Jessa, Ben and Their Brood: Making a (Diaper) Mountain out of a Mold House

[GEML]

I think Jessa really liked being adored and sought out. But not just in a mushy, poetry way. She liked that he was willing to uproot his whole life for her, listen to her, and actually cared about what she thought. No one in her entire life ever did any of those things for her. Jinger, to some extent, but she couldn't do anything for her.

[Marigold]

I agree. Ben is kinda teen dippy and dopey but he seems like his emotional development is within normal. Some of the Duggar kids seem to have a lot of issues...I think too much "buddy" and not enough "mommy"

Ben is actually capable of love, true attachment etc. Jessa clearly needed more of that than she got in her family. Ben actually loving her must feel really good to her.

[skippy]

I'm going to step out on a limb here and see if anyone agrees with me, even a little.  I think Jessa is already thinking she may have made a mistake in marrying Ben. During THs she always looks at him adoringly, but she's been raised in front of a camera and knows how to put on an act. I've seen a lot of little things that make me think she's perhaps not thrilled. When they are kissing, it seems like Ben would never even come up for air...it seems like Jessa is the one who breaks away first.  A few times he's said something particularly stupid and Jessa looks at him as if to say, "What have I gotten myself into?"  Don't get me wrong...I think she likes Ben, wanted to get out of the house, wanted to have sex, wanted some freedom. I just don't think she's head-over-heels, crazy in love with Ben. And I think she's just beginning to realize that this immature and fairly stupid "kid" is hers forever.

[JenCarroll]

Agreed, but what gave me a chuckle was this:

"Jessa's family was really friendly and invited us to a conference just a few days later, offering to help us out, ride with them, or whatever. 'We can even help watch your kids!' Jessa's sisters exclaimed, when they heard my Dad wouldn't be able to come and subsequently my Mom's doubts about bringing all of my siblings by herself."

I've gotta hand it to Jessa, at least the girl is consistent. She was not one of the Duggar girls offering to watch Ben's siblings so they could attend the conference, lol.

Edited for punctuation.

The best line in that blog post is, "I also talked to Jessa's Dad and got His number..." Notice how Jim Bob gets a capitalized pronoun, like the Lord. lol

[amkiss]

I can answer the pregnancy test huge supply for you.

Yes, they do buy in bulk. They get about 50 in a bundle and they are the cheap strip tests not the $$$ ones that you see on TV. They are super cheap. You use those every day (if you are that curious) and if it comes positive, THEN you go out and buy the $20 drug store test.

Ovulation strips also come in bulk too.

There are websites who cater to this.

I was a Fund Baptist for many years and still have friends in the demonination and that's what they use to this day! I had them also but didn't compulsively use them so it was a waste of money for me...they expired!

It creeped me out when Jill said something about never being to far from a pregnancy test in the Duggar house. I was guessing they go to the dollar store and stock up. And every house has a BIG DRAWER full of them.

 

Almost to much to think about is everytime they have sex they go and pee on a stick to see if they are pregnant!

[Darknight]

Even if they did try natural family planning, if the follow the rest of the sex rules I've read about here, it'd be virtually impossible to be successful.

From what I understand, Gothard women are supposed to abstain from sex (I'm assuming all sex to Gothardites must be procreative, which also tends to be the rule) not only during menstruation but also for a week afterwards (which came from the Old Testament somewhere), which assuming the woman is at all regular and near a 28-day cycle would put their first opportunity to have sex for the first time after two weeks of abstinence right at the time a woman is most fertile. NFP assumes that people will abstain for a certain number of days before or after ovulation, which means they'd only have maybe a week each month to have sex. You think Jessa and the dashing Ben Seewald are going to follow that rule? Or are they going to think "just once won't matter"--I have a younger sibling because of "just once won't matter", as do lots of other people I suspect.

I do hope that once Jessa realizes what pregnancy will do to her body that she will try to have fewer kids, but since all the other hopes about her have pretty much been dashed it probably won't happen.

