Jill, Derick & the Kids: Moving On!!

[Jynnan tonnix]

6 hours ago, Zella said:

In one of the mandatory religion classes I had to take at C of O, the professor was obviously getting pretty irritated with my narrow-minded fundie classmates, and he actually snapped at them that God gave them a brain with the expectation that they'd use it. It was gloriously awkward, but I could tell that news was for quite a few of them. And that actually happened in another class there that was about logic. It was very strange to witness, but there were a lot of my classmates who seemed to define critical thinking as just "I have thought deeply about how to justify my own beliefs" without ever delving into actual critical thinking. Sadly, with the Duggars, I don't think they ever even reached "thinking deeply about how to justify my own beliefs." 

It's one of the things I like about the Jesuits. Oddly enough, both one of my sons and I ended up going to Jesuit colleges despite being pretty much atheists. Jesuits respect a good argument, well presented, even if they might not necessarily agree with it. My son, in particular, ended up with enough religion credits to almost get a minor in theology, while taking the atheist view in almost all his papers and mostly getting A's. I wasn't quite that brave myself, but I thought that was wonderful! At any rate, it's one of the reasons I respect Pope Francis more than any other Pope I can think of, even though, being Polish, I'm pretty much bound to pledge fealty to John Paul II (who did appear to be a heck of a good person, and, incidentally, best buddies from seminary days with a priest my dad knew very well). 

[Lady Whistleup]

Just thinking about something: maybe Jill feels that by being a young earther she can feel superior to Derick in one way: her fundie bonafides. Perhaps in the society in which she grew up a Derick type "old earther" would be a FINO (fundie in name only). 

Just occurs to me that there's not many areas Jill can feel superior to Derick. Derick is more educated, Derick actually got to have a childhood, Derick has a family who still takes an active part in his life. But having a more truly fundie position on the earth's age? Jill has that on lock.

[JoanArc]

21 hours ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Just thinking about something: maybe Jill feels that by being a young earther she can feel superior to Derick in one way: her fundie bonafides. Perhaps in the society in which she grew up a Derick type "old earther" would be a FINO (fundie in name only). 

Just occurs to me that there's not many areas Jill can feel superior to Derick. Derick is more educated, Derick actually got to have a childhood, Derick has a family who still takes an active part in his life. But having a more truly fundie position on the earth's age? Jill has that on lock.

This is very insightful. She interrupts him so she can 'win' conversations. Remember when she forced him not to make jokes? Because she didn't get them, either...

[ginger90]

[GeeGolly]

35 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

Looks like the same spot the Seewalds did their photoshoot. Is it the same photographer?

[ginger90]

20 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Looks like the same spot the Seewalds did their photoshoot. Is it the same photographer?

If you mean this photo shoot, no.

[crazy8s]

1 hour ago, GeeGolly said:

Looks like the same spot the Seewalds did their photoshoot. Is it the same photographer?

not sure about the latest seewald photo shoot, but moniquetserra is sweet friends with the vuolos. She has also done pics at Roloff farm.

Edited March 27, 2021 by crazy8s

[Lady Whistleup]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM_KHQKgRmo/

I never understand how these professional photos always end up making the women look like they're auditioning for Little House on the Prairie.

[Absolom]

They need some new more creative ideas.  Brown and oatmeal in the weeds is beyond overdone by the fundies.

[Lady Whistleup]

7 minutes ago, Absolom said:

They need some new more creative ideas.  Brown and oatmeal in the weeds is beyond overdone by the fundies.

Jill looks so much better in her everyday jeans. Like, so much better.

[emmawoodhouse]

6 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Jill looks so much better in her everyday jeans. Like, so much better.

But...but...but how would we be able to tell she was a girl without the dress? 🙄

[cmr2014]

28 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM_KHQKgRmo/

I never understand how these professional photos always end up making the women look like they're auditioning for Little House on the Prairie.

Honestly, I think Jill looks great in this photo -- the whole family looks good. The whole family looks clean, well groomed, and actually happy. I have zero problem with Jill choosing to dress up a bit for the photo. The dress looks age appropriate to me -- knee length and figure flattering.

