Saturday, May 5, 2018

Dinner with Lauren's Family

To kick off the weekend, Josiah Duggar and fiancée Lauren Swanson joined Lauren's family for dinner. You may recognize the restaurant as Northwest Arkansas's MarketPlace Grill, a Duggar family favorite. While Josiah is the eighth child in his family, Lauren is the oldest in hers.

Lauren Swanson, Josiah Duggar, and the Swanson family
Lauren Swanson, Josiah Duggar, and the Swanson family

 Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com/Josiah Duggar

98 comments:

  1. Enough already with the Marketplace Grill.

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    1. I agree. Do they ever eat anywhere else?

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    2. That’s their favorite restaurant, why does it matter to you if they post about it?!

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    3. Why would you get upset about where the family chooses to eat?

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    4. That place has really good food. I can understand why they like to go there.

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    5. Marketplace is sooo good! It’s my favorite place! Why don’t you want them to eat there?

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    6. 9:32 original poster is tired of hearing about it

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    7. They like eating there because they get free stuff on their birthdays.

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    8. It's owned by a Christian.

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  2. I am genuinely interested how Derick and Jill ministered to people in El Salvador without fluently (or even semi-fluently) speaking the language? Did most of the people they spent time with speak English?

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    1. They learned Spanish

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    2. That or they had a translator

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    3. They took Spanish lessons in order to be able to communicate with them.

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    4. This post is not about him.

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    5. They speak Spanish

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    6. not very well! their Spanish level is quite basic.

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    7. My 5 year old speaks more Spanish than they do!

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    8. They where there to short. So they could not learn the language. And

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    9. It was not a real ministry

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    10. 6:44. It’s good to hear someone say it! I am a minister who graduated from a 4-year seminary. I feel so much more authentic for having invested so much time in theology and scripture classes. I’m also held accountable for what I say and do by the larger Church. It frustrates me when people decide they want to be a minister and so they are with no real training or accountability.

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  3. Kids! It isn't too late to come to your senses and back out. You could go away to college together, date, and take a fun trip together over spring break instead of a honeymoon.

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    1. Yes to all of this! Lauren is the same age as some of my high school students. They all have plans to go to college and none of them are into marriage or serious relationships. She is really way too young to be getting married.

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    2. What?? Seriously? It's their life.

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    3. Ikr! I love this family and everything but I'm turning 18 this month and going to college next fall and seriously I feel like I could learn so much more before making such a big life decision. As much as I want to date and get married and have a family and whatever, I want to make sure I'm ready. Of course Lauren and Josiah are whole different persons than me but honestly they should reconsider marrying highschool sweethearts

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    4. Especially after dating for such a short time! Gosh!

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    5. They already have know each other for years, it’s not like they’re strangers who’ve never met, and they obviously don’t WANT to go to college. Also, they could still get married and then go to college together, look at John Luke and Mary Kate Robertson

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    6. It is their choice, not yours.

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    7. Like that's going to happen? Come on! Some people want to stay pure. Save the vacationing for the honeymoon, but they could go away to college and put marriage on hold for sure

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    8. I think there is some value to waiting and saving yourself for marriage

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    9. Why are you encouraging young unmarried people to take a vacation together? While that goes on all the time it is wrong.

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    10. You can't tell people how to live their lives. They are happy and that is all that matters.

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    11. Sorry if one's life didn't turn out as one wished. Some are ready at 18 and some (perhaps some who are posting here?) shouldn't marry til their 30's or not at all.
      I married two weeks after high school .Celebrating 37 years next month .Have four children, six grands so far and BTW... I have a college degree. Finished college when my youngest was 18 months. Didn't work full time til he was 4th grade. Home and child rearing was our priority. Not the huge house and brand new cars every year... Family .

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    12. It is their lives. As long as the couple pay their own bills and let others live their own lives without comment, I do not care.

      I encouraged my children to be adults before getting married,just as my parents did with me. And that meant finishing their educations, working and living on their own first.

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    13. In my circles, kids don't get married so soon, but what's it to us if they do get married early and have a wonderful life together? Their way may be better in some respects.

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    14. We encourage ours to practice being fully responsible for themselves (physically, financially, spiritually, emotionally) before they add someone else to the equation. They need to be self-sufficient, not codependent. They're not looking for someone to "complete them". They're also not looking for a mate, so that they won't be alone or because they're afraid they'll be single for the rest of their lives or without children, or because it's the cultural expectation.