Ben is a young horny teenager. How the hell did he only has sex once a month

[galax-arena]

How the hell did he only has sex once a month

Maybe he cheated on Jessa with Rosie Palms. 

[Wellfleet]

I'm going to step out on a limb here and see if anyone agrees with me, even a little.  I think Jessa is already thinking she may have made a mistake in marrying Ben. During THs she always looks at him adoringly, but she's been raised in front of a camera and knows how to put on an act. I've seen a lot of little things that make me think she's perhaps not thrilled. When they are kissing, it seems like Ben would never even come up for air...it seems like Jessa is the one who breaks away first.  A few times he's said something particularly stupid and Jessa looks at him as if to say, "What have I gotten myself into?"  Don't get me wrong...I think she likes Ben, wanted to get out of the house, wanted to have sex, wanted some freedom. I just don't think she's head-over-heels, crazy in love with Ben. And I think she's just beginning to realize that this immature and fairly stupid "kid" is hers forever.

 

Oprah did a program once about women who were walking down the aisle at their weddings, knowing that they were making a mistake and marrying the wrong person. I think it was Oprah, at least. Anyway, this concept hit a real note with many other women including some in the audience and is apparently more widespread than one would think. I remember that many of them said they were marrying just to get the hell outta Dodge. That this could also be Jessa's story I think sure, it's definitely possible.

[GinnyLee]

I was impressed with Ben when he mentioned about finishing community college. I thought that maybe he'll pull out of the Duggar hold by getting an actual degree in something useful. Then he ruined it by saying, "We were thinking of going into ministry."  

I almost gagged. 

Good grief! Seriously? You have a potential 10-20 kids on the way and the only thing you can think of doing is going into the ministry? Reminds me of that poor family living in the RV, the Rodriquez's (?) with the 11 kids and counting. Mr. Rodriquez also is holding out for a job in the ministry. Please! There's Wendy's, McDonald's, BK and a host of other low paying jobs out there that'll put food on the table and gas in the RV. What's this 'holding out for the ministry' nonsense?

 

He needs to be told to look for an entry level job in any corporation that starts out with as little as 18-22K a year and then work his way up while doing the ministry on the side and on the weekends. He's got a kid on the way and the only job he's hoping for is one in the ministry. Ben is totally delusional! 

[MamaMax]

I can answer the pregnancy test huge supply for you.

Yes, they do buy in bulk. They get about 50 in a bundle and they are the cheap strip tests not the $$$ ones that you see on TV. They are super cheap. You use those every day (if you are that curious) and if it comes positive, THEN you go out and buy the $20 drug store test.

Ovulation strips also come in bulk too.

There are websites who cater to this.

I was a Fund Baptist for many years and still have friends in the demonination and that's what they use to this day! I had them also but didn't compulsively use them so it was a waste of money for me...they expired!

Wow, so I guess everyone tests every day?

[ChicksDigScars]

Maybe he cheated on Jessa with Rosie Palms.

 

That's probably what was going on every night in his windowless spare room in the Duggar pole barn. Jessa would shoo him away and he'd have to back to the stink barn alone. 

[lianau]

I"m convinced that Bin needs to start either wearing looser pants or just switch to skirts. Yes skirts because  those tight pants he wears are making Mrs. RobinsonDuggar all hot and bothered and we all know that she has soooo much lust for him that she might explode. lol

Which brings me to this question , what is the Duggar view on kilts? 

[GEML]

My grandmother (and not the religious one) always told us, "There is one who does the kissing and one who turns the cheek." Ben obviously does the kissing. She was definitely of the opinion it was better for the woman to turn the cheek. For the same reason a man singing a love song sounds romantic, but a "Stand by your man" sounds a little needy and even deluded.

Given that Jessa isn't a deeply romantic person, I think she will be ok. He loves her, and it will mirror her parents' relationship, which is the one she knows best and admired most.

[MargeGunderson]

Ben is a young horny teenager. How the hell did he only has sex once a month

 

Once a month more than before he was married, so he comes out ahead.

