Season 6 Discussion

[BitterApple]

16 hours ago, flyingdi said:

I think Sadie just broke up with her boyfriend.  I read that somewhere.

And she basically came out and admitted they had sex, so I wonder how well that would go over with Ma and Pa Bates. I guess the Lord would lay it on their hearts to forgive, especially since Sadie comes from serious family money.

[Squirrely]

How old are those boys with Kelly in the last episode? One is at least 15 since he's driving. Who praises their teen and tween children like that for thanking a waitress?? You praise your toddler/preschooler when they get it right. The 2 littlest boys should have been starting in those scenes.

That was embarrassing to watch because either those boys needed a manner refresher, or no one objected to making it look like they needed it for a story. It's a lose-lose and further proof that the middle to younger kids in these families live totally different lives than the older ones did.

And speaking of second-hand embarrassment: see Lawson's singing and acting. That was painful. Sadie, too. 

[lookeyloo]

I just watched a clip of someone who was in a "reality show" and he said there is nothing real about them.  The one he was in was scripted.  I can barely watch the Bates show because it is so boring.  I would really love to see some unedited film from a secret camera in their house.  Of course this will never happen.

[SongbirdHollow]

The whole premise of that video was cringeworthy. The teenage angst and drama over whether he should try to win a scholarship (that's what it was, right?) vs. Sadie's "pay attention to meeeeeeeee!" is just so embarrassing. Get a life, video-Sadie! And knowing that Lawson never went to school nor ever even wore shoulder pads to play football made it that much worse.

When the football "stunt double" took off his helmet I cringed again. Dude's mom needs to catch up on the news about traumatic brain injury.

[SongbirdHollow]

On August 6, 2017 at 10:45 AM, BitterApple said:

And she basically came out and admitted they had sex, so I wonder how well that would go over with Ma and Pa Bates. I guess the Lord would lay it on their hearts to forgive, especially since Sadie comes from serious family money.

I waded through that post in which it seems like she was saying they fought a lot, aka "passion", to figure out where the admission of sex was and finally found it. They "invited sin in". So that's what the kids are calling it today!

[trimthatfat]

This show is extremely boring. I've watched a couple of shows on Up and it seems to be a wholesome, Christian network. That's probably why most of the episodes consist of really innocent storylines, like buying a puppy or riding horses.

[Sew Sumi]

Tonight, we apparently get our first "official" look at Josie's new boyfriend with the weird name I can't remember.

[BitterApple]

11 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

Tonight, we apparently get our first "official" look at Josie's new boyfriend with the weird name I can't remember.

Josie has a boyfriend?! Since when? 

[Sew Sumi]

A few months, at least. Tonight's episode features Bobby's graduation in May. 

[Sew Sumi]

Kelton Balka

 

[cereality]

These Bates girls are marrying like it's going out of style. I'm sensing a real -- I'm 18, need to grab me a fundie man before the good ones are taken bc I don't want to be like Chad's sister or Jana Bates -- complex. Tori is desperate to marry Bobby, as is her family who keeps going on about how it's SOOO much longer until she graduates that why wait, she can just marry now and graduate later. Kelly wasn't even subtle in saying to Bobby -- now that you've graduated, when are you proposing. They need to relax -- she's only one year behind him in school. She's demanded that he propose this October - bc they met in Oct 2015, started courting in Oct 2016. So he'll propose Oct 2017 and they can marry the weekend after her graduation in May 2018 -- 7 months is a long time for fundies to plan weddings, but they'll survive.

And now 18 yr old Josie is courting (getting to know you/whatever they're calling it)? At least he got a finance degree at Christian college and more importantly according to his LinkedIn has been a licensed plumber for the last 3 yrs. He said on the show that post graduation, he goes back to being a plumber at his uncle's business in Tenn. but now will be spending more time in the office/managing the books too. Great. Load of Gil's mind bc he's a tradesmen -- at least he'll be able to provide like John. If I was Gil I'd be sweating more over Bobby and Evan -- both "ministry" types with Bobby working for Gil's "church" and who knows what Evan will do -- sing at the church?? Looks like Gil will have to be inventing jobs for those sons in law, whereas Chad, John, and Kelton as well as his one married son Zach won't have to financially rely on him.

[Sew Sumi]

Josie, like Alyssa, was just 17 when they started to "get to know" each other (Josie just turned 18 in the last week or two). I don't think they're courting yet. 