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    15. I think JB & Michelle do the same for their boys, we just don’t see all the details. JB makes sure they have a house and the skills needed to work for themselves in cars, buying and renting properties. I mean what’s so wrong with being self-employed. It’s kind of the dream, right? No boss barking down your neck and you don’t have to live according to the clock. I’ve done both and I prefer self-employed for our family. Most young 18-21 year olds these days get married and live with the in-laws or get an apartment so I think they’re doing just fine. JB n M prep their kids and help send them off into life just fine!

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  4. Thats nice spending time with future in laws.

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  5. Could we have more meaningful info? Like what jobs do Lauren and Josiah have? If Lauren doesn't work is she going to school or what hobbies does she have? Where are they going to live? There are no more houses next to the Duggar house (as far as we know.)

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    1. Be patient. All your questions will be answered, one by one during up coming shows of Counting On.

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    2. Yes! Agree! Please.

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    3. Yes! Agree! Please.

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    4. Every time one of the Duggars get married, people on here ask about their jobs. It's not our business. Where I am from its considered rude to ask if the future bride and groom are working and showing concern that they can't make it on their own. I am sure Josiah and Lauren will be completely fine.

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    5. Why should they bother explaining this again. Everytime they say what they do people insult them by saying there jobs aren't good enough. Not only do they get paid for reality TV (nothing wrong with this), they are probably doing well in the many businesses the Duggars own. Car business, real estate, etc.

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    6. For years, Jim Bob and Michelle continually advocated a debt free lifestyle and being self-employed. They interrogated their future son-in-laws on camera about how they would support their daughters and remain debt-free. I don't think it's out of the realm of the show or disrespecting their privacy to ask how the Duggar sons are supporting their own families. How is it working out for this new generation of Duggars? Counting On is about the married Duggars kids' lives, showing the Duggar sons and Ben at work would be interesting.
      The Bates family has had episodes on their family tree business as well as Chad and Zach at work. They even showcased Alyssa and John's cleaning business.

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    7. @10:33 - Yes, absolutely agree. This family has been very public about their financial views and expectations for the male spouses. We hear nothing of what Ben and Derick do for a living, let alone Josh, Joe, Josiah, and whoever else I'm forgetting.

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    8. I agree @anonymous 10:33. We can ask about their jobs because they have made it part of the show. I'm just wondering about their faith.....no doubt that they have deep Christian values but when they first started the show they showed more of their faith. It wasn't constantly about getting married and having babies. It's like they are in some kind of race to see who can have the most babies. I miss the old episodes that they had.

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  6. Her siblings look like they're a lot younger than she is.

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    1. To be fair, she’s pretty young too.

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    2. well she is also only 18 years.

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  7. With Lauren being the oldest of 8 children, she will fit right into the Duggar clan. I would guess she is very responsible and will easily adjust to the role of being Josiah's wife.

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    1. The "role"???

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    2. She is trained for her role het whole life. She will do fine.

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    3. Being someone's wife is not a role you play.

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    4. There is actually more than one definition for the word "role." One is referring to an actor's part. The other is "proper or customary function." In this context, the second definition is being used correctly.

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  8. So her family came to his home state.

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  9. What a nice intimate date, where they can connect on that deep, non-physical level.

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    1. Is your comment sarcasm? How is it an intimate date if everyone and their mother (literally) is there?

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    2. Yes. Those quiet dinner dates are nice. They lead to great communication for an engaged couple.

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    3. @ 1033 While a bunch of little kids and your parents watch???

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    4. Intimate? Lol

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    5. @1:12---10:33 was being sarcastic!

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    6. They never have privacy. Always people watching. How can you really know real information about the other? Of is not good. They are teens

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    7. I don't understand how these courtships work and how they're "better" than dating when it comes to learning about the other person. There are always other people hanging around, listening to you and watching you! Although I suspect there has been some sneaking off alone...especially with two of the sisters whose beaux were close by...

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    8. I *think* the idea behind the supervised courting is that there are more sets of eyes and ears looking and listening for potential problems or inconsistencies in the one doing the courting. In theory, it sounds like a great idea. However, as they're tending to stay within their same social circle of families who've all used the same ATI curriculum and attended the same family conferences for numerous years, it actually makes it far easier for a person to play the part (giving all the right answers and behave in all the "right" ways) and so deceive the others (Josh being the most obvious example, unfortunately). I certainly appreciate and commend that a mom & dad would have their child's best interest at heart and be looking for suspect attitudes and behaviors. Personally, I think it would work better if the parents just worked to foster a close relationship with the one doing the courting and the couple spent regular time with the family as a whole, rather than the chaperone thing. It comes across as "policing", with the courting couple needing to be policed (as in not trusted). It also puts the responsibility for maintaining proper limits on other people, some of whom are younger than the couple (an awkward spot to be in with your sibling).