[sigmaforce86]

Entertainment Tonight has jumped on the "could it be twins" train.

 

Hoping no for Jessa and Bens' sake.  On the other hand to see the look on Michelle and Jills faces at the announcment even as they try to keep it sweet would be awesome.  I think Jill does see herself as superior and a bit of a queen bee no matter what front she puts on.............if Jessa was having twins and ended up with a home birth besides - now that would be interesting.  I think even an easy home birth of a single baby will, deep down, irk Jill at this point.

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebrity/are-jessa-duggar-and-ben-seewald-having-twins/ar-AAbvpi9

[Happyfatchick]

My grandmother (and not the religious one) always told us, "There is one who does the kissing and one who turns the cheek." Ben obviously does the kissing. She was definitely of the opinion it was better for the woman to turn the cheek. For the same reason a man singing a love song sounds romantic, but a "Stand by your man" sounds a little needy and even deluded.

Given that Jessa isn't a deeply romantic person, I think she will be ok. He loves her, and it will mirror her parents' relationship, which is the one she knows best and admired most.

Nail on the head, GEML!   Remember the Mommy/Daughter lunch when Meeeechelle was admonishing Jessa to express more appreciation for his romantic gestures?  Jessa just doesn't have that icky gene like her dad.  But she's mirroring exactly what she grew up with.  I bet Ben never forgets an occasion, ever. I'm also saying Jessa has to remind herself to say Thank You.  I'm sure it was fun for a minute (for the freedom and excitement) but she's over that and moving along.

 

Who (besides me) watched the clip of Jessa at the carwash apparently ALONE???  What a refreshing (no pun) change from The Dooooggar Rules of Overkill!!  THAT.  That is why marriage was an option for Jessa.

[andromeda331]

On the other hand to see the look on Michelle and Jills faces at the announcment even as they try to keep it sweet would be awesome.  I think Jill does see herself as superior and a bit of a queen bee no matter what front she puts on.............if Jessa was having twins and ended up with a home birth besides - now that would be interesting.  I think even an easy home birth of a single baby will, deep down, irk Jill at this point.

 

 

That's really the only reason I'd love for it to be twins just for their reactions along with Anna who's always talking about wanting twins.

[Seashell Lover]

I can see their ministry going on the stink bus with all their kids and waving a sign on the street corner asking for donations.

[Missy Vixen]

Almost to much to think about is everytime they have sex they go and pee on a stick to see if they are pregnant!

They don't have the most basic information about the female reproductive system or pregnancy. Seriously. Why would it be necessary to identify the exact MINUTE one conceives? They don't indulge in any of the risk factors for pregnancy (allegedly): Smoking, drinking, illicit drug use, or exposing themselves or the baby to the side effects of STD's due to multiple partners. One would think that if they had basic information about reproduction, perhaps paying attention to the body (morning sickness, fatigue, bigger breasts, etcetera) might be a good sign it's time to test. But ohhhh, noooooo. That's for the little people who insisted on going to public school and actually learned a little something about the reproductive system and sexuality.

I can see their ministry going on the stink bus with all their kids and waving a sign on the street corner asking for donations.

Their "ministry" is reality TV. They've been quoted in the past six months as insisting their program is a "ministry". Yeah, right. And Bin has no other plans in life besides appearing on TV and boinking Jessa Duggar Seewald at every opportunity.

[riverblue22]

Someone explain this "minstry" thing to me.  In my background a minister has a four year degree and a graduate degree from a seminary.  Would this be the same path from Jessa's Gothard or Ben's Calvinistic traditions?  Because that is a lot of schooling for a new father who washes his father-in-law's toilets for a job.

 

I can not see Ben giving a sermon unless he somehow greatly improves his speaking ability.  I can imagine him being a youth pastor at a large church but would that pay enough to support a dozen or two kids?  

 

And JB did say that he was providing homes to his kids for a year.  Where does he think Jessa and Ben will be going in a year?  And I think it would be even harder to oust Jill from her estate.

