went to Africa on a missioncation last year.  I wouldn’t be surprised  if Tim hadn’t done something similar at some point.  It would be very interesting if he turned out to have a fear of flying.  Even if he’s flown commercial on the past, flying in a small aircraft is a completely different experience.

[BitterApple]

5 hours ago, SMama said:

This would have never happened had she married Josiah. Good for Marjorie. Sorry, I had to crop to be able to upload.

Congrats to Marjorie. Did she mention what she got her degree in?

[Temperance]

37 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

Congrats to Marjorie. Did she mention what she got her degree in?

Graphic design

[Catfin]

7 hours ago, awaken said:

What a thought!  He really may never have been on a plane before, or may have very limited experience with flying!  

Navigating the airport process may be daunting.  Then again, the airport at Spokane is small and stressfree. I get the jitters at big airports, so I’ll just go back to my glass house over there. 

5 hours ago, Temperance said:

Graphic design

Is that a four year program? That went quickly! 

[Churchhoney]

17 hours ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

Even if he doesn't, that's no guarantee that he will  be able to fly. It takes a certain combination of  traits to make a good pilot. I think I mentioned, a few weeks ago, that my son, who was in the flight program for the Marines failed his flying test despite being the model of a potentially good pilot in most respects. But it turned out that he got a bit too rattled in real-life flying situations when faced with conditions which were new to him (especially when he knew that he was being tested in his final flights, and he'd only had 12 actual hours in the air). Now, I suppose the Marines are probably a LOT more stringent in their requirements for pilots, but I'm not sure that Tim looks quite the type to have the sort of steady nerves a good pilot requires.

My son, by the way, is currently waiting to find out which of his other choices for work in the Marines  he will be assigned to. Hope it's something he will be happy with!

So true. That seems to happen to a fair number of people.  ..... On a related note, I always wonder about astronauts in terms of temperament -- Imagine being the first person to go to the moon. You'd have to have ice water in your veins that was down around absolute zero not to wig out entirely, I'd expect.

I may be misremembering this, but I thought Tim signed up to learn to be an airplane mechanic and tech guy, though, not a pilot. He shouldn't have a lot of barriers to that, I wouldn't think. (I really want Tim to face no barriers to getting the heck away from home....in hopes he'll have time to have a revelation!)

I also hope your son gets an assignment that interests him!

[tabloidlover]

 

i’m a little concerned that this was a college project....   is he in pre-college classes?  I’m SO confused!

[BitterApple]

38 minutes ago, tabloidlover said:

 

i’m a little concerned that this was a college project....   is he in pre-college classes?  I’m SO confused!

Right?! This looks like a middle school art project. I know you take electives in college, but this seems so babyish.

[Triple P]

He painted mountains that point to Heaven. As opposed to the mountains that point to Hell?

[doodlebug]

1 hour ago, BitterApple said:

Right?! This looks like a middle school art project. I know you take electives in college, but this seems so babyish.

Remember, he attends a fundie college that attracts a lot of the dubiously homeschooled masses.  We've seen that Jill cannot write or spell, we've also seen her lack of skill at makeup application; did anyone think Tim would've gotten any sort of decent art training from her?

I am trying to figure out what sort of college level course would make an assignment like this. 'Make something that points us upward?' What the he** is that even supposed to mean?  And, of course, Tim takes the task literally, complete with pointy mountain tops.  I suppose this was for an art class because nothing else makes sense.  However, Tim has chosen a very technical, science based major, so I am not sure why he would need an art class.  I majored in Genetics, no art classes for me.

As for Jill's pride that he 'made it from scratch', well I hope to God no one would put something like that up for sale in a store.  Hobby Lobby has those craft clock thingies as does Michael's.  He didn't build the clock 'from scratch'; he bought it and glued it on a canvas.  Not exactly challenging.  And certainly not an example of college level work, let alone something worth bragging about.  Most fourth graders could've done as well or better.  When I first saw the photo, I thought maybe Tim had run down to Hobby Lobby to pick up something crafty to do for relaxation after finals.  That this is supposed to represent high level college course work kinda boggles the mind.

Poor Tim, he doesn't have a chance out in the real world.  I would like to know what his prof thought of this submission which must've taken him all of 30 minutes to complete.

[Sew Sumi]

Jill posted this to FB last week. Looking at the courses he had to take in his first semester,.the sleuths at FJ surmised that this project was likely for his Bible study class. 