I don't believe for one minute that Jill picked out any of those clothes, but that would actually be a huge step forward for her. All of the Duggar females have shown intractable resistance to taking any fashion advice, and if Jill agreed to try something new that's great.

[emmawoodhouse]

9 minutes ago, cmr2014 said:

Honestly, I think Jill looks great in this photo -- the whole family looks good. The whole family looks clean, well groomed, and actually happy. I have zero problem with Jill choosing to dress up a bit for the photo. The dress looks age appropriate to me -- knee length and figure flattering.

I don't believe for one minute that Jill picked out any of those clothes, but that would actually be a huge step forward for her. All of the Duggar females have shown intractable resistance to taking any fashion advice, and if Jill agreed to try something new that's great.

Who do you think picked out the clothes? Amy?

[cmr2014]

1 hour ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Who do you think picked out the clothes? Amy?

No, Amy has pretty awful taste (IMO) -- maybe the photographer?

[Snow Fairy]

I also like that dress.  It's form fitting as it was said, she wanted to look nice for the pictures.

I wear pants 99% of the time, but would choose a dress for a family photo

[Girl in a Cardigan]

3 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Who do you think picked out the clothes? Amy?

I think it came from Amy's store if Amy wasn't the one who picked it out because she tags Amy's store in the caption. It seems nicer than the stuff I usually see the girls post from her store in that it actually fits and flatters her figure, but it would be weird for Jill to tag the store and hashtag "partner" if it wasn't from there.

[Snow Fairy]

In the story she said the dress is from 3130

[GeeGolly]

With the exception of Jill and Jessa, the clothes are very similar to the Seewald photoshoot. In fact Spurge and Iz are wearing almost identical outfits. Izzy's fits much better. I like Jill's dress much more than the one Jessa wore. 

The outfits are so similar, I wonder if Jill and Jessa talked or if Jessa saw these photos when we did. Its kind of creepy if Jill and Jessa don't talk much and Jill dressed her boys and Derick in similar outfits, from just seeing Jessa's photos posted on IG.

From the video Jill shot, you could see the same road that was in the Seewald shoot. At least this photographer left the apartments out of the background.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJttHBfLnGW/

[QuinnInND]

I think they all look good in that picture. The dress she's wearing is pretty and fits her well. 

[doodlebug]

On 3/25/2021 at 8:26 PM, Jynnan tonnix said:

It's one of the things I like about the Jesuits. Oddly enough, both one of my sons and I ended up going to Jesuit colleges despite being pretty much atheists. Jesuits respect a good argument, well presented, even if they might not necessarily agree with it. My son, in particular, ended up with enough religion credits to almost get a minor in theology, while taking the atheist view in almost all his papers and mostly getting A's. I wasn't quite that brave myself, but I thought that was wonderful! At any rate, it's one of the reasons I respect Pope Francis more than any other Pope I can think of, even though, being Polish, I'm pretty much bound to pledge fealty to John Paul II (who did appear to be a heck of a good person, and, incidentally, best buddies from seminary days with a priest my dad knew very well). 

We're soulmates!  I'm also a Polack who appreciated that one of my fellow Poles was Pope but feel that the current Pope, a guy who is willing to admit that people out there are living real lives and who has a heart for the poor, is my kind of guy.  

Jesuits love to argue and are far more tolerant than a lot of provincial orders.  They're also big believes in higher education and learning for learning's sake.  Probably why fundies tend to hate them.

In high school, we studied comparative religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and others.  It was mainly from an historical perspective to understand how religious beliefs begin and then evolve over time, but I specifically remember the nun who taught the class talking about the best aspects of each faith and tying them into our own faith and using the core principles in one's own faith journey.  Obviously, none of us became Mormons, but we really did get a sense of what each faith believed and how it started and where.

Catholics generally believe that the Bible is an excellent source of metaphor and that it is not necessary to believe that every single Biblical story is factually correct to accept its overall message of faith and redemption.  There are some conservative Catholics who do believe in young earth creationism, but they are a small minority.  I learned the Biblical story of creation in religion class and the theory of evolution in science class in Catholic school and I don't recall any teacher, even nuns, who ever indicated that evolution was baloney and that the Bible was meant to be a scientific text.