Edited April 22, 2015 by riverblue22

[mbutterfly]

I can answer the pregnancy test huge supply for you.

Yes, they do buy in bulk. They get about 50 in a bundle and they are the cheap strip tests not the $$$ ones that you see on TV. They are super cheap. You use those every day (if you are that curious) and if it comes positive, THEN you go out and buy the $20 drug store test.

Ovulation strips also come in bulk too.

There are websites who cater to this.

I was a Fund Baptist for many years and still have friends in the demonination and that's what they use to this day! I had them also but didn't compulsively use them so it was a waste of money for me...they expired!

Do I take from this that Fundamentalists, generally, are constantly eager to become pregnant? I hadn't known that before. I just assumed they didn't use birth control devices nor chemically, because they considered that to be a form of abortion. 

[JenCarroll]

I'm going to step out on a limb here and see if anyone agrees with me, even a little.  I think Jessa is already thinking she may have made a mistake in marrying Ben. During THs she always looks at him adoringly, but she's been raised in front of a camera and knows how to put on an act. I've seen a lot of little things that make me think she's perhaps not thrilled. When they are kissing, it seems like Ben would never even come up for air...it seems like Jessa is the one who breaks away first.  A few times he's said something particularly stupid and Jessa looks at him as if to say, "What have I gotten myself into?"  Don't get me wrong...I think she likes Ben, wanted to get out of the house, wanted to have sex, wanted some freedom. I just don't think she's head-over-heels, crazy in love with Ben. And I think she's just beginning to realize that this immature and fairly stupid "kid" is hers forever.

Honestly, no. I actually have the opposite feeling -- that she didn't think much of him in the beginning but was willing to take him as her ticket out, and that to her own surprise, she's come to like him more than she expected. I think they really have become good friends. Are they "in love?" I don't know. But they seem pretty happy, and like they're learning to accommodate each other's different attitudes. It's fun to speculate; I doubt we'll ever know what things are truly like between them

[BitterApple]

Speaking from what I've seen in life, relationships where the woman is head over heels in love and the guy is blase are usually doomed. The woman tries too hard and the guy gets bored and eventually cheats. IMO a dynamic like Ben/Jessa's is better than one like Derick/Jill's for long term success.

[Fuzzysox]

Maybe he cheated on Jessa with Rosie Palms. 

Or hung out in the Prayer Closet with Mrs. RobinsonDuggar teaching him how to pray harder.

[RazzleberryPie]

Geez, I almost wish I didn't know this.

I know, right? Yet it is highly unlikely that we're talking immaculate conception here and I don't really hear much about the slutty sperm donors. 

Clarification: Immaculate conception refers to the belief that Mary was  without original sin, from the moment of her conception, NOT the Virgin Birth.

I was impressed with Ben when he mentioned about finishing community college. I thought that maybe he'll pull out of the Duggar hold by getting an actual degree in something useful. Then he ruined it by saying, "We were thinking of going into ministry."  

I almost gagged. 

Good grief! Seriously? You have a potential 10-20 kids on the way and the only thing you can think of doing is going into the ministry? Reminds me of that poor family living in the RV, the Rodriquez's (?) with the 11 kids and counting. Mr. Rodriquez also is holding out for a job in the ministry. Please! There's Wendy's, McDonald's, BK and a host of other low paying jobs out there that'll put food on the table and gas in the RV. What's this 'holding out for the ministry' nonsense?

 

He needs to be told to look for an entry level job in any corporation that starts out with as little as 18-22K a year and then work his way up while doing the ministry on the side and on the weekends. He's got a kid on the way and the only job he's hoping for is one in the ministry. Ben is totally delusional! 

For them, a career in ministry has the potential to be very lucrative. Lots of Evangelical denominations provide their ministry staff with a salary, plus housing, vehicles, medical coverage, retirement, travel to conferences, continuing education, not to mention tons of attention, free sitters, lots of love offerings - all with excellent tax advantages. Love offering and donations aren't usually taxed. When salaries are sometimes low bc housing, vehicles, etc are factored in, it puts them in lower income levels/tax brackets, so their large families become more eligible for income based financial aid. 