But did you notice courters Tori and Bobby front hugging and hand holding long before engagement? Bobby also had her in a front hug, his arms right under her boobs. Mechelle would be stroking out. 

Edited August 11, 2017 by Sew Sumi

[cereality]

Josie may be on the Alyssa track -- getting to know you until age 18; courtship for a yr, engaged before turning 19; married at 19. And if she's anything like Alyssa, she'll have no problem dropping out of school/doing online school so she can marry ASAP. Even at Bobby's house, Kelly was going on about how much she'd missed Josie and how she must've been so busy with online classes and they needed to catch up -- as Josie kept looking at Kelton saying -- yeah we need to catch up [about how soon I can marry, Mom]. Didn't quite understand that -- surely she hasn't been spending the summer at Bobby's -- she probably came down with Tori a few days or maybe a week before graduation likely so she could spend time with Kelton. How much could mother and daughter possibly need to catch up on?? Unless Kelly really wants to grill her on -- he's the one, right?!

The Bates aren't nearly as strict as the Duggars about hugging etc. I'm not suggesting that Gil loves it -- but I think Gil/Kelly do see their 18+ yr old kids as adults and won't call them out publicly for hugging their boyfriend/girlfriend. Before Nathan and Ashley were even courting, she was in Tenn. and he was hugging her; at one point he was pointing out the view and his body was practically on hers as he reached across her chest to point to something. We've also seen Evan and Carlin hugging front to front and even cheek to cheek at something that was a family function - not off in a separate room like Bobby and Tori were.

[riverblue22]

I think Josie's already studying cosmetology so she should be done with school by the time she is ready to get married.  It will be interesting to see if she actually goes to work using her certification.

[Sew Sumi]

Yeah, I mentioned (I think on the Sweet Fellowship thread) that Josie has finished a year of her cosmetology program. I assume with bible study, Clown keeps them there for two years. I hope they can test for a real state license.

But 17. To marry at 19. NOOOOOOOO~ 

[BitterApple]

Kelton looks like Joseph Duggar, but props to Josie for scoring a guy with a trade and a viable family business. She's definitely Alyssa 2.0. I doubt she'll ever use her cosmetology degree aside from giving the family haircuts, but if she actually finishes and gets licensed, I won't snark.

Regarding Bobby, I don't understand why Kelly is pressuring him. She did the same thing with Brandon. It's perfectly reasonable for a couple to finish school before taking the next step and getting engaged. Bobby obviously adores Tori and it gives them additional time to get to know one another before they start breeding for Jesus, so leave it alone already.

[ozziemom]

On 8/10/2017 at 10:30 PM, Sew Sumi said:

Josie, like Alyssa, was just 17 when they started to "get to know" each other (Josie just turned 18 in the last week or two). I don't think they're courting yet. 

But did you notice courters Tori and Bobby front hugging and hand holding long before engagement? Bobby also had her in a front hug, his arms right under her boobs. Mechelle would be stroking out. 

Plus they were alone in a room, I mean besides the camera crew. But Mechelle would flip if that was a J girl. It looked like Tori and Bobby were ready to kiss when she gave him the Bible.

this episode was better than last week with Lawson and Sadie.

[andromeda331]

13 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Kelton looks like Joseph Duggar, but props to Josie for scoring a guy with a trade and a viable family business. She's definitely Alyssa 2.0. I doubt she'll ever use her cosmetology degree aside from giving the family haircuts, but if she actually finishes and gets licensed, I won't snark.

Regarding Bobby, I don't understand why Kelly is pressuring him. She did the same thing with Brandon. It's perfectly reasonable for a couple to finish school before taking the next step and getting engaged. Bobby obviously adores Tori and it gives them additional time to get to know one another before they start breeding for Jesus, so leave it alone already.

I don't either. Its ridiculous their courting, they have plans to get engaged, so back off Kelly. 

[sATL]

On ‎8‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 6:44 PM, SongbirdHollow said:

The whole premise of that video was cringeworthy. The teenage angst and drama over whether he should try to win a scholarship (that's what it was, right?) vs. Sadie's "pay attention to meeeeeeeee!" is just so embarrassing. Get a life, video-Sadie! And knowing that Lawson never went to school nor ever even wore shoulder pads to play football made it that much worse.

When the football "stunt double" took off his helmet I cringed again. Dude's mom needs to catch up on the news about traumatic brain injury.