[Tikichick]

On 3/27/2021 at 3:31 PM, GeeGolly said:

Looks like the same spot the Seewalds did their photoshoot. Is it the same photographer?

Very similar clothing, similar setting, same color palette.

[Almost 3000]

On 3/22/2021 at 4:27 PM, crazy8s said:

"On a 2016 episode of Counting On, the older Duggar daughters admitted that their dad made their suitors fill out a 30-50 page questionnaire before allowing them to enter a courtship. Apparently it started out at 30 pages, but ended up closer to 50 by the time Jeremy Vuolo met Jinger Duggar."

Now we know why Jana isn't married. No suiters have made it to the end of JB's ever changing document of near infinity.

[cereality]

So for someone who has vaguely kept up with the Duggars but not closely (last season that I watched was JD and Abbie's wedding in the airplane hangar, IDK if that was a few seasons ago though) -- can someone briefly explain what happened with Jill?

I know when she married Derick lots of us around here had "high hopes" -- OMG he's living overseas; he went to a 4 yr college; he broadened her horizons by having her try hummus etc. But then he married into the family and seemed just as nuts as her family. Quit his perfectly fine accounting job bc you shouldn't work for the man; started pursuing some masters in ministry; baby right away; took her to live in central America and apparently she was not ready and traumatized -- something about a falling shower curtain; got in a feud with Jazz etc. That's pretty much when I stopped following probably bc they got dropped from the show. But now I'll see on her Twitter once in a while links to videos they'll do. I haven't watched them as they're kind of long but what I've gathered from People articles re the videos -- he's in law school at a real university doing normal law student things like internships with the Attorney General's Office and the Fed Public Defender's Office, not made up fundie internships; she says they haven't been to her family's house in several years!?; in a direct swipe at her parents they've said they don't believe having as many kids as possible is required or is good parenting, good parenting is knowing and taking care of the kids you have; which likely means they use contraception -- bc she talks about how important sex is so it's not like they've decided after their 2 kids they'll just live like roommates; she drinks!?

So what caused all this? Can anyone explain briefly? Any other "scandalous" things about them I should know? Do the more fundie minded siblings simply not talk to her anymore bc she's such a heathen? Or even siblings like Jinger who seem a bit fundy lite to me -- are they mad bc for all these years here was preachy Jill telling them they'll do what God willed, it didn't matter if they liked city life or whatever -- and now here she is with 2 kids knocking back a beer?

[QuinnInND]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNAdphpAj0n/?igshid=gbn6vou7sppr

[BitterApple]

3 hours ago, QuinnInND said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNAdphpAj0n/?igshid=gbn6vou7sppr

Okay, so now I'm totally convinced that photographer hates Jessa. Jill looks absolutely gorgeous here, while every picture she took of Jessa highlighted her lantern jaw. 

Edited March 29, 2021 by BitterApple

[Lady Whistleup]

I think the dress shape is nice, I just wish Jill didn't go with the same earth tones that every pro photographer of the Duggars uses. 

[libgirl2]

3 hours ago, QuinnInND said:

I think they all look good in that picture. The dress she's wearing is pretty and fits her well. 

I agree, they all look good and she looks beautiful. 

[Minivanessa]

4 hours ago, cereality said:

So for someone who has vaguely kept up with the Duggars but not closely (last season that I watched was JD and Abbie's wedding in the airplane hangar, IDK if that was a few seasons ago though) -- can someone briefly explain what happened with Jill?

I'm not as up on the deets as other folks here, but here's the short version as I see things (and others may see them differently which is okay because I am NOT infallible, lol). 

Derick fell out of love with JB and the fundie life, and realized that Jill had been basically financially exploited by JB who was pocketing all the money from the TLC contracts. Now, the exact order of events is something I don't claim to understand. Did the scales start to fall from Derick's eyes when he started understanding the finances, or was he already reverting to his roots of mainstream Arkansas Southern Baptist vs. Immersed-in-Duggarworld fundie which led to him asking questions about money? However it happened, apparently Derick pried enough money out of JB as compensation that should have been paid to Jill, to be going on with. I believe that although no lawsuit was filed, Derick hired a lawyer in order to get JB to pay up. [ETA: I suppose I should have said that Jill and Derick had been financially exploited, since he was on the show too, but clearly Jill was on it for a lot more episodes than Derick was.\

 Jill and Derick bought a new four-bedroom modest starter home in a new subdivision, and back when they did that I found the online property record in their name but no mortgage on the property - and those deeds of trust tend to be recorded. So I believe they own the house free and clear. I think that means he pried a LOT of cash out of JB's clutching fingers. If so, GOOD for him!!