 

Someone explain this "minstry" thing to me.  In my background a minister has a four year degree and a graduate degree from a seminary.  Would this be the same path from Jessa's Gothard or Ben's Calvinistic traditions?  Because that is a lot of schooling for a new father who washes his father-in-law's toilets for a job.

 

I can not see Ben giving a sermon unless he somehow greatly improves his speaking ability.  I can imagine him being a youth pastor at a large church but would that pay enough to support a dozen or two kids?  

 

And JB did say that he was providing homes to his kids for a year.  Where does he think Jessa and Ben will be going in a year?  And I think it would be even harder to oust Jill from her estate.

Ministry can mean anything from a lead pastor/reverand to a music minister, to a youth director, to someone who does counseling for a whole variety of things. Depending on the denomination, educational requirements can be anything from a Master's in Theology to the completion of a couple of Bible courses from an unaccrediated, church affiliated school.

 

I had a friend in high school who was the son of a Church of God (sort of modern Pentecostal, charismatic, Jim and Tammy Faye Baker type of church) minister. They only had three kids in the family. This was the late 90s, but  they lived in a really nice two-story brick home (owned by the church) and had weekly housekeeping and lawncare provided by church members. His mom's job was 'ministry partner,' which meant she followed his dad around and the church provided volunteers for child care. His mom and dad both drove (church owned) Cadillas, and when he and his siblings turned 16, some church member 'donated' leased cars to them. He had a Mustang convertible at one point. The church provided a clothing allowance to the mother and father, and they had very nice tailored suits that they usually picked up on multiple church conference trips every year. They were always going to New Orleans, NY, Orlando, Anaheim, Bahamas, etc., for ministry conferences, and always shopped a ton. Every time they'd take a trip, plus every Mother's Day/Father's Day/Easter/Christmas/Pastor's Appreciation Day/Birthday, theyd get a cash love offering from the church members (pass the plate), plus a gift from the church itself.  Not to mention every single Sunday morning and evening, they were treated to dinner by some member, and people constantly brought meals or desserts by the parsonage.

 

Because the official salary was only something like $12k per year for a family of 5, and they didn't own their home or vehicles, my friend and his siblings were eligible for a ton of financial aid when they went to college. The dad had some sort of certificate from a church affiliated internship, which qualified him to be a pastor in their denomination. No college. The mom had no post high school education, but was a trained pianist. Of course two the kids went straight to a church affiliated college and into ministry, because they were then legacies in their church, and positions were created for them as soon as they finished. One brother is a counselor, the sister is a children's minister, married to an assistant pastor of course. I don't think any of them have some supernatural calling from the Lord, but this is basically all they've known, and it's lucrative for attention and finances. Who'd give that up, if you don't  disagree with the doctrine?

 

My friend is the weirdo who became a software engineer, and is debating leaving a corporate job for a church IT position (minister of technology or something), because the benefits and perks will make the salary package worth more than his current job. Anyway.........Ben isn't that articulate, because he's a stinkin' TEENAGER, but he could mature and have an extremely successful career in ministry.

[SoSueMe]

Clarification: Immaculate conception refers to the belief that Mary was  without original sin, from the moment of her conception, NOT the Virgin Birth.

 

 

 

 

Thanks, I'm sorry if I offended. My point was that it takes two to tango, so to speak, and I resent that the female gets all the judgmental crap.

[RazzleberryPie]

Thanks, I'm sorry if I offended. My point was that it takes two to tango, so to speak, and I resent that the female gets all the judgmental crap.

Not offended, most people - even a lot of Catholics - think it means that, too. I knew what you meant, and agree that it sucks that females get all the judgement and blame.

[Jenniferbug]

When Ben made the "it could be a boy and a girl" comment, my husband (sarcastically) said "wow, I'm glad they're open to having a transgender child". He really hates this family, but accepts that I am oddly fascinated by them.

