Josiah and Lauren: He Has To Marry Somebody

[Temperance]

Lauren doesn't look pregnant to me. If she is, she's not too far along. 

Katey Duggar (OfJed!) was also a bridesmaid. Katey is due April and you can tell she's pregnant.

Also Suze Keller was a bridesmaid.

[iwantcookies]

TLC should have named the show:

Smug broodmares carrying the next generation of mediocrity. 
 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by iwantcookies

[emmawoodhouse]

"Mediocrity" is giving them too much credit. 

[madpsych78]

The picture of the six was also taken when Joy was pregnant with Annabell - who, as we know, was a stillbirth.

[ginger90]

On 11/18/2021 at 5:09 PM, Zella said:

It reads to me like Lauren and/or Josiah are already preemptively planning for the media/tabloid/social media shitstorm that will hit the family accounts when the trial starts. It's actually pretty smart. 

Coming back to this. I looked to see if they have posted anything since the verdict. They haven’t. All of the posts that remain have had the replies deleted , and comments are turned off on all of them.

[Gemma Violet]

WOACB has a long post on her FB about Josiah and Lauren--not too much new stuff except a few things like he attended the funeral of a close family friend alone.  There was some stuff we had heard about like neither Lauren or Bella were in the Duggar Christmas video and Lauren no longer posts on IG.

[libgirl2]

45 minutes ago, Gemma Violet said:

WOACB has a long post on her FB about Josiah and Lauren--not too much new stuff except a few things like he attended the funeral of a close family friend alone.  There was some stuff we had heard about like neither Lauren or Bella were in the Duggar Christmas video and Lauren no longer posts on IG.

I wonder if she said he could go spend Christmas with his family but she refused to go. He might have only put in a quick appearance.  

[Zella]

She might have been there but just been a hard no on her or their child appearing in any of the pictures. 

[Tuxcat]

4 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

I wonder if she said he could go spend Christmas with his family but she refused to go. He might have only put in a quick appearance.  

That is possible. Or perhaps they are not together anymore?

Or maybe she specifically asked to not be pictured in the videos.

I just have a feeling they might be having issues though. Pure speculation of course. She didn't seem like the easiest person to please and Josiah seemed to come up short a lot of the time in terms of her expectations. Under the stress of the trial - maybe things really broke apart?

[absnow54]

2 minutes ago, Tuxcat said:

I just have a feeling they might be having issues though. Pure speculation of course. She didn't seem like the easiest person to please and Josiah seemed to come up short a lot of the time in terms of her expectations. Under the stress of the trial - maybe things really broke apart?

I keep going back to the episode where Lauren made Josiah video his vowels because she couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed for 5 minutes to indulge the exercise. They won’t split, but I can see Lauren ducking out of any and all events she doesn’t want to go to, appearances be dammed. 

[woodscommaelle]

35 minutes ago, absnow54 said:

I keep going back to the episode where Lauren made Josiah video his vowels because she couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed for 5 minutes to indulge the exercise. 

Wait what happened? 

[farmgal4]

1 hour ago, Gemma Violet said:

WOACB has a long post on her FB about Josiah and Lauren--not too much new stuff except a few things like he attended the funeral of a close family friend alone.  There was some stuff we had heard about like neither Lauren or Bella were in the Duggar Christmas video and Lauren no longer posts on IG.

😴 She must be desperate for content. 💤

[emmawoodhouse]

5 minutes ago, woodscommaelle said:

Wait what happened? 

She was pregnant and milking it for every fucking ounce of attention. She refused to participate in a vow renewal exercise. Josiah had to do his vows via video so she could see them. 🙄

[Gemma Violet]

4 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

She was pregnant and milking it for every fucking ounce of attention. She refused to participate in a vow renewal exercise. Josiah had to do his vows via video so she could see them. 🙄

 

OK, I'm no longer confused.  When I read this:

Quote

episode where Lauren made Josiah video his vowels

....I pictured Lauren teaching Josiah proper enunciation.  🙂

Edited December 29, 2021 by Gemma Violet

[Heathen]

Reminder, the shows are scripted and edited. For all we know, Lauren isn't "like that" at all. 

