Jill, Derick & the Kids: Moving On!!

[Mariva]

Maybe I'm the only one but I got the impression from Derick's blog that they were offered TWO different mission opportunities. He talked about getting an opportunity "earlier this year" which came much sooner than either of them had expected. Then "several months ago" a "new opportunity" came to them. I think Derick was being intentionally vague on purpose but my theory is that their original plan was to go to Nepal. I think this had been in the works for months until the earthquake happened, and then everything fell apart because it was deemed no longer safe or feasible for them to go there.  So they found a plan B and that was to work for the SOS Ministries in Central America. I thought Derick and Jill pretty much confirmed this at the Alive Festival?

[Churchhoney]

Headship Derick says it will be longer than 'typical short term'. He's been a bit flighty with God's input lately though, he may receive new instructions before a year has passed. I don't expect them to be there longer than a year, I don't think Jill could make it that long in any case.

 

Call me crazy, but I'm holding out hope that Jill will surprise us and do well. For the first time in her life, she'll be (I hope) out of JB's and M's reach and without constant Duggar brainwashing. She'll be with someone who, in the past at least, has been very enthusiastic about living a different kind of life. This is a chance for some latent openness, curiosity, stamina, imagination and enthusiasm to come out in Jill, and I don't see any definitive proof that she utterly lacks those things. "We never know how high we are/Till we are called to rise," as Emily D said. "And then, if we are true to plan,/Our statures touch the skies." C'mon, Jilly Muffin, run true to plan.

 

I'm thinking JB and M would hate skeptical, questioning, quirky all-observant Emily. Makes me hope that somebody in that household has a drawer full of unshared poems right now. Don't suppose the Duggar kids can even find a secret drawer and a minute to scribble freely in the TTH, though, more's the pity.

[bluebonnet]

I agree.  I despise missionary work and I speculate I'll especially despise the sort the Dillards will be engaged with. But I spent years living abroad and I've met all sorts of people.  It's very rare that someone actually falls apart when they are away from their safety net.  First and foremost, I'd expect someone like Jill to mature in a way she never could living in Gotharville near the parents who taught her to speak in an annoying little baby voice.  

[JoanArc]

 

It's very rare that someone actually falls apart when they are away from their safety net.

Even cultists?

[kokapetl]

I don't know how Jill would fare being away from her family. It's all she's really known, both the people and the bubble they all lived in together.

[bluebonnet]

Even cultists?

Yup.  Of course, I'm not suggesting that Jill is going to become some sort of awesome human.  Merely that it's not all that likely that she'll fall apart and that it's likely there will be some sort of maturation that she wouldn't otherwise experience if she never left.  Look at Anna and Josh.  There was some maturing with them.  Not saying that their growth was positive.  If anything, they became more smug and hateful.  But they still managed to flourish outside of the bosom of their cult.  

[Churchhoney]

I don't know how Jill would fare being away from her family. It's all she's really known, both the people and the bubble they all lived in together.

 

I know it's dicey.

 

But I moved away from an isolating situation as well (although I did go to school and held some jobs, I had had virtually no social contact with other humans outside of the classroom or direct work situations and I was all but mute even in those places -- I had been trained to be terrified of speaking to other people, including on the telephone, and I had no idea at all about how average people actually lived their day-to-day lives). But while I experienced a lot of culture shock, I still found the pull of the real, wide world to be ultimately irresistible, and within a few years I'd become quite a different person. I had fairly severe social phobias, and do to this day, but I still found myself doing things that I never would have imagined doing, and I knew that I would never ever go back. Change is possible, even when you've been assiduously brainwashed and had the spunk drummed out of you in numerous ways.

 

I truly think she's getting a serious chance at change here, and because of my own experience, I'd never say never to the possibility of anybody finding a new life. Which is not to say that Jill will have a rebirth, of course.

[abseedee]

From FJ:

 

A friend of J&D posted these on his IG.

 

Jill singing a bible song with littles:  https://instagram.com/p/4iqGoURhGm/

Joy hushing littles if they want to hear a bible story:  https://instagram.com/p/4iqjMORhHJ/

and a pic of the friend's wife (she wears skinny jeans!) with Sierra:  https://instagram.com/p/4ippaHxhF-/

 

JIll looks like she's lost weight.  She still has a tummy but mine looked that way up to almost half a year after having a hysterectomy.  Her incision has healed on the outside but inside takes a while longer.

Derick sounds different  I don't know.  It could be because he's still healing from oral surgery.

I wonder if that is Smug and Anna's house they are working on?

Edited June 30, 2015 by abseedee

[Fuzzysox]

Shaggy I mean Derrick looks horrible.

