Tuesday, September 22, 2020

'A Quarantine Courtship' Recap

Counting On "A Quarantine Courtship"

  • The Duggars are recording their own show because the crew is unable to be come into their homes to film. 
  • “There’s a lot of fear out there of the unknown,” says John as the show opens. Jessa says that the Arkansas Duggars are experiencing a taste of what life is like for Jinger and Jeremy, who have to rely on video chat to communicate with family.
  • John bakes a cake for Abbie’s 28th birthday, which is a challenge because Abbie doesn’t eat sugar or gluten. She cut both out a few years ago because she was having stomach discomfort. The chocolate cake that John makes looks and tastes delicious.
  • Meanwhile, the other Duggars decorate their vehicles for a birthday parade. Jim Bob and Michelle drive the three-wheel sports car that one of the boys recently traded for. They show up at John and Abbie’s house with horns blazing and set their gifts on the ground. “It was definitely a birthday that I’ll always remember,” says Abbie.
  • On another day, Jana and the younger girls sew masks for the family. Jana says she learned how to sew from her mom and aunt. The younger girls are learning from her and have also attended a class in the past. They drop the masks off at everyone’s houses. 
  • In Los Angeles, Jinger is organizing the house. She packs up Felicity’s old clothes to send back to Arkansas for Ivy and the other girl cousins.  
  • Ivy is starting to walk, so Jim Bob and Michelle and some of the kids come by to watch her through the window. Jessa says that the boys have had some tearful, angry moments because they don’t understand why they can’t spend time with the family. “I wanted them to drink some water,” cries Henry when the family leaves without coming inside. 
  • Later, the Duggars get together over video chat to catch up on each other’s lives. The Vuolos announce that Jinger is 13 weeks pregnant. They have everyone cast their gender vote by completing a task, such as finding a pink or blue clothing item or food item. Before the Vuolos vote, the score is tied 14 to 14.
  • Jinger and Jeremy have a soccer ball that is either filled with pink or blue powder. Jeremy kicks the ball, and it explodes with pink powder. “We are absolutely elated that we are having another girl,” says Jeremy.   
  • At the end of the video chat, Justin joins from Texas and announces his courtship with Claire Spivey. “This is Claire, and we are now in an official relationship,” says Justin. He and Claire met at a family conference in spring 2019 and started a relationship several months after.
  • “We love each one of you guys, and Mom and I pray for you guys on a regular basis,” says Jim Bob as the video chat ends.

163 comments:

  1. The Duggars are such bad actors. Or maybe such good benders of the truth. Claire spent time with them in Arkansas last Christmas. There was no need for the family to pretend to be surprised at Justin's announcement.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are not fooling anyone. They never do. Funny how they always think they are though, and think the audience believes everything they say and do.

      Delete
    2. Agreed...and making a spectacle of socially distancing from each other when clearly justin's been hopping back and forth all the while

      Delete
    3. Seriously. They had to have known.

      Delete
    4. Did they say when he announced? I notice they show stuff from different time periods in the same episode sometimes.

      Delete
    5. @6:16 It looked like was the same video chat where the gender was revealed, so in the spring?

      Delete
    6. Ok, thanks, 10:13. I have it on DVR but haven't watched yet.

      Delete
    7. Time 8:17PM Tues 9/29/20
      THAT IS RUDE TO SAY THE Duggars are
      Bad actors Its like me saying
      Harry should never marry Meghan
      For u to come here to post a
      Comment on this blog is rude.
      If the family saw this comment they
      Would be hurt. Comment like that is
      Plain rude.

      Delete
    8. Neddy, if you want to say Harry shouldn’t have married Meghan I would say that your right to think that. End of story. No name calling & yelling.

      Delete
    9. Time 9:17PM Tues 10/6/20
      I just giving u a example If I said
      It's like me saying Harry should never
      Marry Meghan Iam happy he did.

      Delete
  2. All that pandemic quarantining went straight out the window for the Duggars in less than 6 months. They've been getting together in person, having non-family members to the house, going out without masks, and traveling. They went from being hesitant to hand someone a birthday present to acting as if Covid doesn't exist. Meanwhile, the US passed a grim milestone of 200,000 deaths.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for speaking the truth!

      Delete
    2. You do know there is a 98% survival rate of COVID, right?( for those who are generally healthy and low risk)
      Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the USA. Why don’t they shut down all the fast food places? Or anything else that contributes to heart disease. Why don’t they Regulate food production and mandate exercise and healthy nutrition habits? Do you know how many lives that would save?????

      Delete
    3. I think once people saw it wasn't pandemic-level in their particular location, they backed off. Like after seeing how awful it was in NYC and then seeing little to no sickness in their place, they became less cautious.

      Delete
    4. 200,000? Hmmm. That’s media talking. Look up the truth on the CDC website.

      Delete
    5. 8:42 - people are interpreting the CDC data completely wrongly. Comorbidity deaths are still Covid deaths. A comorbidity is when someone has 2 or more co-occurring conditions. People are acting like the deaths of people with pre-existing conditions don’t matter and they do, especially in a country where so many people have them.