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  10. I have a feeling the wedding is going to be soon, seeing as Lauren’s family is in Arkansas...

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    1. DOn't they live in Arkansas?

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    2. 11:41, nope Georgia

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    3. Lauren's family lives in Georgia. Looks like a nice family outing. I think the wedding will be in May.

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  11. They must be getting married this weekend since her family is in Arkansas.

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  12. when does the show come back on the air

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    1. I'm not sure. They said something about "summer" but that's pretty vague.

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  13. Thank you for risking it all to spread the word about a Savior, Jesus Christ, who died to save even the most negative of people, like the ones who follow and comment on people they do not like or agree with! God Bless all efforts to lead people to Christ, may you be protected and blessed always while serving the Lord. It will all be worth it in the end.

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    1. No offense intended, but none of the Duggars are "risking it all" to spread the word about Jesus. Not one of them are on the front lines living and working in a Communist country, under a dictatorship, nor in a predominantly Muslim nation speaking to anyone about Jesus. They're having elaborate weddings and hosting baby gender reveals in the safety, comfort, and luxury of rural America. Yes, Jill and Derick went to Central America, spent 14 months of their 24 month mission term in the United States, and while there lived in a guarded compound (where Jill made the Central American women come to her). So many actual missionaries and other Christians are far more deserving of that praise. I'm not saying that the Duggars do nothing "mission-minded", but "risking it all"- NOT.

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    2. Forgiven- How, exactly, have they risked it all? Actually, they've benefitted quite well financially by taking advantage of the fact that the family is so fertile and don't try to prevent pregnancy. Without their large numbers, no TV network would have taken notice of them.

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    3. Are these courting couples ever allowed to have private conversations? Considering they will have covenant marriages with little chance for a divorce if things don't work out, I'd take my sweet time about saying "I do" with anyone where the relationship is built around always having someone else watching and listening.
      It's pretty hard to share your deep feelings under those circumstances. I've trusted my adult children to use their own good judgment when forging relationships and they've done well. They certainly don't need me or anyone else to spy on them or hold them accountable to some manmade standard.

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    4. Getting married young is risking it all?? I suppose it is depending on who you ask.

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    5. @2:00 I agree. Once my adult children were old enough and were supporting themselves, I never intruded into their relationships. I trusted that they had been brought up well and were intelligent enough to make their own decisions. It is, after all, their lives.

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    6. Anonymous @11:10-That's the way we feel too! The idea is to parent well and then trust your children to have learned well. Yes, they're going to make some mistakes (we pray they will be small and not life-altering), but that is part of learning and part of being an adult. Mistakes are a necessary part of being human-learning to right yourself and be responsible to deal with it and any repercussions honestly and with integrity.

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  14. Looks like 5 of her siblings are 10yrs & younger. The youngest looking about 2 yrs. Just a thought but maybe Lauren & her Mum again will both be pregnant in the next year?!

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    1. I hope not.

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    2. Well I could be wrong but, I thought I heard that the mother is having a baby real soon. ???

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  15. I can see the family resemblance to Lauren in the two brothers sitting on the same side of the table.

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  16. How many siblings does she have? Family time is the best.

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  17. Nice place. Who picked up the tab?

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    1. I'm always curious about that, too!!! Also, when Duggars and outsiders dine together; what happens if any outsider wants a beer???

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    2. Would you ask one of your friends who picked up the tab at a restaurant they went to with friends? So classless

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    3. Are they still going to places where kids eat free?

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  18. Josiah seems like such a fun guy. I think I will like this couple.

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  19. Looks like a good time was had by all. Nice families.
    Joan,Marion and Marilyn

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  20. Little brother next to her resembles Lauren but do not see their parents in them. She's very clingy; Josiah must like that. Congratulations & blessed wishes!

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  21. What has happend with Marjorie?

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    1. She and Josiah both one up years ago! They were just too young.

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    2. Nothing. She and Josiah broke up and went their separate ways.

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  22. The Duggars sound like the people where I live who always vacation at the same motel in Florida on the same beach the same week every year and have done so for 25 years. They're horrified at a suggestion that it might be fun to vacation elsewhere.

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    1. Except that this isn't the only restaurant where we've seen them eating over the years. It's just one of their favorites, which is a perfectly normal thing to have. So no, they sound nothing like your neighbors.

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