Derick seemed to emerge back into more mainstream life in stages. He completed a one-year course in "ministry" at Cross Church which is mainstream SBC, but maybe he decided on his own, or with advice from his mentors there, that he wasn't going into the ministry.  He enrolled in the U of Arkansas Law School and is now completing his third year. 

In the meantime, what I think we know is that JB has said that Jill by herself, or Jill and Derick together, are not welcome at the TTH unless JB approves said visit in advance. We don't see the Dillards in a lot of the family gathering photos. However, Jill does appear to be in contact with at least some of her sisters, and IIRC showed up to help Jessa when she was in labor with Ivy (hope I got that right). Jill is also close with her cousin Amy.

I believe Jill has received some sort of counseling to deal with her life issues, I'm sure it's from someone within the conservative evangelical world. But, whatever, she and the kids seem to be much more happy and relaxed in the past year or so, than they used to be. Izzy has been going to public school for kindergarten. Jill posted a little video of the family shopping for school supplies, and it was so damn normal, which was great. Izzy in particular just seems to be a happier little person than he used to be in those SM videos and posts. He used to seem very stressed and on alert in interacting with his parents, and now seems just to be comfortable. 

IMO, like everyone, Jill and Derick are works in progress, but I see progress. Would I like to hang out with Derick much? Well, no. Do I think Jill or Derick have some awful beliefs and political opinions? Well, yes. But however awkwardly, they seem to have moved along from Duggar world. More of a stretch for Jill to do that, having been raised in the cult. But IMO Derick took a deep dive into the fundie thing when he got involved with JB and married Jill, but eventually surfaced for air and reverted to his own upbringing - mainstream Southern Baptist. Which in Arkansas is a pretty conservative thing but not a matter of living a life separate from the world around you. 

Edited March 29, 2021 by Jeeves

[xwordfanatik]

3 hours ago, QuinnInND said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNAdphpAj0n/?igshid=gbn6vou7sppr

Jill looks very pretty.  She's improved with age, at least in looks.  

[DangerousMinds]

3 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Okay, so now I'm totally convinced that photographer hates Jessa. Jill looks absolutely gorgeous here, while every picture she took of Jessa highlighted her lantern jaw. 

Can you blame her?

[Tikichick]

3 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Okay, so now I'm totally convinced that photographer hates Jessa. Jill looks absolutely gorgeous here, while every picture she took of Jessa highlighted her lantern jaw. 

Things appear very tense in the Seewald home, perhaps she's always clenching her jaw in rage now?

[iwantcookies]

🙄🙄🙄

[Zella]

1 hour ago, Tikichick said:

Things appear very tense in the Seewald home, perhaps she's always clenching her jaw in rage now?

She and Ben also just had an incredibly awkward pose that made it seem like they both thought the other smelled. I wonder if the photographer just gave up trying to make it look more natural and went with it. LOL

[truebluesmoky]

This is what the photographer had to say about her experience with the Dillards. Since she also photographed the Seewalds, I wonder if her line about expecting to spend her time in NW Arkansas alone in her hotel room was the experience she had with Jessa’s family. But since Jill is actually out in the world learning about socializing with different people and getting accustomed to the social graces of non-fundie society, the Dillards made her feel welcome.

Edited March 29, 2021 by truebluesmoky

[JoanArc]

Wow, Jill looks like Jessa with a chin reduction!

[BitterApple]

Wow, that description definitely feels like a "shots fired" commentary on Jessa and the other Duggars. I can't recall how many of them did an Oatmeal and Weeds photo shoot, but apparently none of them thought to take Monique to dinner in exchange for free pics. 