      Delete
    6. @7:56. You obviously do not understand statistics. The death rate is UNKNOWN at this time. You CANNOT take the total number of deaths divided by the total number of cases to get the death rate. You have to use the total number of TOTALLY resolved cases. We also now that COVID-19 can and does cause long term health problems. Even young people are experiencing long term problems. By the way, Covid-19 is the 3rd leading cause of death in the US

      As for health disease, of course it is a serious problem. However, adults are free to decide to choose what they eat. And health disease is NOT contagious. Covid-19 is CONTAGIOUS.

      Or, by the way, some countries (including mine) have taken strong measures to discourage smoking and fast food diets. Restaurants now have to post nutrition breakdowns of all their food items. And, as a result, fast food restaurants are having to adjust to the push for more healthy eating or face loss of revenue.

      Delete
    7. And miraculously sepsis and pneumonia no longer exist!! No one is dying of them anymore!!

      Delete
    8. At 7:56 a.m., the difference is that Covid is a CONTAGIOUS disease. People can decide for themselves if they want to risk heart disease by eating in a fast food restaurant, etc., but it’s not fair for other people to expose their Covid germs on someone vulnerable by not wearing a mask etc. They have NO choice if exposed to those germs, so we need to protect and respect the most vulnerable people in our population, such as the elderly, even if they are only 2 percent of the population we should love and care for them too.

      Delete
    9. 7:56 You do understand that COVID is contagious? Comparing it to heart disease is pointless. People who are knowingly thumbing their noses as local or state restrictions are showing the world that they really don't care about other people or the health care workers on the frontlines.

      Delete
    10. I truly can't believe how some people are downplaying this virus by trying to compare it to other diseases. We certainly did not need one more thing floating through the air making people die too soon! Even if you survive, you will probably have some level of long-term health problems. Too many "I'm not going to wear a mask because I'm healthy and I'm not going to get this" people found out the hard way that they were wrong. Meanwhile health care workers and first responders have to risk their own lives trying to save the ones who wouldn't follow orders or use the sense God should have given them.

      Delete
    11. You have to understand that there is no prize for recovering from Covid. Recovery rates only mean that the patient didn't die. They don't take into account the staggering numbers of patients who need rehab, who are at high risk of stroke, and who are suffering long-lasting brain, heart, kidney, or lung damage. The post-viral problems are daunting and straining the medical system. There is a new shortage of dialysis equipment, for one example. This is still not a disease you want to contract, no matter what the survival percent is!

      Delete
    12. DHEC is counting every positive ANTIBODY test as a positive case and every comorbidity death as a COVID test- so if someone died of COPD or diabetes or stroke and had a positive antibody test then the cause of death would be COVID, even though that wasn’t the actual cause. SO technically the death rate of Covid is skewed bc we don’t know all the positive cases vs deaths 7:56 may be right about thev98% survival rate

      Delete
    13. @5:24 If Covid was a cause or a contributing cause of death, it needs to be counted. And as someone else said, survival is no guarantee that you're healthy again. Read the stories of the long-haulers who can't shake the virus. There is no good news about this virus or the statistics it has produced.

      Delete
    14. 200k Covid deaths - Nope. The vast majority of those had co-morbidities. The death rate from Covid alone is very, very low.

      Delete
    15. 6:52, that doesn’t mean that they didn’t die from Covid! I have high blood pressure but if I’m hospitalized with & subsequently die from pneumonia the death certificate will say I died of pneumonia, not high blood pressure. Most adults have at least 1 co-morbid. That doesn’t mean we’re all on deaths’ door or that the co-morbid is always the cause of our death. I don’t know why people are grasping on to the whole co-morbid argument.

      Delete
    16. 1:17, I think the argument is that Covid is being marked as the cause of death, even when it is NOT the cause of death. Positive Antibody tests are being counted as positive cases, when in actuality, the person no longer has Covid. This is giving a false sense of “apocalyptic” case numbers and death toll, skewing the actual numbers. In reality,the death rate of Covid is far far lower. However, that does not negate the seriousness of this virus, how highly contagious it is, and how important it is to follow basic hygiene habits in order to stay healthy and not make those who are high risk even more vulnerable.

      Delete
    17. People, ever heard of “do not believe EVERYTHING you hear”? The same goes for everything you’re reading online, watching from the news etc. Covid is NOT AS DEADLY as the people “in charge” want you to believe. It’s simply another way to control, profit off of fear & gain control over the public “masses”. I have friends who work in very high profile populated and busy hospitals who say it is sick how the media has caused absolute panic to the general public over this virus. Does it cause extreme symptoms in some people? Yes. Is it dangerous for people who have other underlying health conditions (just like ANY OTHER VIRUS OR COLD WOULD)? Yes, of course. I have a very dear friend who is a respiratory therapist (deals with covid patients on the frontlines). She said the media is blowing things WAY out of proportion. They were claiming “ICUs are 80%+ capacity due to covid!!!!!” Wrong. She said yes the ICU is at 80%+ capacity but that’s not abnormal and they only had TWO PATIENTS IN ICU WITH THE VIRUS out of 20+ people. Please stop blindlessly lapping up all of the manipulation the media (among others who gain profit from your hysteria) is/are trying to feed you. It’s not as bad as you’re being manipulated into believing.

