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

[Zella]

Just now, GeeGolly said:

Is that what young pastors wear on dates these days?

It is when they want to, in the immortal words of Weird Al, party like it's 1699! 

[Zella]

Maybe I'm being too hard on Ben about his outfit. I feel like his get-up is the only one that would truly work for Reformation Day trick-or-treating. 

[GeeGolly]

Was Jessa double FUing the internet with their date and purchase of coffee for Christmas gifts? 

I love Ben AND have money.

[Churchhoney]

44 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Is that what young pastors wear on dates these days?

Nope. No Jordans. 

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, GeeGolly said:

Was Jessa double FUing the internet with their date and purchase of coffee for Christmas gifts? 

I love Ben AND have money.

If she was, then it was a major fail. If you watch the video, Bin looked absolutely miserable. He was staring daggers at Jessa while she was filming him. That's what I find so funny about most of her social media content. She unintentionally reveals so much about her personal life while trying to fake being a happily married woman. 

[GeeGolly]

1 hour ago, Churchhoney said:

Nope. No Jordans. 

Yea, Ben is right in between the old grandpa dressed Jeremy and the new homie dressed Jeremy.

[crazy8s]

so is this what the new talent company came up with as content for Jessa to be a successful influencer?  Bin in a costume and color coordinated boxes stacked by color in twos? surely they bought nothing in the end.

total fail

[GeeGolly]

This is what I call a rocking, romantic anniversary date with my husband. Him bringing a pen and book and me bringing the infant. I wonder if they even drove there together.

[Cinnabon]

2 hours ago, lascuba said:

That's exactly it, I think. He wants to be a preacher and make good money while doing it. In many respects, he's cut from the same mold as Derick and Jeremy, except Derick started marriage with a career, and while he chased his missionary dreams, he was able to adjust when he finally came to terms that it wasn't going to happen like he wanted it to. Jeremy was older and more experienced generally, and while still chasing the famous preacher dream, he's been able to make the type of connections to give those dreams the illusion of viability. He's also just more practical that Ben, and can adjust his worldview more easily to suit his current ambitions. Ben had all the dreams and none of the practicality, savvy, or flexibility to either make them work or move on to something more lucrative. I think he blames a lot of his frustrations on Jessa, and she resents him both for that and his inability to provide financially. It's pretty clear from the way she posts that she has no interest in being an influencer, but that's the only way for her to make the money to support her family.

 

She should have thought about all that before marrying a teenager.

[SMama]

9 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

This is what I call a rocking, romantic anniversary date with my husband. Him bringing a pen and book and me bringing the infant. I wonder if they even drove there together.

They have one car so they were miserable together during the drive.

[Cinnabon]

1 hour ago, Churchhoney said:

Nope. No Jordans. 

I thought they were boycotting Nike too, for some reason I can’t remember.

[GeeGolly]

28 minutes ago, crazy8s said:

so is this what the new talent company came up with as content for Jessa to be a successful influencer?  Bin in a costume and color coordinated boxes stacked by color in twos? surely they bought nothing in the end.

total fail

I'm having way too much fun laughing at it all.

Two OMGS. 🤣

1. Jessa's caption: Anniversary date with my most favorite person in the whole wide world! Happy 7 years, Love! @ben_seewald

2. This is what Ben is reading:  https://www.amazon.com/When-Sinners-Say-Do-Discovering/dp/0976758261

[Churchhoney]

23 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

I'm having way too much fun laughing at it all.

Two OMGS. 🤣

1. Jessa's caption: Anniversary date with my most favorite person in the whole wide world! Happy 7 years, Love! @ben_seewald

2. This is what Ben is reading:  https://www.amazon.com/When-Sinners-Say-Do-Discovering/dp/0976758261

What a title. Are we sure that book isn't fundie porn? 

[emmawoodhouse]

Ben's look made me think of this:

 

[ginger90]

55 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

I'm having way too much fun laughing at it all.

Two OMGS. 🤣

1. Jessa's caption: Anniversary date with my most favorite person in the whole wide world! Happy 7 years, Love! @ben_seewald

2. This is what Ben is reading:  https://www.amazon.com/When-Sinners-Say-Do-Discovering/dp/0976758261

From the book:

Marriage is the union of two people who arrive at the altar toting some surprisingly large luggage. Often it gets opened right there on the honeymoon; sometimes it waits for the week after. The Bible calls it sin. Understanding its influence can make all the difference for a man and a woman who are building a life together.

