Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Meet the Duggars in California

If you live in the San Francisco area, mark your calendar for June 16th. The Duggars are coming to town!

Saturday, June 16th, 5-9pm

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar to speak at Values Advocacy Council's Family Night

Calvary Chapel San Jose
1175 Hillsdale Ave, San Jose, California 95118

5-6pm: Private meet-and-greet reception with the Duggars*
7-9pm: Values Advocacy Council program with Jim Bob and Michelle

Registration is required. To reserve your spot, visit the registration page.
Well-behaved children are welcome. Childcare is not provided, but a parent-child room with large monitors will be available.

*At the request of the Duggars, the main program, which includes a book signing and runs from 7-9pm, is free and open to the public. The Duggars have gifted their time and are not being compensated. If you wish to attend the private meet-and-greet reception from 5-6pm, the cost is $50 for adults, $10 for children ages 12-17, and free for children ages 5-11. The meet-and-greet is a fundraiser for Values Advocacy Council events and will include hors d'oeuvres and drinks.

**The food truck portion of the event has been removed, due to logistics. 

Imagine homeschooling little ones, planning weddings for older children, being available for counsel and support for married children, being actively involved parents to 19 children, and being actively involved grandparents to 10 grandchildren (and counting), all while maintaining a healthy marriage and taking time for missions and service. 

Come learn how Jim Bob and Michelle do it all. They will also speak about the power of forgiveness; balancing fame, family, and faith; and dealing with criticism from the media and public. The Duggars are a real family, and they do not claim to be perfect, nor do they claim to have everything under control. Come hear their heart for American families and for America.




Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

102 comments:

  1. Isn’t this the day before Kendra’s due date? I wonder if they will miss the birth!

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    Replies
    1. If they're in California speaking, I think it's likely they may miss the birth. Maybe Joe can keep in contact with Skype.

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    2. If the Duggars are "gifting" their time, why do people have to pay for the "private" meet and greet session?

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    3. Kendra has been private so far. She may have chosen to actually be classy and wise and not show herself laboring at home for days and then rushed to the hospital for an emergency c-section or blood transfusion. Therefore Michelle would have no camera time and JimBob a payout. Hence, a trip to California instead.

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    4. You wonder how they could tear themselves away for this speaking engagement when the birth of another grandchild is immanent.

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    5. Wow, you're right! Seems like it's very possible they could miss it!

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    6. Due on 17th - maybe Kendra does not wish for them to be there but prefer just her own mum and sister.

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    7. Yep she is due the Sunday June 17th Father’s Day.

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    8. This is their daughter in law, not daughter, she may not want anyone other than Joe and her doctor/midwife and maybe her own mother present. IMO, labor and delivery are much easier with as few people present as possible. Then you can focus on your contractions, and getting your baby delivered.

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    9. 2:24 - Please read the whole post before commenting. It clearly states that the meet and greet is a fundraiser for the organization and that the Duggars are not receiving any compensation for appearing.

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    10. 5:44 I think you may be right. If anyone other than Joe is in the room it should be her own mother. It seems that when a Duggar gets married, we seldom see or hear anything about the in-laws family. Almost as if they are taking a back seat to Jim Bob and Michelle.

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    11. I’m guessing the made the commitment prior. I would also guess they talked to Joe and Kendra before they left and all were agreeable. They will find a way to be present, personally or through Skype.

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    12. They have so many grandchilderen. It is not posssible to be around always.

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    13. Kendra has her own mother, and I'm sure they are close, and I'm sure Kendra wants her own mom to be with her at birth.

      Michelle was at Anna's first birth only, and even then she was in Texas and then came with Jill right for them Anna was to deliver.

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    14. Anon @2:25PM Your sarcasm is very rude. People do love Duggar family and happy to see them.
      In addition you are here making fun of three women whom we've been following since their childhood and whom we want to see on TV. Making fun of their sufferings is cruel .

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    15. No wonder they keep their lives secrets with people babbling like is.

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    16. 9:36 There's more to it than that, if you read that organization's own description of the event. Always research where your money is going before you commit to spending it.

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    17. Wasn't Michelle at Marcus's birth as well? She was in the car as they drove to the birthing center. Honestly, we have no idea if she was present for Meredith or Mason's birth. She has made an effort to attend each birth.