[BitterApple]

Lauren and Bella were with Si at Nathan Bates' wedding, but in the brief glimpse I saw of her at the rehearsal dinner, she looked bored out of her mind. 

I take WOACB with a grain of salt, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were issues or they were quietly leading separate lives. They were a mismatch from the start. I still cringe at Si wiping his mouth after their first kiss. Hardly a love story for the ages. 

[louannems]

10 hours ago, absnow54 said:

I keep going back to the episode where Lauren made Josiah video his vowels because she couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed for 5 minutes to indulge the exercise. They won’t split, but I can see Lauren ducking out of any and all events she doesn’t want to go to, appearances be dammed. 

You know how in Victorian novels there is always that one female who is a chronic fake invalid?  That's how I see Lauren.  Always on her fainting couch.

Edited December 29, 2021 by louannems
She even has the feeble breathless speech pattern .

[crazy8s]

I have always thought the duggar SILs married in for the perks of the show the fame, followers or whatever, except maybe Austin who seemed uncomfortable on camera, very similar to JD and Joseph.

The DILs though - Kendra and Lauren always seemed uncomfortable and very poorly edited to make them look bad. I think Kendra's tell is the giggle. Lauren was always edited to be the bitch. maybe she was, maybe she wasn't. maybe she was just uncomfortable doing the marriage retreat/vow renewal take after take while reading from her TLC script. I don't remember how long Josiah and Lauren had been married at that point.

we didn't really see enough of Abbie or Claire on the show to form an opinion of them. but possibly they also would have been awkward with filming. I don't think any of the DILs knew what was involved. the time, the scripting, the editing that would make them look ignorant, an idiot or a bitch, etc.

 

 

[GeeGolly]

I agree there was some heavy editing on the show, but IMO, Lauren couldn't have been made out to be such a poor sport if she wasn't one. There was just way to much footage of her pouting.

[P2C2E]

Didn't Lauren say she had a migraine? I get chronic migraines and have had to opt out of many important things because I was too sick to participate. Add to that, the absolute last thing you want with a migraine is bright filming lights.

I know that many people think of migraines as just headaches or excuses people use, but they can be debilitating even if it looks like we're fine. You can lose parts of your vision. And they can last days. Even when the pain is low level, when you are on day 5 of that shit your tolerance for anything is pretty much zero.

I don't know Lauren, but I know migraines. It's not something you just take Tylenol for or you just tough out for family activities.

 

[Zella]

11 minutes ago, crazy8s said:

maybe she was just uncomfortable doing the marriage retreat/vow renewal take after take while reading from her TLC script.

It could have been editing, but to me, Lauren in that marriage retreat episode came off as incredibly catty and passive-aggressive, and I don't think all of that was editing. Her complaining about not feeling well and insisting on melodramatically lying in the same room as the rest of them rather than going to her own room at the retreat was peak drama llama, and I don't think she was actually sick precisely because she still stuck around to be filmed. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Zella

[Vivigirl10]

I always thought Lauren was severely, ugh.......not intellectually gifted.  But then I'd remember that she was completely and utterly uneducated so maybe that's just what we were seeing.  

There is no way they've broken up or aren't together.  Lauren was sold a fairytale dream about marriage and there's simply no way that she's already given up on that being anything but the truth.  Good Lord, just look at Anna as an example.  I'm starting to believe there isn't a single thing that could ever happen to make one of these simpering females realize that something is wrong in their marriage.  

 

[Zella]

4 minutes ago, P2C2E said:

Didn't Lauren say she had a migraine? I get chronic migraines and have had to opt out of many important things because I was too sick to participate. Add to that, the absolute last thing you want with a migraine is bright filming lights.

I know that many people think of migraines as just headaches or excuses people use, but they can be debilitating even if it looks like we're fine. You can lose parts of your vision. And they can last days. Even when the pain is low level, when you are on day 5 of that shit your tolerance for anything is pretty much zero.

I don't know Lauren, but I know migraines. It's not something you just take Tylenol for or you just tough out for family activities.

 

I don't have migraines, but I know people who do. They would not have done what Lauren did of still staying in the bright noisy room when they had an option of retreating somewhere quieter and more private. That's exactly what she did. I don't believe for a minute that she was not feeling well. Not because I minimize migraines but because her actions doesn't match that of someone who actually had a migraine, in my experience. 