I don't think we can assume they know very little of female reproduction. We know they know enough to chart ovulation so that means they have a basic knowledge of monthly cycles. Not to mention that every pregnancy test comes with directions stating you won't get an accurate result until 5 days before your missed period. I know their reading comprehension is probably low, but I think even they can understand that. I think the frequent testing (which is mostly speculation as opposed to anything confirmed, I think) is because they are excited to find out and can't resist the urge to test even if they know it's probably too early. My first was a surprise, but we tried for almost a year for the second before conceiving. There were some months when I couldn't resist the urge to test exactly 5 days before because I was anxious to know.

[Absolom]

I'm not surprised the Duggars test early and test often.  It's quite common in their age group.  Since the early tests came out that can detect the hormones 8 days or so after ovulation, a lot of women test and some do it every day until they get "proof" that they aren't pregnant or get a positive test.  It probably costs them $5 or $6 a month to test those few days every month with the Dollar Tree tests and is likely a bit like a game to them.  As hung up on pregnancy as they are and if they go online and see some baby boards and how many people there are obsessing over testing, I can easily see the Duggars doing the same.  

[Darknight]

Can't believe Jessa didn't get the cover of people. Sandra Bullock did

[Fostersmom]

Anyone ever have the "honor" of seeing or being screamed at by Brother Jed on a college campus? While his poor wife, Sister Cindy, and kids stood there being mocked by the crowd? I graduated college in 1999 and It was always an event when Brother Jed would make a campus appearance for a few days. I can totally see Ben and Jessa dragging a load of kids around college campuses, screaming at heathen college kids just like Brother Jed. If I remember right, Brother Jed's brand of hate was gay centered, but Ben's abortion centered obsession would work too. 

 

I used to manage a dollar store and we had customers buying pregnancy tests by the dozen. Sure, they are literally just the test strips and you have to pretty much just pee on your hand, but $1 vs. $20 for a fancy plastic holder to avoid your own pee isn't exactly bargain. And honestly, if you are actively trying to get knocked up, your own pee on your own hand is the least gross thing in your near future. One of my customers ran a medical mission, she made regular trips to Haiti, and she would buy them by the hundreds, I would save full cases of 72 tests for her. I could see Michelle sending Jana to Dollar Tree to stock up on $1 tests regularly for years. 

[mbutterfly]

 Love offering and donations aren't usually taxed. When salaries are sometimes low bc housing, vehicles, etc are factored in, it puts them in lower income levels/tax brackets, so their large families become more eligible for income based financial aid. 

 

In our denomination, the value of housing is treated as taxable income. And -- I can tell you from first-hand experience -- we report cash love offerings as income as well. 

[3girlsforus]

In our denomination, the value of housing is treated as taxable income. And -- I can tell you from first-hand experience -- we report cash love offerings as income as well. 

 

This is the same in churches I've dealt with as well. There may be situations where it's a financial boon but in general ministry of most sorts is a career which can support a family (of normal size) but doesn't leave them rolling in dough. 

[msblossom]

Moved to Small Talk

Edited April 23, 2015 by msblossom

[3girlsforus]

Ugh!! Yes, I remember Brother Jed and Sister Cindy. He came to our college campus and sang "It's not Ok to be gay, it's not Ok to be a h*m*" and some such nonsense. He's against homosexuals, lesbians, pill-poppers, and fornicators. He is filled with all kinds of hatred. He's got to be some kind of fundamental fruitcake. There are youtube videos of him spouting off his junk. He also used props to demonstrate his brand of hatred.

 

Oh my goodness... never heard of him. Sounds like I should be glad I missed it. 

[Fostersmom]

He used to make his kids stand there wearing giant sandwich board hate speech signs tied around their necks, condemning gays to hell. I still remember his family standing for hours in the freezing cold pouring rain one time. That was the worst I ever saw. Granted, I attended a fairly large public college, so we always screamed back, but watching his kids stand there, in the freezing cold rain, the crowd was livid and it was bordering on a riot. Lots of people screaming they were going to call the cops and report him for child abuse. He's honestly lucky this was before cell phones, I can't even imagine how an event like that would turn out today. 