      It's too bad they'll be out of town or on a travel day for Father's Day though. I'm sure the kids will do something for Jim Bob on a different date.

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    18. How we choose to give birth, and who we choose to have in attendance is a very personal decision, and some people don’t want any audience, just a spouse and the birth team. I hope Kendra feels comfortable asserting her preferences on this, and I hope everyone in her periphery has been respectful of her wishes.

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    19. I never had my mother at the births of my children. She lived far away and a person never knows whwn a baby will come. Quite often a first baby arrives late but baby could be born any day now. Rather than my mom being around for labor (nobosy knows when their baby will be born anyway) i preferred that she was there for help after the baby arrived. Perhaps that would be the same with kendra. And as many pointed out... kendra would likely prefer her mother to her mother in law.

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  2. I hope everything goes well at the event!

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  3. "being actively involved parents to 19 children." Didn't know the adult children still needed parenting. Advice yes. Parenting no. Or maybe I interpreted this statement wrong.

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    1. I think you're just overthinking it.

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    2. I highly doubt the Duggars wrote the statement. Pretty sure it was the organization sponsoring the event, and I'm sure they just wanted to emphasize the fact that they have a large family.

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    3. When you miss a birth. You are not really involved

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    4. "Being actively involved" does not mean parenting. It for example can mean that Michelle attends her daughters' births, comes to cook with them or shopping, and so on.

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    5. You NEVER stop having children no matter how old they are. Do you cut yours off at 18? More like you have none.

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    6. 8:53, Kendra may not want them their while she’s in labor.

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    7. @ Nancy. You never stop being a parent but once your children are adults and out of the home you really don't "actively parent" them as you're not actually involved in their daily routine. I always saw my job as a parent was to ensure that my children learned not to NEED me to live their lives. The blurb seemed a bit over the top to me.

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    8. Parenting and parents are two different words, one is a noun, the other a verb.Being an involved parent means you care, and are there for your kids when they need you. For all we know Kendra has an induction/section scheduled.

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    9. Nancy S.- Once your children are adults, it's no longer a parent's job to give unsolicited advice or try to control them. That's why I think it's important for grown children to move out and live on their own, unless there are some extenuating circustances. They need to find their own way in the world without interfering parents. Be there for them to give advice WHEN ASKED for it.

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    10. This seems to be a promotional statement written by the group running the event. I can't imagine the Duggars being foolish enough to write such a self serving statement about themselves.

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    11. I agree the Duggars likely did not write this promo themselves. However it's also true that the Duggars are MUCH more actively involved in their adult children's lives than most. The adult sons apparently all work for their father in some capacity, and Jim Bob has also provided many of his married children with free or low-cost housing. Actually AFAIK Jinger and Joy are the only children who did NOT get that, as their husbands already had housing prepared for them. But Josh, Jill, Jessa, and Joe all did, and I'd be surprised if Josiah doesn't.

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  4. WOW - Father's Day weekend and due date for the newest grandbaby? Does not seem like a good time to travel but was probably planned before Kendra and Joe announced their news.

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    1. These events are often scheduled a year or so in advance.

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    2. They have so many and seen it before.

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    3. That they have many grandchildren doesn't make Joseph's first born any less special.

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    4. Maybe Kendra and Joe have decided not to have Michelle at the birth? Seems to me having Kendra's mother there might take precedence over MIL...

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  5. I would luuuv to go

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  6. Darn! Too far for me to drive.

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  7. $50.00 per adult? I don't think so

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    1. You may want to read the post a little closer. The event is free. It is the optional, private meet and greet that costs extra. Think of it this way: if there wasn't a cost for the private meet and greet, they would likely have too many attendees, and the Dugggars wouldn't be able to chat with any of them. (It would no longer be a private meet and greet.) Sometimes, having a fee for something is necessary to keep the numbers down and keep it special for those who most want to attend.

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    2. I would never pay to meet anyone! Not even the Queen.

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    3. It is a fundraiser. I and many others enjoy offering money to a charity or church and it is very nice for the donors to have a little talk or something inspiring when they donate.

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    4. 10:55 - I did read the statement. $50.00 is too much for the average person to pay. Making it more affordable would mean more of the average population could attend.

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    5. I'm pretty sure there are other ways to limit the amount of people greeting the Duggars, like a lottery or first come first served. So if they are charging $50/person, where is the money going?