They said it was a coach or trainer, that played the linebacker. So it is acceptable for a grown man to hard tackle, a HS QB ?  it's one thing for a HS linesman to be bigger, than the opposing school's QB, but an adult?

Actually , Lawson should stop singing that story and maybe try to write it into a low budget movie (big screen or tv) or play. The way he described it , it kinda reminded me of that Kirk Cameron movie Fireproof -  a movie, that was advertised from day one, where teaching a moral lesson about family, faith and values was more important than big budgets, high action plots, exotic film locations, & big named stars trying to win Oscar level awards.

Lawson can play the team Chaplin - a role that would be believable to an audience. Yes, he is good looking, but does looks too old to play a HS student. Lawson doesn't have a HS QB body (who supposedly has college scholarship potential), so he lost me right there. Kudos to the head coach who taught Lawson how to take the snap an run a play. That scene on the swing, where he was supposedly trying to show he was upset with Sadie, didn't come off right - he doesn't really have it in him to be confrontational. He type-cast himself out of his own video.

Edited August 13, 2017 by sATL

[sATL]

On ‎8‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 9:49 PM, cereality said:

... he got a finance degree at Christian college and more importantly according to his LinkedIn has been a licensed plumber for the last 3 yrs. He said on the show that post graduation, he goes back to being a plumber at his uncle's business in Tenn. but now will be spending more time in the office/managing the books too...

Finance degree and a licensed plumber.... Only someone who is trying to marry a Bates girl...

Here's a good advertising slogan - "While Kelton is doing your taxes and planning your debt free financial future, wife Josie can take care of your family's hair needs". ☺

Is this the same episode that John leaves late at night (ally's bed time) to go fix someone's air  conditioner? Now, in what world does that happen? Your air goes out you are LUCKLY to get someone the next business day w/o paying a hefty emergency charge . Plus I would think it would be against their "rules" to leave wifey home alone at night. Actually, I was surprised that Alyssa left, home alone, shortly after dinner to go clean office bldgs.  I still think I was dreaming..

Edited August 12, 2017 by sATL

[riverblue22]

I enjoyed seeing John and Alyssa on the show.  And I liked hearing her say that two children is enough for now.  It seemed clear to me that they will make sure no babies come along for awhile.  They do seem to be working hard for their family.

[BitterApple]

22 minutes ago, riverblue22 said:

I enjoyed seeing John and Alyssa on the show.  And I liked hearing her say that two children is enough for now.  It seemed clear to me that they will make sure no babies come along for awhile.  They do seem to be working hard for their family.

I agree. I give Alyssa a lot of credit for helping John with his cleaning business. I can't imagine Princess Erin getting her hands dirty to put food on the table. I think Alyssa is very girly and feminine, but without that annoying child-like attitude you see in Erin. 

[Gweilo]

I like Alyssa, but I believe that Erin has a spine of steel under the girly exterior.

She was determined to finish her 'degree' after she got married, right? Didn't Alyssa quit college and working and just sit around waiting to be proposed to? Or said something like "I'm not going to need a degree now that I'm getting married"?

Erin did teach piano for money, even after Carson was born (not sure if she's gone back after #2). My mom is a piano teacher, and I strongly appreciate that her income from music teaching was very much "putting food on the table."

Erin spends way more time on her appearance and hair than I do, and obviously looooves talking about her love for Chad on instagram. Neither of those are my style. But I give her a lot of credit for her determination.

[Evagirl]

I think whatever works for these young women in their relationships is up to them.  They seem to find young men who have the same beliefs, good looking, and adores them, Brandon being the exception.  Oh I believe that Brandon loves Michael, he just isn't overboard like Chad.  When Erin is talking, Chad looks at her like he could eat her with a spoon.  I think that's great.  There is nothing wrong with a man being in love with his wife long after they're married.  It would bother me if she didn't like it, then I'd think he'd need to calm down.  But Erin apparently enjoys the adoration of her spouse and she seems to be just as in love with him.  Kudos to them both.

I don't think Josie is looking for a husband.  She's 18 and in their world courting is the same thing as dating is in the mainstream.  I remember my first  serious boyfriend at 16.  I acted just like Carlin and Josie.  I was hanging onto his arm, holding his hand, looking at him ga-ga every time he spoke.  I wrote his name all over my school books.  I'd doodle his last name as my my last name, day dreaming about being married and living happily ever after.  Two years later, I was "in love" with another boy.  These girls are normal.  They go to school beyond high school.  They don't live in a bubble where they feel they HAVE to get married or have to live at home taking care of siblings.  They marry young, true enough, but it's their choice to do so.