[cmr2014]

3 hours ago, Jeeves said:

I see your point. But OTOH if Ben really wants a career in the ministry that will pay enough to support his family, he needs to be willing to move away from his current location if that's where an opening is. Maybe that's a crunch point in their marriage. Ben might be open to moving away from the TTH neighborhood, but Jessa's not. As in, she'll move when hell freezes over. That leaves Ben with slim pickings in the pastor business if he has to stay local.

I wonder if, when horny teenaged Ben was courting hot Duggar daughter Jessa, he knew he wanted to be a minister, and if so if he'd thought it through as to whether he could make a go of it by never leaving JB's back yard almost literally. 

I don't think he thought that far ahead at all -- he was a teenager and they aren't know for their long-term planning. That's one of the reasons that most parents discourage them from getting married and making babies.

Ben really seemed to have some ambition and drive in the early days of their marriage, but there haven't been any real signs of that more recently.

I think you could be right that Jessa is absolutely adamant: we live in Springdale, AR and you work for my dad -- full stop. 

I also think that the world isn't what Ben thought it was seven years ago. Evangelical Christianity is losing members -- especially young people -- very rapidly.  The opportunities for young pastors -- especially those with extremely rigid beliefs in a very particular segment of evangelical ideology -- are probably not that plentiful. I think that it might be difficult for him to find any role, even an assistant pastor or youth pastor role in a church that matched up with his dogma.

Right now I think he's looking at a future with a wife he doesn't like very much, more kids than he can count, an inability to realize his ambitions, and the very real possibility that he will have to work for his FIL indefinitely.

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, cmr2014 said:

I

Right now I think he's looking at a future with a wife he doesn't like very much, more kids than he can count, an inability to realize his ambitions, and the very real possibility that he will have to work for his FIL indefinitely.

And his FIL is Jim Bob. 

There's a "be careful what you wish for" story if I ever heard one. 

I am sorry that two people who don't believe in divorce and who are parenting a bunch of innocent kids married ill-advisedly and are unhappy about it. But they sure did ask for it. An awful lot of red flags were waving back then. 

[SMama]

Ben is so over it he didn’t bother to declare his eternal love for Jessa on their anniversary, on IG.  Papa Seewald really sold out his first born.

[lilwhitelion]

4 hours ago, BitterApple said:

If she was, then it was a major fail. If you watch the video, Bin looked absolutely miserable. He was staring daggers at Jessa while she was filming him. That's what I find so funny about most of her social media content. She unintentionally reveals so much about her personal life while trying to fake being a happily married woman. 

I thought you must be exaggerating because why would she post something showing him like that.

You weren't!  He is just staring at her, until she moves her phone down to show Fern sleeping.  She pans up again and he is still unsmiling.

[Zella]

Where's the video? I want to see him glare in that goofy get-up.

I looked at her page to find it and only saw the pics. But while doing that, I noticed where she had tagged. I hadn't caught they were at Onyx. I used to meet some friends at the one in Fayetteville near their house, and it's a pretty nice place to hang out. Very popular with U of A students. Unless Onyx in Fayetteville seriously renovated the interior (possible because it's been a few years), I think they must be at one of the other locations. It was never that bright and well-lit. LOL

Wait: I figured out it was a story. Oh my God he looks so pissed. LOL And yeah that interior is so different I'm guessing they weren't in Fayetteville. Or if they were, obviously I need to drop in more often to see what's new. 

Edited November 2, 2021 by Zella

[Zella]

I can't stop thinking about his Amish Paradise clothes. I've watched the video 5 times now and keep cracking up thinking about it. He looks like a time traveler whose cover has been blown, and he is not happy about it. 

[sheshark]

I thought he was dressed for Halloween.  And he really does glare at Jessa.  Laser death glare.

[madpsych78]

The only time he looks a little happy is when he is looking at Fern.

[Churchhoney]

10 hours ago, Zella said:

Where's the video? I want to see him glare in that goofy get-up.