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    6. Anon @ 11:03 I'm with you, I would never pay to meet anyone, especially not reality TV 'stars'!

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    7. Are you all missing the point that this is a fundraiser for an organization?????

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    8. @12:05 The money is not going to a charity or a church this time. It's going to the Values Advocacy Council. Look them up and you'll see.

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    9. Yes, people ARE missing the point. $50 is not a high price to pay for a charity event.

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    10. So, the Values Advocacy Council looks like a fine organization. Good for the Duggars for donating their time.

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    11. The VAC might not be everyone's cup of tea. As with any organization, you should be fully aware of who you're giving to.

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    12. I looked them up, they seem to be a conservative lobbying group, very similar to the Family Research Council. I wouldn't quite call that kind of group a "charity". But hopefully those who were questioning how politically active the Duggars are, now see that they DO throw their weight behind political causes.

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  8. I wish the Duggar's would speak in ND! I miss seeing sweet Michelle and her sweet hubby Jim Bob on TV each week, would love love to meet them in person either in ND where I live, or even if they came to Minnesota, which is close to me also!

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  9. I wish I could go see them! Jim Bob and Michelle are my two favorite Duggars!!

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  10. Wow that is way to expensive

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    1. It's more than I or many others would be able to pay, but there are definitely people who are able to give this amount to help raise funds. I don't think it's outrageous, though. I've seen plenty of political fundraisers that charge in the hundreds or even thousands.

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  11. $50/person to meet the Duggars? Is this a ministry?

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    1. I'm under the impression it's a fund raiser for the people running the conference they're speaking at. I never considered events you pay to attend a ministry.

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    2. Supposedly a fund raiser for some group that the Duggars seem to be associated with.

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  12. How kind of the Duggars to travel so far and donate their time to this four hour event. Did John David fly them there in his plane?

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    1. The event isn’t for a few weeks

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  13. They have 20 grandchilderen and many more to come. They can not be there and have seen it so many times. They can meet the baby later. The parents of kendra will be there. It is their first. That is so important.

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    1. They have 10, not 20

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    2. This weekend Michelle was saying she has 12. She, like myself, count babies still in the womb as people. God bless their precious souls :)

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    3. Still not 20. Also, if you’re going to include the unborn babies, you could include Josh and Anna’s second baby who miscarried, so 13

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  14. I am so distraught and guttered that you didn’t make it to beautiful, tropical Far North Queensland to see the a Great Barrier Reef when you came to Australia last time.
    I would t would be lovely to be your hosts.

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  15. Is this "family Night with the Duggars" part of a weekend conference or is it a stand alone event?

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  16. If the Duggars are gifting their time, then why the steep admission fee? Also, are they selling books there and will make lots of money that way?

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    1. Please re-read the post. This is a fund raiser for an organization!! The Duggars are not making any money off of this, they are helping the organization out.

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    2. If you read the whole post, you’ll have the answer to your first question.
      As to your question about the books, I don’t know if they are selling them or not, but they won’t make much money from them if they are. The authors of professionally published books (as opposed to those that are self published or produced by vanity presses) make a minimal amount of each book sold, they are paid for the book’s content and usually some percentage of the sales. The bigger the author in terms of books previously sold, the more they’re likely to get in royalties on their next book, but the Duggars don’t write bestsellers, so they don’t get much per book sold. If they are selling their books in person, they would have had to buy them from the publisher (at a discounted rate).
      Though I don’t know the Duggars, or the specifics of their book deals, I know enough authors and people in publishing to know how book deals work. They may have made a lot of money when they turned in the manuscript, but what they make on the sale of individual books is minimal.

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    3. It appears to be a fund raiser for the group hosting the event. The "private" meet and greet is the only part that there is a charge for. As for the books, I don't know how that works.

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  17. The first grandchild is important. Tot m and jb it is their 20th. They have seen it already. A speaking arrangement is important.

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  18. Kendra should only met Joe there. And a docter.Not all other family membres.

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    1. ??? I don't think Kendra is planning on "meeting" Joe somewhere since they live together.

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    2. I think that the May 31st Anonymous, meant to type "let," and not "met." They are saying, that it should just be Joe and Kendra, at the birth of Joe and Kendra's son.