Edited to add: I'm pretty sure she even admitted she wasn't sick and just didn't want to deal with Josiah. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Zella

[Ljohnson1987]

Lauren seems very whiney. Josiah seems like he wouldn't put up with it. 

[Zella]

Just now, Ljohnson1987 said:

Lauren seems very whiney. Josiah seems like he wouldn't put up with it. 

Yeah and to be fair to her, he did seem pretty irritating. It seemed like they were locked in a battle of who was trying to be more annoying, but she won. LOL 

[SMama]

4 minutes ago, Kiki620 said:

I always thought Lauren was severely, ugh.......not intellectually gifted.  But then I'd remember that she was completely and utterly uneducated so maybe that's just what we were seeing.  

 

I’m not a Lauren fan, but along with Abby, she is the most educated Duggar DIL. She earned an associate degree at a brick and mortar community college. 

[Ljohnson1987]

1 minute ago, SMama said:

I’m not a Lauren fan, but along with Abby, she is the most educated Duggar DIL. She earned an associate degree at a brick and mortar community college. 

Lauren will never use the degree she earned. Anna has a college degree as well. College degrees in the cult are useless. 

[Vivigirl10]

SMama, thank you for letting me know that - I had no idea!  Sadly, I guess it removes that excuse then?!

[SMama]

6 minutes ago, Ljohnson1987 said:

Lauren will never use the degree she earned. Anna has a college degree as well. College degrees in the cult are useless. 

Anna’s degree was obtained either Online or through correspondence from a non accredited degree mill. 

[Tikichick]

She could be struggling with a chronic illness, even an emotional one.   That's just as likely as any other speculation about her.    She's not putting herself out there in the public eye anymore for whatever reason.   Seems a bit harsh to keep flogging her IMO.

She did manage to orchestrate what actually looked like a legitimately well organized and fun family activity when she put together that fall festival.   It seemed far more thought out and enjoyable than anything producers paid to be creative tossed out there as forced family fun to fill the airwaves.   Seems like she actually may have some skills.   Hope she finds a good outlet for them.        

[Ohiopirate02]

It's possible that Lauren is unsatisfied with her allotted role in her cult.  Her father practically sold her to JB in Dwain's bid to become a star.  She's saddled with a husband she may never have wanted, a camera is shoved into her face, and she's told to play nice and start birthing babies.  She does what she is told because what other choice does she have.  She and Josiah start their Instagram account possibly per JB's request.  Her once private life is no longer private and she is forced to talk about her miscarriage on national TV.  Then Homeland Security raids the car lot, and her father and her FIL have a falling out.  All the while she's told to still play nice in front of the camera.  This is a lot of shit to happen to someone that young and uneducated.  The other non-Duggars who have married into the family all seem to either have affection for their Duggar spouse or are too dumb to realize how difficult marrying into the family really is.  

If anything, the demise of Counting On gives Lauren and Josiah a chance to actually carve out a life for themselves and their daughter.  No more playing nice (or pretending to play nice) for the camera.  No more mandatory Instagram posts, in fact those have all been deleted.  

[emmawoodhouse]

2 hours ago, Kiki620 said:

SMama, thank you for letting me know that - I had no idea!  Sadly, I guess it removes that excuse then?!

Lauren confessed that she HATED school. I think she went to chaperone her sister Lily, who LOVED it. 

[SMama]

12 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Lauren confessed that she HATED school. I think she went to chaperone her sister Lily, who LOVED it. 

Is Lily working on a degree in speech therapy? I get these fundies mixed up a lot.

[emmawoodhouse]

1 minute ago, SMama said:

Is Lily working on a degree in speech therapy? I get these fundies mixed up a lot.

I lost track of Lily, but I do remember that she wanted to continue her education. 

[GeeGolly]

Although it has no bearing on intelligence, Lauren also said she found learning very hard.

[libgirl2]

4 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Although it has no bearing on intelligence, Lauren also said she found learning very hard.

Of course, she probably was never checked for dyslexia or anything. 