I looked at her page to find it and only saw the pics. But while doing that, I noticed where she had tagged. I hadn't caught they were at Onyx. I used to meet some friends at the one in Fayetteville near their house, and it's a pretty nice place to hang out. Very popular with U of A students. Unless Onyx in Fayetteville seriously renovated the interior (possible because it's been a few years), I think they must be at one of the other locations. It was never that bright and well-lit. LOL

Wait: I figured out it was a story. Oh my God he looks so pissed. LOL And yeah that interior is so different I'm guessing they weren't in Fayetteville. Or if they were, obviously I need to drop in more often to see what's new. 

I wish he were unsmiling because he knows how ridiculous he looks in that getup.....As someone said earlier, like an Amish (or possibly Hasidic) serial killer....who kills by pelting victims with weird square bricks....

But he apparently really likes that hat. We've seen it before in a video of him driving the car somewhere, I think. It must be his go-out-among-other-people-dressed-up hat.  

[SMama]

5 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

I wish he were unsmiling because he knows how ridiculous he looks in that getup.....As someone said earlier, like an Amish (or possibly Hasidic) serial killer....who kills by pelting victims with weird square bricks....

But he apparently really likes that hat. We've seen it before in a video of him driving the car somewhere, I think. It must be his go-out-among-other-people-dressed-up hat.  

I think last time we saw the hat was their anniversary last year, they were driving somewhere and Jessa was pestering  filming him. Maybe she only allows him to wear it once a year and he chooses their anniversary to annoy her. 

[GeeGolly]

6 minutes ago, SMama said:

I think last time we saw the hat was their anniversary last year, they were driving somewhere and Jessa was pestering  filming him. Maybe she only allows him to wear it once a year and he chooses their anniversary to annoy her. 

It must be Ben's day-to-night hat, because he also wore it during last years fall shindig. 🤠

[Annb67]

Dear Ben; you look like an idiot. 

[xwordfanatik]

I'll probably go to hell for this, but maybe Ben wears his Sunday-Goin'-to-Meetin' hat when they have lotion time.

I'll see myself out.

[farmgal4]

20 hours ago, Madtown said:

Ben looks like a doofus in that hat (he needs to never wear it again IMO), and Fern is just precious.  She’s definitely the prettiest baby out of the four Seewald offspring.

Edited November 2, 2021 by farmgal4
Changed a word.

[Fallacy]

I still don’t understand what Ben is carrying in the picture. Can anybody fill me in?

[Suzn]

17 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I'm having way too much fun laughing at it all.

Two OMGS. 🤣

1. Jessa's caption: Anniversary date with my most favorite person in the whole wide world! Happy 7 years, Love! @ben_seewald

2. This is what Ben is reading:  https://www.amazon.com/When-Sinners-Say-Do-Discovering/dp/0976758261

What incredibly grim lives they lead!

[crazy8s]

6 minutes ago, Fallacy said:

I still don’t understand what Ben is carrying in the picture. Can anybody fill me in?

sample boxes of coffee. I thought he was holding 10 boxes, but it seems to be only 5 from the Onyx site.

https://onyxcoffeelab.com/products/roaster-sample-box

[SMama]

8 minutes ago, Fallacy said:

I still don’t understand what Ben is carrying in the picture. Can anybody fill me in?

Coffee they intend to give as Christmas gifts.

[Suzn]

36 minutes ago, farmgal4 said:

Ben looks like a doofus in that hat (he needs to never wear it again IMO), and Fern is just precious.  She’s definitely the prettiest baby out of the four Seewald offspring.

She really is!  She doesn't look like the others at all.

[Tikichick]

17 hours ago, ginger90 said:

From the book:

Marriage is the union of two people who arrive at the altar toting some surprisingly large luggage. Often it gets opened right there on the honeymoon; sometimes it waits for the week after. The Bible calls it sin. Understanding its influence can make all the difference for a man and a woman who are building a life together.

Doesn't exactly sound like Hallmark sentiments for a couple is "celebrating" their anniversary.

[Ijustwantsomechips]

I can’t decode which film reference is more accurate for Ben’s, uh, haberdashery.  For me he’s teetering between an extra on Unorthodox (and I’d pay good money to see Ben be the Moishe Lefkowitz of the family, cigarettes and all) and Monsignor Pruitt from Midnight Mass.  Neither is a look I’d strive for.