Edited March 29, 2021 by BitterApple

[crazy8s]

48 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

Wow, that description definitely feels like a "shots fired" commentary on Jessa and the other Duggars. I can't recall how many of them did an Oatmeal and Weeds photo shoot, but apparently none of them thought to take Monique to dinner in exchange for free pics. 

the photographer seems to write these glowing things about everyone.... for Jer and Jing

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHA9j9FHfTX/

moniqueserraphotography

These two (+Felicity!) have truly blessed me and my business in more ways than I could’ve imagine. Getting to meet them was such a joy and honor, and I’m just forever thankful for their love and support! You know when you have an idea of who someone might be just solely based on tv or social media? Well let me tell you, they somehow EXCEEDED everything I thought they’d be. They were not only as genuinely kind and humble as you’d think, but they were funny (seriously Jeremy is one of the funniest guys I’ve met!), they were so personable and conversational, and they had such welcoming hearts. I showed up to this session as a complete stranger, and they completely trusted me, let me in, even treated me to lunch (AND dessert), asked about MY kids, my husband, my testimony.... they are honestly some of the best people I’ve ever met and I’ll never get over this experience. Thank you @jingervuolo + @jeremy_vuolo for being such incredible examples of what it looks like to love Christ and love people. You’ve changed my life ❤️

 

for Jer and Aud Roloff - https://www.instagram.com/p/CF5hn-mnIH3/

moniqueserraphotography

Had the most perfect night with these four, talking about big dreams, life, parenthood and babies. We dodged a snake and a mouse (country living, right?), picked pears off the orchard trees, and captured the most precious moments of their beautiful family. Apparently getting to the shoot was not as graceful and seamless (read their post on @beating50percent to hear all about it haha), but despite how hectic family photos can often feel in the moment (or preparing before), we couldn’t have asked for a more picturesque night! Forever thankful for this family and how God has blessed my business through their faith and support in me.

Edited March 29, 2021 by crazy8s

[thehorseofpower]

Didn't someone say that Jessa used a different photographer, and that this Monique person who photographed the Dillards was actually in LA photographing the Vuolos as the "Duggar connection?" If so, that would explain the difference in quality/flattering-ness of the photos, if Jill chose someone with better skill and experience (as recommended by breakout star Jeremy, of course)....

[crazy8s]

30 minutes ago, thehorseofpower said:

Didn't someone say that Jessa used a different photographer, and that this Monique person who photographed the Dillards was actually in LA photographing the Vuolos as the "Duggar connection?" If so, that would explain the difference in quality/flattering-ness of the photos, if Jill chose someone with better skill and experience (as recommended by breakout star Jeremy, of course)....

the photographer has done the Vuolo's pics at least once. Jer and Aud Roloff, Zach and Tory Roloff, Jacob and Izzy, Amy and Chris....many times for each couple. Her family visits Roloff farm. She seems to work the TLC circuit. Easy to see why Jing and Jer used her for pics. they are following the Jer and Aud Roloff business plan to nowhere. No idea why Derick and Jill would do so unless the pics were free.

Edited March 30, 2021 by crazy8s

[iwantcookies]

It doesn’t look like Jill 🤣

2 hours ago, truebluesmoky said:

This is what the photographer had to say about her experience with the Dillards. Since she also photographed the Seewalds, I wonder if her line about expecting to spend her time in NW Arkansas alone in her hotel room was the experience she had with Jessa’s family. But since Jill is actually out in the world learning about socializing with different people and getting accustomed to the social graces of non-fundie society, the Dillards made her feel welcome.

 

[libgirl2]

10 hours ago, doodlebug said:

Catholics generally believe that the Bible is an excellent source of metaphor and that it is not necessary to believe that every single Biblical story is factually correct to accept its overall message of faith and redemption.  There are some conservative Catholics who do believe in young earth creationism, but they are a small minority.  I learned the Biblical story of creation in religion class and the theory of evolution in science class in Catholic school and I don't recall any teacher, even nuns, who ever indicated that evolution was baloney and that the Bible was meant to be a scientific text.

Pre-pandemic, I spent some time listening to Catholic radio at work and remember one of the talk shows that was on spoke exactly on this. I believe the host was a priest. 