[mbutterfly]

From FJ:

 

A friend of J&D posted these on his IG.

 

Jill singing a bible song with littles:  https://instagram.com/p/4iqGoURhGm/

Joy hushing littles if they want to hear a bible story:  https://instagram.com/p/4iqjMORhHJ/

and a pic of the friend's wife (she wears skinny jeans!) with Sierra:  https://instagram.com/p/4ippaHxhF-/

 

JIll looks like she's lost weight.  She still has a tummy but mine looked that way up to almost half a year after having a hysterectomy.  Her incision has healed on the outside but inside takes a while longer.

Derick sounds different  I don't know.  It could be because he's still healing from oral surgery.

I wonder if that is Smug and Anna's house they are working on?

"I'm in the Lord's Army" -- there's at least one video around here with me doing the same exact thing. 

[JoanArc]

I think all the 'Jill will change!' arguments are just retreads from her engagement. She can change, but she won't.

 

And late night bible songs? Those kids need to be in bed!

Edited June 30, 2015 by JoanArc

[Churchhoney]

Shaggy I mean Derrick looks horrible.

 

Methinks Shaggy feels that he wasn't cut out for corporate and is enjoying his freedom to be ... shaggy.

[abseedee]

Shaggy I mean Derrick looks horrible.

I don't have a problem with his long hair maybe because I have nephews with mid back or waist length hair.  =)

Edited June 30, 2015 by abseedee

[Churchhoney]

I think all the 'Jill will change!' arguments are just retreads from her engagement. She can change, but she won't.

 

And late night bible songs? Those kids need to be in bed!

 

Duggar bedtime goes hand in hand with plain old Duggar time, apparently. .... And I guess all those kids are at the house that their various parents are working on? Not sure what I think of that as a way for a bunch of little kids to spend their evenings. And if it's Josh's house, where the heck is he when his sibs and in-laws are fixing it up? I doubt that he's being a comfort to Anna.

[Flowers]

I think his hair is okay. It's that muppet mouth that keeps throwing me off.

[kokapetl]

Duggar bedtime goes hand in hand with plain old Duggar time, apparently. .... And I guess all those kids are at the house that their various parents are working on? Not sure what I think of that as a way for a bunch of little kids to spend their evenings. And if it's Josh's house, where the heck is he when his sibs and in-laws are fixing it up? I doubt that he's being a comfort to Anna.

Probably an older howler watches him sob mostly (I hope he sobs), in one of the TTH loft holes. He shouldn't be near power tools, and certainly not that preschool class.

[Sew Sumi]

Duggar bedtime goes hand in hand with plain old Duggar time, apparently. .... And I guess all those kids are at the house that their various parents are working on? Not sure what I think of that as a way for a bunch of little kids to spend their evenings. And if it's Josh's house, where the heck is he when his sibs and in-laws are fixing it up? I doubt that he's being a comfort to Anna.

There were pictures of them working at what is believed to be Smuggar's house (see Smuggar's thread). That's where the pic with Sierra first surfaced. Ugh. 

 

As for Jill, she will melt down before she ever changes. And even if she does melt down, she still may be reluctant to make necessary changes to adapt.

[Churchhoney]

 

As for Jill, she will melt down before she ever changes. And even if she does melt down, she still may be reluctant to make necessary changes to adapt.

 

Yeah, first she'd have to admit that she's Dugg-addicted. That would be the toughest step, I imagine.

[Cherrio]

Yeah, first she'd have to admit that she's Dugg-addicted. That would be the toughest step, I imagine.

good one !

[Cherrio]

This. I think that Schadt is expanding. Gotta keep up that nice house in Florida and kids in private schools. As I've said before, as late as May, when I last heard from my co-worker's daughter in Nepal (due to summer break at my job), no one was allowed into Nepal unless they had very specific disaster-relief skill sets. They sure as hell don't want more missionaries coming over to gum up the works. Derick may have experience in the country, and Jill some first-responder training, but they really don't have what the relief organizations are looking for right now. 

Amen!     They need real help.    All the Duggars need to go to the TTH, while the millions of volunteers build a wall they can never get over, under or out of. Now, that would be a huge help to mankind.    

[Fuzzysox]

Yeah, first she'd have to admit that she's Dugg-addicted. That would be the toughest step, I imagine.

And how is she ever going to stay away on a mission trip where no one will know her and admire her for being one of 19!!?

[GEML]

I think Jill will be fine. There is some cache in doing mission work, and her family likely will see her several times a year if they are in Central America. She may really find a balance where she becomes both a Dillard AND a Duggar, which, really, is probably more than we could hope for.

[anony mouse]

I think this will be a positive for Jill. She will have a chance to become truly independent and grow as a person.