 

I do think Ben and Jessa are going to be much more active in anti abortion rallies then the Duggars ever were and it's going to be MUCH harder for it to be kept out of the media like the Duggars have largely managed to do. Ben is too young and brash. JimBob has always been savvy enough to stay on the down low, he is a dipstick, but he's not stupid. I don't think we can say the same about Ben. 

[3girlsforus]

Wow - I have no words....

[SoSueMe]

Ugh!! Yes, I remember Brother Jed and Sister Cindy. He came to our college campus and sang "It's not Ok to be gay, it's not Ok to be a h*m*" and some such nonsense. He's against homosexuals, lesbians, pill-poppers, and fornicators. He is filled with all kinds of hatred. He's got to be some kind of fundamental fruitcake. There are youtube videos of him spouting off his junk. He also used props to demonstrate his brand of hatred.

Oh my gosh, I just checked out the YouTube videos. (I had never heard of them) How scary/creepy/hilarious are they?!?  Ben and Jessa would have to go some to match that.

[RazzleberryPie]

 As hung up on pregnancy as they are and if they go online and see some baby boards and how many people there are obsessing over testing, I can easily see the Duggars doing the same.  

I totally agree the babymaking obsession isn't just Fundie/Duggar issues. I've been avoiding several non-religious (and a few who are religious) high school and college friends, and a couple of co-workers, because they're obsessed with getting pregnant. Technology and medicine are wonderful, and I totally get that the 25-40 female demographic has a lot of people in that stage, er, SEASON of life, but you can only have so many conversations that revolve around ovulation tracking, basal temps, ovum stages, sperm counts, etc., before the eyes start to glaze over. I really don't need group texts describing how excited you are that you're ovulating and need to GET IT ON RIGHT NOW, or having breast soreness and need to pee on a stick, or the disappointment when it takes a few months to get pregnant. 

[jcbrown]

 

I think Jessa really liked being adored and sought out. But not just in a mushy, poetry way. She liked that he was willing to uproot his whole life for her, listen to her, and actually cared about what she thought. No one in her entire life ever did any of those things for her. Jinger, to some extent, but she couldn't do anything for her.

I agree with this but it does not give me warm fuzzy feelings about the longevity of their relationship. I have been in relationships like this (being a heathen) where I was in love with the feeling of being adored. My sister had the same experience. At some point, we both woke up and realized that having an adult relationship of equals was a lot more interesting. Good luck to them.

 

 

He loves her, and it will mirror her parents' relationship, which is the one she knows best and admired most.

GEML, I think this is exactly right and may be the salvation of their relationship--that she is mirroring the primary relationship she grew up watching.

[CarolMK]

The one thing I can say that I liked about Jessa announcing her pregnancy is that she did it with Ben as a side note to their show, not in front of the entire family in the living room. She also waited until she was 12 weeks along, vs. Jill who must have announced the second she was a day late with her cycle. Also, she didn't make a big deal about morning sickness. Michelle used to go on and on about how sick she was during all of her pregnancies, to the point that I think the entire world was ready to tell her to shut her pie hole about it. 

I'm hoping Jessa and Ben will opt for a private birth, or if not, a very easy delivery and no complications. I'm willing to bet that Ben won't have to be chomping down a sandwich when she goes to the hospital..she didn't mention using a lay midwife, did she? Is she counting on Jill to help do the delivery?

[Temperance]

The one thing I can say that I liked about Jessa announcing her pregnancy is that she did it with Ben as a side note to their show, not in front of the entire family in the living room. She also waited until she was 12 weeks along, vs. Jill who must have announced the second she was a day late with her cycle. Also, she didn't make a big deal about morning sickness. Michelle used to go on and on about how sick she was during all of her pregnancies, to the point that I think the entire world was ready to tell her to shut her pie hole about it. 