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    3. 1:02, good grief I don’t know if you were being sarcastic or what, but you need to learn to read between typos

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  19. I guess the Duggar haters are active. The posts are ridiculous. Yes, it's hateful because many jump to the worst speculation without all the facts. Kendra is the daughter in law so maybe she wants her family there. Maybe Michelle just wants to respect them by letting that special time be just for them? Maybe the event was scheduled in advance and they just are honoring their commitment? Na, it's more fun to find the worst possible motive.

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    1. There were times when nobody looked for or suspected there could even be a motive behind anything the Duggars did, and you see how that turned out. There's nothing wrong with questioning or using critical thinking skills. You just did it yourself by offering some reasons why the Duggars won't be in Arkansas that weekend. It's not "hate" to have a question or wonder about something that's become obvious. It isn't nice to call people haters, though.

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    2. It's the haters vs the whiners, lol!

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    3. Completely agree @12:16!

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    4. Anon at 4:49PM: If you are referring to the Josh scandals, while I don't agree with how the Duggars handled what he did as teenager, and think they were naive to assume it would never leak out, I also do not at all blame them for keeping that quiet once they were sure the problem was fixed. Not only to protect Josh but to protect the victims as well.

      As for what Josh did as an adult, yes he betrayed Anna and deceived everyone, but that INCLUDED his own parents. I don't agree with the idea that "Josh was a rotten hypocrite who fooled us, so we're going to assume everyone in the family is a phony liar like him".

      There is also a big difference between "questioning or using critical thinking skills" and assuming the worst about the Duggars' motives. Some posters here have obviously already judged them as bad parents who are driven by ego and greed and don't really care about the best interests of their children.

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    5. Well said 3:48!

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  20. Interesting. Wondering about the real reason for their trip to CA? Im guessing one of their children is moving there.

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    1. I doubt it. The Duggars travel all over for speaking engagements and their children don't move to the places where they speak.

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    2. It already has been "rumored" that Jinger & Jeremy may be moving for job related reasons. If true -
      GOOD FOR THEM.

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    3. Is that why they traveled to NYC and any number of other places?

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    4. That must have been why they visited Israel, Scotland, and what was it, London? Cause you know, they have kids living in all those places now

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  21. Looks like Father's Day will be a "travel day" for Jim Bob and Michelle. Who knows what with happen with Kendra and if they'll miss the birth.

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  22. Gourmet Food Truck Dinner? How are gourmet food trucks different from regular food trucks? Do they serve more expensive hot dogs or something?

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    1. Food trucks have become more of a "thing" in recent years, and they are turning out way more interesting foods than just hot dogs these days.

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    2. Who knows? I worked a museum that sold "gourmet hot dogs" in the snack bar. Aside from the price I honestly couldn't tell a "gourmet" hot dog from a regular one. The staff would eat the one or two that were left in the machine at the end of the day, so I just decided it was marketing. However food trucks sometimes offer better things than just hot dogs, but charge accordingly.

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    3. I've seen food trucks selling a LOT of interesting things everything from Chinese food, Indian food, chicken and waffles, tacos, barbeque, etc, etc.

      Sadly though the question no longer applies to this event because the food truck was cancelled. =( I guess we'll never know what it would have served.

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  23. I wish I could be there. It sounds like it will be a really informative conference. I love hearing Jim Bob and Michelle speak!

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  24. Face reality Michelle herself said she probably will not be able to remember the names of all her grandchildren. Having a large family has many perks but there is always a downside. She is only one person and there is no way you can have a intimate relationship with that many family members. Time does not allow this.

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    1. Don't you think Michelle was probably joking?

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    2. She couldn't have possibly been serious when she said that. Of course she'll know all the grandkids names. Why would she not be able to have a close relationship with all her children and grandchildren? Grandma Duggar seems to have no problem doing just that.

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    3. Anon @ 9:13 Grandma duggar only had two childeen and im sure never thought she would have 20 grandchildren. Michelle has had 19 chidren, and will have many many grandchidren so I am sure it will be difficult to keep up with names. Also Michelle could not have raised all her children without consideravle help from her older daughters, it is physically impossoble to give one on one attention to that many children, so with even more grandchildren she will find it difficult to have close telationships with them.

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  25. I think this part of the post pretty much says it all to those who are making negative comments:
    "The Duggars are a real family, and they do not claim to be perfect, nor do they claim to have everything under control."

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