[Zella]

26 minutes ago, Ijustwantsomechips said:

I can’t decode which film reference is more accurate for Ben’s, uh, haberdashery.  For me he’s teetering between an extra on Unorthodox (and I’d pay good money to see Ben be the Moishe Lefkowitz of the family, cigarettes and all) and Monsignor Pruitt from Midnight Mass.  Neither is a look I’d strive for.

Pictures of Ben's outfit will one day replace Rorschach tests. Mark my word. 

[Churchhoney]

1 hour ago, Suzn said:

She really is!  She doesn't look like the others at all.

In that closeup with her eyes closed, though, she alternately looks exactly like Jessa and then exactly like Bin to me. My brain keeps flipping her back and forth between the two the way you can flip that rabbit-duck illusion or the vase-profile one. It's kinda spooky but kinda fun. 

[ginger90]

1 hour ago, Zella said:

Pictures of Ben's outfit will one day replace Rorschach tests. Mark my word. 

Excellent!! 👍

[Chicklet]

1 hour ago, Ijustwantsomechips said:

Monsignor Pruitt from Midnight Mass.

And when did the vampire bite Bin? When Jessa turns into Bev Keane, we can all go screaming into the night.

I had a few strange dreams about that show until I realized it should have been called "The Night of the Living Scientolgists"

[Cinnabon]

2 hours ago, Suzn said:

What incredibly grim lives they lead!

Well, they do idolize the Puritans. I think!

1 hour ago, Ijustwantsomechips said:

I can’t decode which film reference is more accurate for Ben’s, uh, haberdashery.  For me he’s teetering between an extra on Unorthodox (and I’d pay good money to see Ben be the Moishe Lefkowitz of the family, cigarettes and all) and Monsignor Pruitt from Midnight Mass.  Neither is a look I’d strive for.

But do the men wear oddly tight pants on Unorthodox? I don’t remember seeing t those 🤣

[LilJen]

On 11/1/2021 at 4:11 PM, SMama said:

What is Ben carrying. I’m on my phone and my eyes are bad. My first thought was why is Ben dressed as a Hasidic Jew for Halloween?

Hasidic Jew selling giant bars of soap for the big Hasidic families.

[Lady Whistleup]

Jessa sure has a gift for finding the most unflattering pix of Bin to post.

[floridamom]

Jessa took Ben along with her to hold the packages. He really does look ridiculous in that outfit.

[awaken]

12 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Jessa sure has a gift for finding the most unflattering pix of Bin to post.

It’s got to be on purpose, even if it’s subconsciously!

[lascuba]

Fern looks just like Ivy to me.

On 11/2/2021 at 12:45 PM, Suzn said:

What incredibly grim lives they lead!

It's amazing that, for a religion who's whole thing is getting new members, it's followers are so upfront about how miserable they are.

Remember when Austin was going on and on and ON about how hard marriage is after only being married for like 6 months. How do these people not get it? THE CALLS ARE COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, awaken said:

It’s got to be on purpose, even if it’s subconsciously!

Bin and Jessa are the King and Queen of Passive-Aggressive. They're locked in such a toxic game of tit-for-tat. Consider their anniversary date. Jessa drags the baby along, Bin brings his sin book and highlighting pen. Jessa films him, he glares at her like a murderous Lifetime movie husband. Jessa acknowledges the day on social media, Bin doesn't even bother. It would almost be funny if four kids weren't thrown into the mix. 

Edited November 3, 2021 by BitterApple

[FizzyPuff]

Why did Jessa and Ben bring Fern on a date with them? Can mother of the year Mechelle not look after her? 

[SMama]

5 minutes ago, FizzyPuff said:

Why did Jessa and Ben bring Fern on a date with them? Can mother of the year Mechelle not look after her? 

Probably because she’s breastfeeding and doesn’t like expressing?

[Westiepeach]

20 minutes ago, FizzyPuff said:

Why did Jessa and Ben bring Fern on a date with them? Can mother of the year Mechelle not look after her? 

Oh please. Mother of the Year Mechelle never bothered looking after her OWN kids!