I'm hoping Jessa and Ben will opt for a private birth, or if not, a very easy delivery and no complications. I'm willing to bet that Ben won't have to be chomping down a sandwich when she goes to the hospital..she didn't mention using a lay midwife, did she? Is she counting on Jill to help do the delivery?

Jill and Derrick announced the gender on TLC with just the two of them, and they announced In People. I assume there will be a living room announcement with Ben and Jessa. They just showed their honeymoon. On the show she isn't pregnant for another 2 or 3 months yet.  She did wait until she was 12 weeks; I'll give you that  though possibly to not conflict or be overshadowed by Israel's birth. As for morning sickness, not every woman has terrible morning sickness or even the same amount. Younger women have less morning sickness in my experience. Also both grandma and my aunt had bad sickness, but my mother (their daughter and sister) did not have bad morning sickness. Again she may talk about morning sickness more when TLC gets to airing episodes where she's actually pregnant. I wouldn't give her too much credit yet, wait on til the episodes starting airing. 

[DangerousMinds]

That's probably what was going on every night in his windowless spare room in the Duggar pole barn. Jessa would shoo him away and he'd have to back to the stink barn alone.

Does their religion "allow" them to masturbate?

[SomePity1066]

Does their religion "allow" them to masturbate?

 

No, but they can give themselves a side-hug.

[Happyfatchick]

No, but they can give themselves a side-hug.

I tried soooo hard to make this take more than one "like" hit.  HAHAHA!!!!! 

[Fosca]

Just watched one of his more recent Youtube videos and Brother Jed seems to be on strangely good terms with the LGBT community, maybe bc they seem to be mocking him as they sing along "It's not Ok to be Gay"... He knows they are, but it doesn't phase him.

 

He must have quite a bit of stamina, since I remember Brother Jed and Brother Richard (and maybe Sister Cindy, but no kids) from the early 1980's when I was in college.  Unless of course "Brother Jed" is a title like "the Dread Pirate Roberts" and gets passed down from ranter to ranter.

[Mrsjumbo]

Jill and Derrick announced the gender on TLC with just the two of them, and they announced In People. I assume there will be a living room announcement with Ben and Jessa. They just showed their honeymoon. On the show she isn't pregnant for another 2 or 3 months yet. She did wait until she was 12 weeks; I'll give you that though possibly to not conflict or be overshadowed by Israel's birth. As for morning sickness, not every woman has terrible morning sickness or even the same amount. Younger women have less morning sickness in my experience. Also both grandma and my aunt had bad sickness, but my mother (their daughter and sister) did not have bad morning sickness. Again she may talk about morning sickness more when TLC gets to airing episodes where she's actually pregnant. I wouldn't give her too much credit yet, wait on til the episodes starting airing.

Yes, I'm sure we will have to sit through the fake "living room pregnancy announcement" soon. Don't give Jessa & Bin too much credit.

[leighroda]

The episode where Ben and Jessa start courting is on... I forgot how fantastically awkward the whole storage closet scene was.

He must have quite a bit of stamina, since I remember Brother Jed and Brother Richard (and maybe Sister Cindy, but no kids) from the early 1980's when I was in college. Unless of course "Brother Jed" is a title like "the Dread Pirate Roberts" and gets passed down from ranter to ranter.

I'm intrigued, I was in college in 2002-2006, and I went to college at what was considered a large party school in Texas (southwest Texas state/Texas state) and I do remember a yelling man each year, I wonder if it's the same one, or perhaps one of his offspring. Unfortunately, I did not engage, or pay him much attention, so even if I googled/YouTube I wouldn't recognize if he was the same guy.

[Jellybeans]

I do not understand why people listen to anyone that yells. To me, if you yell, you have lost your argument. Why anyone would stand and listen to him is beyond me.

[JoanArc]

Of course:

http://www.people.com/article/19-kids-counting-jessa-duggar-pregnancy-advice-jill-duggar-dillard

 

 

 "We think we want to go with a midwife and plan for a home birth, but I want to just be prepared that not everything may go as planned and try not to get too worried about it."

 "We're going with anyone but Jill" she added.