[madpsych78]

2 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

It's possible that Lauren is unsatisfied with her allotted role in her cult.  Her father practically sold her to JB in Dwain's bid to become a star.  She's saddled with a husband she may never have wanted, a camera is shoved into her face, and she's told to play nice and start birthing babies.  She does what she is told because what other choice does she have.  She and Josiah start their Instagram account possibly per JB's request.  Her once private life is no longer private and she is forced to talk about her miscarriage on national TV.  Then Homeland Security raids the car lot, and her father and her FIL have a falling out.  All the while she's told to still play nice in front of the camera.  This is a lot of shit to happen to someone that young and uneducated.  The other non-Duggars who have married into the family all seem to either have affection for their Duggar spouse or are too dumb to realize how difficult marrying into the family really is.  

If anything, the demise of Counting On gives Lauren and Josiah a chance to actually carve out a life for themselves and their daughter.  No more playing nice (or pretending to play nice) for the camera.  No more mandatory Instagram posts, in fact those have all been deleted.  

Did Boob have a falling out with Dwain too? I thought the falling out was with Paul Caldwell.

[emmawoodhouse]

7 minutes ago, madpsych78 said:

Did Boob have a falling out with Dwain too? I thought the falling out was with Paul Caldwell.

I hadn't heard anything about a falling out with Dwain. Can someone provide some deets?

[Ohiopirate02]

I'm probably mixing up Dwain and Paul. All of these patriarchal assholes tend to run together. 

[SMama]

4 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

Of course, she probably was never checked for dyslexia or anything. 

Why would she? No matter the diagnosis the cure is the same, pray more. 

I do wonder how that belief is settling with the felon’s conviction. It’d make an excellent case study in cognitive dissonance.

[ChiCricket]

On 12/29/2021 at 7:27 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I'm probably mixing up Dwain and Paul. All of these patriarchal assholes tend to run together. 

[BigBingerBro]

Pregnant?  Yea or Nay?

[BitterApple]

Most definitely yay. 

[Cinnabon]

Were these pictures someone posted to SM? I hope they got Lauren’s permission first since she has not been posting any of herself and obviously felt no need to announce her (potential) pregnancy to millions of strangers.

[galaxygirl76]

11 minutes ago, Cinnabon said:

Were these pictures someone posted to SM? I hope they got Lauren’s permission first since she has not been posting any of herself and obviously felt no need to announce her (potential) pregnancy to millions of strangers.

I believe it's from the Jed! baby gender announcement video.

[ginger90]

4 minutes ago, galaxygirl76 said:

I believe it's from the Jed! baby gender announcement video.

It is. 

[Rootbeer]

14 hours ago, Cinnabon said:

Were these pictures someone posted to SM? I hope they got Lauren’s permission first since she has not been posting any of herself and obviously felt no need to announce her (potential) pregnancy to millions of strangers.

This is a screen shot from a video Jed and Katey posted of their gender reveal event. The whole thing was filmed and posted by them; I presume Lauren knew they were filming and knew it would be online.

Watching the video, there is a point where Lauren turns toward the camera and the baby belly seems pretty obvious. Their daughter is almost two and a half; that's not an unusual gap between kids for anyone.

[DkNNy79]

At the end of the day these ladies have no life skills or hobbies other than having babies.  What else are they going to do all day? 
 

She is definitely pregnant.  I think she is smart to stay off social media.  It’s just more emotionally healthy that way.  What type of job does Josiah have?  Does he work at the car lot?

[Tdoc72]

On 1/7/2022 at 7:41 PM, BigBingerBro said:

Pregnant?  Yea or Nay?

Yes, but not as far along as this pic suggests. There’s a part in the video when’re you see her from the front and she’s not that big. I think I read that this was from late October. She was a bridesmaid in Hannah Rebel’s wedding from Nov where she looks pregnant as well but maybe 4-5 mos along. Just a guess though. I wonder from their lack of social media if they would even announce a birth. 

[Insert Username]

Every once in a while I check up on Marjorie Jackson's Instagram. Since splitting with Si, she went to and finished college (an actual accredited college) and is now working in DC and appears to be living her best life, while still maintaining her faith. She has more spirit and life than a dozen Duggars. It's sad - they could have all had this. At the very least, they all could have gone to college (although since JB does not have a college degree, there was no way he was going to let any of his kids get one) I think Jinger, Jessa, Josiah, and the sinner twins in particular would have thrived at college.