I also think the timing of this does have to do with the news about Josh molesting coming out. I can see Jill saying she doesn't want to be around him and keep sweet any more, or Derrick not wanting to be so close to the family out of sheer disgust (I'm assuming he didn't know until recently). They may have always planned to do this, but the molestation news sped things up.

[Dianaofthehunt]

Exactly when are Jill/Derek scheduled to move overseas? I wish they would be gone, already.

[kokapetl]

Exactly when are Jill/Derek scheduled to move overseas? I wish they would be gone, already.

Dillardfamily.com says July, any day now. No way they'd neglect to tell us.

[kokapetl]

I think Jill will be fine. There is some cache in doing mission work, and her family likely will see her several times a year if they are in Central America. She may really find a balance where she becomes both a Dillard AND a Duggar, which, really, is probably more than we could hope for.

I don't know if there's much Dillard left in Derick anymore.

[Ljohnson1987]

Derrick is a Duggar. Whether he wants to be or not.

[CofCinci]

Dillardfamily.com says July, any day now. No way they'd neglect to tell us.

Perhaps they now feel obligated to stay for Anna's labor given all the drama surrounding the family?

Or, they have appearances booked through the end of the month.

[Churchhoney]

I don't know if there's much Dillard left in Derick anymore.

 

Well, I know I'm Pollyanna-ing it again, but I kind of think that if he were as assimilated as he usually seems to be he wouldn't be doing this at all. Plus, he still is conscious of his family's college tradition, its college sports tradition, and thinks of Izzy in those terms. Can't help but think that there's a tiny spark of Dillard still in there. Pollyanna says: Maybe long distance, new people and interesting and meaningful non-Duggar experiences can blow the spark into a tiny flame?

[GEML]

Well, I know I'm Pollyanna-ing it again, but I kind of think that if he were as assimilated as he usually seems to be he wouldn't be doing this at all. Plus, he still is conscious of his family's college tradition, its college sports tradition, and thinks of Izzy in those terms. Can't help but think that there's a tiny spark of Dillard still in there. Pollyanna says: Maybe long distance, new people and interesting and meaningful non-Duggar experiences can blow the spark into a tiny flame?

This. The Duggars are all talk and little walk. Doing a long term mission of a year or longer shuts most of the Jim Bobs of the world up.

[msblossom]

^^^Long term missions is anything more than 3 years, anything less than that is technically still short term, but I get what you're saying.

[bluebonnet]

Because I seem to have nothing better to do, I've been exploring instagram thing and saw this:

 

"It has been confirmed by a Dillard family friend that Jill, Derick, and Israel will be departing to El Salvador this Sunday, July 5✈ NOT Nepal
••
3 DAYS •"

[kokapetl]

Because I seem to have nothing better to do, I've been exploring instagram thing and saw this:

"It has been confirmed by a Dillard family friend that Jill, Derick, and Israel will be departing to El Salvador this Sunday, July 5✈ NOT Nepal

••

3 DAYS •"

I followed the link following the confirmation statement on Instagram by '❃Duggar Family Fanpage❃' aka '19kidsandcounting._' , and I see no news regarding destination on dillardfamy.com.

Also some Duggar fan fiction on that account

Jana's POV

"Hi mom and dad!" I say as I give my parents a hug. I haven't seen them since the day of Logan and I's wedding, three months ago. I walk into the house and see Jill holding Israel with Derick by her side. Pretty soon I'll be holding a baby of my own.

"Jana! It feels like I haven't seen you in ages!" Jill says and walks over to give me a hug. "How was the honeymoon?" She asks. "It was so wonderful! Australia was great. So many sights to see." I tell her. She hands me Israel and I hold him in my arms. Logan walks over to talk to Derick. "Any news?" Jill asks me with a smile and a wink. "You'll have to wait and see." I say with a grin. I walk over to the house phone speaker and announce "Please, everyone come into the living room right away!"

Edited July 3, 2015 by Kokapetl

[Sew Sumi]

LOL! This may be the girl who wrote the worst.fanfic.ever. about Joy getting married and pregnant. It was hysterical (for all the wrong reasons) and painful at the same time. 

 

I guess we shall see regarding the departure date. I'm sure that someone will post something either the day they leave or soon after. Remembering last year, there were a couple departure posts, radio silence for about a week, then a flurry of posts. I don't think they had 4G access in Honduras, but they definitely had it at SOS HQ. Lots of pics were posted by all of them before they returned. 

[bluebonnet]

Lol, I didn't investigate that far.  I just click and hashtag and saw all the photos under that tag.  I've noticed that fans and even their family friends seem to be genuinely insane so it's hard to tell one from the other.  Checking out instagram almost makes me feel like I'm in the 'genuinely insane' pile.  It felt so dirty.  