The Duggars are completely different.  They raise their daughters stressing that they be virgins when they marry and then become baby-making machines.  Does any of the sons-in-law look at their wives the way Chad, John or Brandon looks at theirs?  Ben looks like a trapped animal.  Derek looks completely spaced out.  Joy and her husband are still in the honeymoon phase.  Jeremy is the only one who seems to possess any sense or normalcy in his marriage. 

When the show is not showing the children in relationships, it can be a bit boring.  I don't even bother watching car wash shows or shows that you can tell are just filler.  I don't watch Bringing Up Bates just to criticze their lifestyle.  I enjoy knowing about new things that are happening with this family because I genuinely like this family. 

[riverblue22]

1 hour ago, Evagirl said:

I don't think Josie is looking for a husband.  She's 18 and in their world courting is the same thing as dating is in the mainstream.  I remember my first  serious boyfriend at 16.  I acted just like Carlin and Josie.  I was hanging onto his arm, holding his hand, looking at him ga-ga every time he spoke.  I wrote his name all over my school books.  I'd doodle his last name as my my last name, day dreaming about being married and living happily ever after.  Two years later, I was "in love" with another boy.  These girls are normal.  They go to school beyond high school.  They don't live in a bubble where they feel they HAVE to get married or have to live at home taking care of siblings.  They marry young, true enough, but it's their choice to do so.

But the Gothard way is that Josie will marry this guy.  Your description of puppy love is just what we have seen with all of these girls and they all married the first guy that came along.  Poor Michael spent years doodling Brandon's name and daydreaming about him. Josie only has one more year of school and Kelton is already done and will be saving up money so he can propose to her.  

[Steff]

On 8/12/2017 at 5:00 PM, sATL said:

Finance degree and a licensed plumber.... Only someone who is trying to marry a Bates girl...

Here's a good advertising slogan - "While Kelton is doing your taxes and planning your debt free financial future, wife Josie can take care of your family's hair needs". ☺

Is this the same episode that John leaves late at night (ally's bed time) to go fix someone's air  conditioner? Now, in what world does that happen? Your air goes out you are LUCKLY to get someone the next business day w/o paying a hefty emergency charge . Plus I would think it would be against their "rules" to leave wifey home alone at night. Actually, I was surprised that Alyssa left, home alone, shortly after dinner to go clean office bldgs.  I still think I was dreaming..

I worked for an a/c company yearsssssss ago & often in commercial spaces, they will do large jobs at night while the business is closed.  If they are completely redoing the a/c system or having to do a major overhaul, it's just easier when places are closed.   Same with carpet installation.  A place like a bank or office building isn't going to do that during business hours.  It could have also been a Friday night & the business would be closed for the weekend.  Start the work on Friday night if it's a really big job that will take a few days.  When the place reopens on Monday the work is all done. 

[Whyyouneedaname]

Watching the grad episode, Tori makes no bones about it, she wants a ring lol. I had to rewind to make sure & yep she pronounces October "Optober" that drives me nuts. I don't know why it's just one of those things. 

[Absolom]

2 minutes ago, Whyyouneedaname said:

yep she pronounces October "Optober" that drives me nuts. I don't know why it's just one of those things. 

Probably because the months of the year are so common and such elementary knowledge that the pronunciation would have been corrected in kindergarten in public school.  

[Whyyouneedaname]

1 hour ago, Absolom said:

Probably because the months of the year are so common and such elementary knowledge that the pronunciation would have been corrected in kindergarten in public school.  

correct & it makes me wonder if they all do this since they all had the same teaching. I've not caught it with any one else.

[lookeyloo]

Except I worked with a woman who went to public school and she said "Optober" also.  One of her sons had a name that ended in "TH" and she said "F" instead.  She is a very devout Catholic with a lot of kids.  

[iluvobx]

On 8/12/2017 at 5:00 PM, sATL said:

Finance degree and a licensed plumber.... Only someone who is trying to marry a Bates girl...

Here's a good advertising slogan - "While Kelton is doing your taxes and planning your debt free financial future, wife Josie can take care of your family's hair needs". ☺

Is this the same episode that John leaves late at night (ally's bed time) to go fix someone's air  conditioner? Now, in what world does that happen? Your air goes out you are LUCKLY to get someone the next business day w/o paying a hefty emergency charge . Plus I would think it would be against their "rules" to leave wifey home alone at night. Actually, I was surprised that Alyssa left, home alone, shortly after dinner to go clean office bldgs.  I still think I was dreaming..