[iwantcookies]

4 hours ago, Zella said:

She and Ben also just had an incredibly awkward pose that made it seem like they both thought the other smelled. I wonder if the photographer just gave up trying to make it look more natural and went with it. LOL

Maybe Jessa had a tuna bbq sandwich for lunch 🤣🤣🤣

Jessa looks like she bathes once a week. The kids certainly always look like their hair is dirty. 
 

 

[Quilt Fairy]

"Jill and I were inseparable" for days?  This happened recently right?  In the middle of a pandemic?  Unbelievable. 

[GeeGolly]

Does this Monique photographer 'review' non-famous families as well? She appears to live in Oregon. I wouldn't think she'd make any money traveling to Arkansas for one photoshoot. 

 

[Tikichick]

1 hour ago, GeeGolly said:

Does this Monique photographer 'review' non-famous families as well? She appears to live in Oregon. I wouldn't think she'd make any money traveling to Arkansas for one photoshoot. 

 

Perhaps the Duggar circuit made the trip worthwhile?

[GeeGolly]

1 hour ago, Tikichick said:

Perhaps the Duggar circuit made the trip worthwhile?

Did she take pictures of any other Duggars in AR?

[crazy8s]

17 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Did she take pictures of any other Duggars in AR?

I thought maybe she was in town to take pics for Jed!'s wedding.  The Dillard pic was just posted on her Instagram yesterday. no other duggar pics yet. From the comments, she claims to have done Jill's makeup for her.

[Tikichick]

36 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Did she take pictures of any other Duggars in AR?

It was a question.

[dariafan]

17 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Wow, that description definitely feels like a "shots fired" commentary on Jessa and the other Duggars. I can't recall how many of them did an Oatmeal and Weeds photo shoot, but apparently none of them thought to take Monique to dinner in exchange for free pics. 

Or treat her like a person 

[cereality]

Thanks for the summary @Jeeves. It's interesting that it is about money (at least in part) -- I had no idea they weren't being paid. Ultimately though I imagine Derick after a few yrs of marriage and a kid or 2 realized he was Mr. Duggar and didn't like it and probably was willing to do something about it given how much he appears not to respect JB/Michelle. I mean he seems like a douche still (watched a few min of a few videos last night) so I doubt he has buddies who could talk sense into him, but maybe it was his brother's marriage that made him realize his was effed up. I mean he's a southern baptist/conservative Christian too. As much as the Duggars and fundies generally (i.e. Bates etc.) act like the OWN Christianity, living life his way/how he was raised still means they'd be very very Christian conservative with the requisite racism, sexism, anti LGBT etc. stances all in tact. All it means is that he could use non hormonal BC so they end up with 2-4 kids instead of 1100 kids and he can knock back a beer once in a while and win win by showing his wife how effed up her family is and how much they've messed her up emotionally and taken advantage of her in everything from raising all their kids to financially, hey he doesn't have to see them for years if ever.

I have to imagine he rushed into being Mr. Duggar because he was freaking out that he wouldn't get married. After all in those conservative Christian communities and esp those that go to school in the south, it's find a steady girlfriend by sophomore year and ring by junior spring with a wedding within a month of graduation. He wasn't able to do that -- I'm sure in large part because his dad died suddenly as a freshman so he was overwhelmed enough that he probably didn't jump into dating or did so really half heartedly and no one fell in love with his douchy self. So then graduation comes and with no bride at the altar he says screw this, I'll go live overseas for a while. 1-2 years ticks by and he realizes hmm I'm not getting any younger and where am I going meet a white Christian. So he fills out an application and emails a resume to JB (I believe they've said this is what JB required back then to start courting) and bam instant courtship. And because Jill back them was SOOOO enamored with her family and how they did things, of course he twisted himself into pretzels saying he wanted to do exactly the same --- noooo I don't even want to hold my gf's hand or kiss her despite being 25 and knowing we'll be hopping into bed together 2 min after our vows a week from now; of course as many kids as God gives us; of course we'll live in any house your father gives us and then put up with his opinion on every aspect of our lives etc. And then at some point he woke up, realized he hated his inlaws and how they live and consequently how he lives and his wife is dumb and all kinds of messed up, so he can convince her to live more like how HE grew up . . . .

Edited March 30, 2021 by cereality