[kokapetl]

Lol, I didn't investigate that far. I just click and hashtag and saw all the photos under that tag. I've noticed that fans and even their family friends seem to be genuinely insane so it's hard to tell one from the other. Checking out instagram almost makes me feel like I'm in the 'genuinely insane' pile. It felt so dirty.

I hope I didn't offend, you weren't at fault. The leghumpers are just really sloppy lately, and logic was never their strength. The 'Duggar Sisters' Instagram includes Michelle as a sister.

Instagram makes me feel old. I remember when photos were that low res, because that was the technical limit of the cameras.

[JoanArc]

El Salvador? Good Luck Jill!

 

 

"Jana! It feels like I haven't seen you in ages!" Jill says and walks over to give me a hug. "How was the honeymoon?" She asks. "I, I, I couldn't. I didn't even touch before marriage, and now sex? Then I started thinking about Josh, and what men can be like..." I tell her. She hands me Israel and I hold him in my arms. Tears flow. Jill looks at me with her flounder-like expression of empathy. Logan walks over to talk to Derick. "Any news?" Jill asks me with a smile and a wink. "You'll have to wait and see." I say with a grin. I walk over to the house phone speaker and announce "Please, everyone come into the living room right away!" I clutched the annulment papers in my hand and hope Joy doubled Mom's Xanax dosage, like I bribed her.

[Bella]

I love the fan fic!

Can you please take further installments to the Parodies thread?

Thanks!

[Fuzzysox]

El Salvador? Good Luck Jill!

At least she knows some Spanish. She will be a lot more ahead than Derick will. Now that leaves me wondering how do you convert people if they don't speak English??

[Sew Sumi]

Oops! I didn't see the mod note. :o

 

I wonder how much Spanish Jill has retained, or how fluent she ever was? I remember when she made the flash cards and put them around the house on various items, but that's Spanish 101. 

Edited July 3, 2015 by Sew Sumi

[JoanArc]

Oops! I didn't see the mod note. :o

 

I wonder how much Spanish Jill has retained, or how fluent she ever was? I remember when she made the flash cards and put them around the house on various items, but that's Spanish 101. 

She spoke it aloud with the Jacksons. I think she has come conversational skill, and will do ok there, but probably doesn't know the language well enough to convert someone.

[Sew Sumi]

Yeah, I don't think she's fluent by any stretch, but certainly not as deficient as her father, El Boob-o. I'm sure she's been refreshing herself since they got word from Schadt that they were golden. 

[Fuzzysox]

Sadly I think it's goig to be more of a long vacation funded by the leghumpers til Jill gets pregnant and runs back home.

[Sew Sumi]

We had more qualms about her being down there while 6 months pregnant with Izzy than she did. Now delivery, that's an entirely different animal, especially now that she's going to attempt VBACs from here on out.

[Mariva]

At least she knows some Spanish. She will be a lot more ahead than Derick will. Now that leaves me wondering how do you convert people if they don't speak English??

Actually on Derick's LinkedIn profile, he lists 'Spanish-speaking' as one of his skills. Considering he was raised in the public school system all his life,  I wouldn't be surprised if he was required to take some second language classes.

[Loves2Dance]

Actually on Derick's LinkedIn profile, he lists 'Spanish-speaking' as one of his skills. Considering he was raised in the public school system all his life,  I wouldn't be surprised if he was required to take some second language classes.

In most states, you have to take 2 years to graduate from high school. If you start early enough the school could offer a lvl 3 class; my husband took 3 years of German, I took 2 years of Spanish. 

[NikSac]

In most states, you have to take 2 years to graduate from high school. If you start early enough the school could offer a lvl 3 class; my husband took 3 years of German, I took 2 years of Spanish. 

 

My school actually had a 2 year minimum, but offered up to level 4 in French and 5 in Spanish (I'm in California, so a lot of kids already had a year or two of Spanish before they even started High School). I know it varies a lot, but hopefully if they are in fact going to El Salvador they've both got a decent foundation going, especially Derick.

[GEML]

I went to a working class high school in PA but came out completely fluent. All you need is one gifted and passionate teacher.

[anony mouse]

I graduated high school in '03 in another state and we were required to have three years to graduate. You could start in middle school, so I graduated with six years of French, including AP level. I was pretty fluent after that so he may be too.

Also, he might have taken classes in college. It was required to have a certain amount of semesters for my degree, so he could have s stronger foundation than we think.

[GeeGolly]

Maybe Jill has a knack for acquiring language. I took 2 years of Spanish in high school, but honestly learned more from watching Sesame Street w/ my kids.