5

John said that is was a commercial business and that they could only do the work when the business was closed.  Not all are as strict in their rules as others.  I think John has left Alyssa at home at night before.

[Absolom]

That show's rating was 282K viewers and a .07 rating.

[andromeda331]

Way to go Gil and Kelly!  Not putting up smoke detectors? Keeping them in a box for months on end until Nathan said something. Way to keep up with that awesome parenting!

[flyingdi]

Tis a pity how much the Bates children suffer from a serious lack of self confidence! 

Seriously, though,  I think that's the major difference between the Bates and the Duggars to me.  The Duggar children do not radiate the same amount of self esteem as the Bates children, IMO.

[cereality]

Was I the only one who thought the entire episode was a personal ad for Nathan? His siblings and mother exclaiming about him seemed fake after a while. Oh it's soooo impressive my brother can fly a plane, I can barely drive a car. Oh and he's made flying into a paying JOB bc he's teaching now, so fear not fundie fathers, you won't get another son in law that you need to support. And here we were all us dumb idiots sitting around in a home (where a child had previously started a fire) with no smoke detectors and then in came Nathan to save the day and install them -- you don't see initiative like that everywhere. And what a peach -- 24 yr old grown man played a rainy day game with his 7 yr old siblings and didn't even complain when he got stuck with the chore of washing dishes. Ladies - move fast, this fella won't be available forever.

And as to the post above that Carlin and Josie aren't looking to marry, Evan and Kelvin (Keilien?) are just first boyfriends and they're just enjoying doodling their boyfriends last names. Yeah that's how it should be -- an 8th grade style crush. Except even though the Bates aren't as crazy as the Duggars, a first crush IS expected to turn into a husband in the next 12-18months absent some irreconcilable differences and I'm not sure what those would even be for a Bates girl. I suppose someone could pull an Ashley (Nathan's ex) -- I love you but can't leave NYC to live in Rocky Top for you, sorry. But given Kelly's absolute desperation to get the girls married (i.e. her begging Bobby and Brandon to marry Tori and Michaela asap, forget school), I can imagine if she was sensing that one of her daughters was having a decent get to know you but was going to break it off pre courtship bc she'd have to move to Nashville or even another state to marry the guy, I'm fairly sure Kelly would cajole them into thinking a move was no big deal and no reason to break up, all while cajoling the beau to see the error of his ways and realize that Rocky Top is where the Lord wants him to build a home.

[luvmylabs]

What I enjoy about this family is that they are so upbeat.  You never know what you are going to hear in the talking heads sections.  When they mentioned "MacGyver" I thought they must have access to some TV shows.  Kelly enjoys her kids and her grand kids...she even picks them up (hey, Michelle?!).  Certainly they should have installed those smoke detectors after the fire (or BEFORE the fire!).  They are not all aspiring to be ministers.  Some of them are attending college.  Gil and Kelly seemed willing to let their kids decide their futures.  The Duggars engineer their kids' futures.   In all, I like this family a lot even though I disagree with some of their beliefs.  I guess that's it.  The Duggars are always pushing their beliefs.  The Bates live them more quietly.

[Faux Pas]

Brandon might want to rethink signing his illustrations "BTK" ... 

[Sew Sumi]

Yikes! Although I doubt he would even know the reference. 

Also interesting was that Michael said her infertility was still "undiagnosed." It sounds like she's had pretty much every test possible; Michael mentioned that people come to see her from all over the US.

Test Brandon, you fools! No mention of HIS status was made, so I assume that they're going the fundie route of blaming/shaming the woman.

[Squirrely]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

Yikes! Although I doubt he would even know the reference. 

Also interesting was that Michael said her infertility was still "undiagnosed." It sounds like she's had pretty much every test possible; Michael mentioned that people come to see her from all over the US.

Test Brandon, you fools! No mention of HIS status was made, so I assume that they're going the fundie route of blaming/shaming the woman.

I was thinking the same thing! No mention of Brandon's test results, because they probably don't exist. Can a fundie man, um, produce a specimin for testing if it's to help him be fruitful and multiply? I mean, spilling the seed is akin to abortion in fundieville.

[trimthatfat]

I am really surprised every time I see Alyssa working for her family's cleaning company. On the one hand, I love that she's working, but on the other hand, it just doesn't seem like something she would actually choose to do if given the option. Does the company have any other employees or is this a bare-bones operation?