Edited December 18, 2018 by Sew Sumi

[SMama]

SGirl is eleven, in sixth grade and working on a more challenging project for finals. She is constructing a replica of a Mesopotamian Lyre, including a research paper on its origins, uses, etc. What the heck kind of university assigns such elementary school level assignments? I wonder about the teacher’s (notice she did not write professor) credentials.

[Normades]

44 minutes ago, SMama said:

notice she did not write professor

Well, teacher is easier to spell.

[doodlebug]

47 minutes ago, SMama said:

SGirl is eleven, in sixth grade and working on a more challenging project for finals. She is constructing a replica of a Mesopotamian Lyre, including a research paper on its origins, uses, etc. What the heck kind of university assigns such elementary school level assignments? I wonder about the teacher’s (notice she did not write professor) credentials.

Jill also doesn't say what kind of grade he got on this project.  Perhaps his teacher isn't as impressed with his work as Jill is.  Jill also probably doesn't know how to spell professor, nor does she understand the difference between a professor and a teacher; so I wouldn't put much stock in her calling the instructor a teacher.

[mythoughtis]

https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/why-was-duggar-friend-caleb-williams-arrested-the-shocking-details/

 

wow 

[doodlebug]

1 minute ago, mythoughtis said:

https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/why-was-duggar-friend-caleb-williams-arrested-the-shocking-details/

 

wow 

Lordy, these people suck.  Caleb was a full fledged adult, over the age of 21, when he assaulted these teen girls; I hope they throw the book at him.  And to think there was speculation that he was interested in Jana.

[Churchhoney]

23 minutes ago, mythoughtis said:

https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/why-was-duggar-friend-caleb-williams-arrested-the-shocking-details/

 

wow 

Gotta love these wonderful religious companions who dine both in and out with the Duggars. This guy. Mr. Anal Rape ..... 

But I guess the girls were right about one thing when the Joshley child-molestation story came out -- Guys forcing themselves on unwilling and/or unwitting girls and women apparently IS somewhat common in their oh-so-godly circle. 

[Mollie]

15 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

Gotta love these wonderful religious companions who dine both in and out with the Duggars. This guy. Mr. Anal Rape ..... 

But I guess the girls were right about one thing when the Joshley child-molestation story came out -- Guys forcing themselves on unwilling and/or unwitting girls and women apparently IS somewhat common in their oh-so-godly circle. 

Recently reported:  There are over 412 sexual misconduct allegations against current or former Fundamental Baptist ministers, involving 187 churches and institutions, with 168 church leaders accused or convicted of sex crimes against children. https://www.cbsnews.com/video/investigation-uncovers-hundreds-of-allegations-of-sexual-abuse-in-fundamental-baptist-churches/

[Lunera]

I looked up Caleb's Instagram and it has been deleted. Last thing I remember him posting was pictures from Tori and Bobby's wedding.

[mythoughtis]

18 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

Gotta love these wonderful religious companions who dine both in and out with the Duggars. This guy. Mr. Anal Rape ..... 

But I guess the girls were right about one thing when the Joshley child-molestation story came out -- Guys forcing themselves on unwilling and/or unwitting girls and women apparently IS somewhat common in their oh-so-godly circle. 

The ultra conservatives of several religions( not just Christians) persist in blaming the victim.  That’s why woman and girls are  required to cover everything up, and to basically not step foot out of their homes unescorted. I don’t know what it will take for their church leadership to understand the person to blame is the one performing the action that is illegal or unwanted.  Until they understand that, they aren’t going to reduce the number of incidents. 

Edited December 18, 2018 by mythoughtis

[Future Cat Lady]

1 minute ago, mythoughtis said:

The ultra conservatives of several religions( not just Christians) persist in blaming the victim.  That’s why woman and girls are  required to cover everything up, and to basically not step foot out of their homes unescorted. I don’t know what it wil take for their church leadership to understand the person to blame is the one performing the action that is illegal or unwanted.  Until they understand that, they aren’t going to reduce the number of incidents. 

Nothing will change bracause the religious leaders are men and they want to keep their power over women.

[Sew Sumi]

9 minutes ago, Lunera said:

I looked up Caleb's Instagram and it has been deleted. Last thing I remember him posting was pictures from Tori and Bobby's wedding.

He was such an asshole on IG when he denied having a relationship with Jana. 

[mythoughtis]

An even more informative article. Logan County Illinois is a rural county one county removed from the capital of Illinois.  If you remember, the Duggars  were at the  capital seat this summer, specifically at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and at a local church. It was rumored that one of the Jed/Jer twins was courting a local young woman.   

 

 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2018/12/jana-duggar-wrapped-up-in-another-duggar-sex-scandal-exclusive/amp/