It's easy to test a man's fertility than it is to test a woman's so I'm going to assume Brandon's been tested. A friend recently had a hard time conceiving and when her and her husband went to a specialist, the first thing their doctor did was ask her husband for a sample.

Lawson seems like a great guy, but goodness, I can't with his musical career. I didn't like his song at all, but I suppose I am not the audience.

Edited September 1, 2017 by trimthatfat

[BitterApple]

Who watches the kids while Alyssa works with John? I haven't seen any of the epis, because I no longer get UP, but I don't get the impression John's cleaning business is a big operation. It seems like he only has a few clients. 

[Sew Sumi]

There were two women working with Alyssa when she went out without John. The only other time they showed them cleaning, they brought Allie Jane's with them. I think they must have hired out after Lexi Mae arrived. I wonder if John usually stays home since he has been doing strenuous labor all day. Not that watching a toddler and baby isn't strenuous/stressful, but at least there's naptime. It could also give Alyssa a break for a few hours that John could spend with his kids. 

But these days, it wouldn't surprise me if they used the hired help most of the time. Alyssa trading off with John (who had to wait for her to come home to go to a night job in this plotline) is probably a rarity since the second baby.

[riverblue22]

1 hour ago, Squirrely said:

I was thinking the same thing! No mention of Brandon's test results, because they probably don't exist. Can a fundie man, um, produce a specimin for testing if it's to help him be fruitful and multiply? I mean, spilling the seed is akin to abortion in fundieville.

I'm sure that Brandon has been tested and he is not the issue.  A renown specialist isn't going to waste her time without having Brandon tested.

[Sew Sumi]

It would have been nice for or Michael to clarify this. It's not as if Erin didn't already know all this information if they're as close as the show wants us to think they are. And since Erin stood up for Michael as Matron of Honor #2, I think they are that close. The conversation was for the fans. 

All she had to say was "Brandon and I have had every test imaginable," or however she worded it. 

Edited September 1, 2017 by Sew Sumi

[lookeyloo]

I was watching the previews for another show and they called it "scripted reality" which makes me think the Bates and Duggar shows are "scripted reality".  If they were really reality shows, they would have cameras following them around, basically unedited and no "takes" and marks on the ground for allegedly surprise proposals, etc.  So, yes, most of the conversations, in my opinion with no facts at all, is that they are for the fans/viewers.

[Squirrely]

18 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

It would have been nice for or Michael to clarify this. It's not as if Erin didn't already know all this information if they're as close as the show wants us to think they are. And since Erin stood up for Michael as Matron of Honor #2, I think they are that close. The conversation was for the fans. 

All she had to say was "Brandon and I have had every test imaginable," or however she worded it. 

Exactly. She could have left it out to protect his reputation, for lack of better word, but I will not assume he has been tested just because it's the norm for regular, everyday non-fundies. I certainly hope he has, for poor Michael's sake, but he is definitely the husband most steeped in the Gothard koolaid. There's not a lot of grey in that world. The Bateses just do a better job of making it look shiny and pretty for onlookers than most.

[SongbirdHollow]

Just watched. I'm kind of surprised about the AARP plug. They're liberal to to point that the conservatives came up with an alternative organization to counter them. And their travel website is terrible.

Poor Michael, I hope she gets a baby soon. She's just so sad.

I'm with the girls about cities. They're good for a shot of excitement once in a while but I could never thrive in one. I wonder why Michael doesn't drive?

What is Brandon's book about? His illustrations are lovely but it looked text heavy as well.

[Sew Sumi]

I thought he was writing a children's book. Maybe it's aimed at older kids (9-12 range)?

[flyingdi]

I just wish they would decide on a name for Michael.  Erin used Michael,  Michaella, Aunt Mikey and something else all in the same paragraph.  No idea why it drives me crazy but it does.

[luvmylabs]

On 9/1/2017 at 3:01 PM, Sew Sumi said:

Yikes! Although I doubt he would even know the reference. 

Also interesting was that Michael said her infertility was still "undiagnosed." It sounds like she's had pretty much every test possible; Michael mentioned that people come to see her from all over the US.

Test Brandon, you fools! No mention of HIS status was made, so I assume that they're going the fundie route of blaming/shaming the woman.

Having gone through fertility treatments myself, one of the first tests they do is on the husband.  If she's a good doctor, this has already been done.