      Delete
    18. @October3 7:19 Tell all that to the family of the person I know who DIED OF IT. There's no consolation in any of your words for a grieving family.

      Delete
  3. Time 1:33AM Wed 9/23/20
    Love the episode.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Justin was only 16 last year when he ‘knew she was the one’ and started a courtship. Way too young to be considering marriage at such a young age. I find it sad they rush to get married just to stay ‘pure’. No way they would marry young if they weren’t pressured into purity and saving first kiss, hug etc to wedding day

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's sad that having premarital relations for underage kids is OK with the majority of the public but taking a year to get to really know someone before officially dating is wrong. That is what is really sad. Based on what you are saying you would prefer they go through a variety of partners while under age instead of taking the cautious steps to get to know each other and their beliefs. Our world is messed up when taking such an honorable path in their relationship is judged so harshly. Getting married at their age is fine since they are taking the time to really get to know each other and their beliefs.

      Delete
    2. I saved my first kiss and intimacy for my wedding day. Both of us did. And are we ever glad we did. There was no past to “get over”. And it was lovely.

      Delete
    3. 8:45 We didn't, and it was lovely too.

      Delete
    4. 8:45 If your religious beliefs lead you to save yourselves for marriage, that's fine- for you. My husband and I lived together for quite awhile before we got married. We also both had previous relationships. There was nothing to get over for us, nor were we cosumed with regret. I'm sure our wedding day was every bit as lovely as yours. (That was 30 years ago and we're still happily together!)

      Delete
    5. Anonymous @6:41-Then why are you so defensive about 8:45's post and felt the need to defend your choices? LOL

      Delete
  5. HAPPY BDay Abby, I am, so happy that U, had a great day, and I love that John made U a wonderful cake!!! Do U ever eat (if U will) normal cake??? I love U 3!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really liked, the Sept. 22nd episode, of Counting On. I thought, that it was really sweet, of John, to make Abbie a gluten, sugar, and dairy free, birthday cake. I also enjoyed Jinger, and Jeremy's, soccer ball, gender reveal.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think John did great baking Abbie's chocolate cake. The parade was very thoughtful. I enjoyed how Jana was teaching the girls how to make masks. It was so cute watching Ivy walk. I love the announcements ❣️ I can't wait to see Joe and Kendra's announcement, the birth for Jinger and Jeremy, Joe and Kendra and also Joy and Austin. Claire is very nice I hope it will lead to an engagement. I love the show and can't wait for the next season. Natasha b

    ReplyDelete
  8. John David seems like an excellent husband. He is so genuinely tender, caring, and affectionate. His scenes with Abbie usually move me to tears.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John David also seems to be the only one in the family who understands how dangerous Covid could be for them.

      Delete
    2. I agree, he seems so compassionate and loving to Abbie. That came he made for her was such a nice thing to do for her plus it looked delicious too.

      Delete
    3. Yes, I love seeing how Abbie has changed and softened him. They seem to have a great, sweet marriage.

      Delete
    4. It’s a wise man who knows that as long as he knows just how to make his wife glow with happiness the way Abbie does, he can completely disregard what others think about his doing so. He seems like a truly loving man- and one that will be happily married for some time to come.

      Delete
    5. Well johns wife is a nurse so he’s probably had conversations about the virus with her and listened to an actual medical professional and stayed home if they can!

      Delete
  9. That gender reveal would have been nice IF the person carrying the baby had been allowed to say anything to the camera first or had been allowed to be beside Jeremy when the soccer ball was kicked. The computer camera was sitting on a table filming so Jinger could have been beside Jeremy. But no, it was all The Jeremy Show.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think Jinger had her hands full with Felicity......don't make an issue where there isn't one🙄

      Delete
    2. Jeremy bothers me in that way. He always seems to have one eye in the mirror and the other on the camera. Is a big ego a good thing for a pastor?

      Delete
    3. I like Jeremy for Jinger. She is very image conscious and they work well together. I think this one focused on Jeremy just because they always mention doing new different gender reveals and soccer ball has not been done.

      Delete
    4. At 7:39, I’ve also wondered about Jeremy’s ego. They seem to do a lot of videos and such that keep them highly visible and in the public eye

      Delete
    5. Yup welcome to the Jeremy Show! It’s all about him. Look at what I can do! He says... 🙄

      Delete
  10. Justin saw no reason to stay home during a pandemic. Traveling to Texas to announce he was "in an official relationship" was more important? No wonder cases spread.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cases spread because Justin went to Texas? What proof do you have to back that up?

      Delete
    2. Cases spread because of people who didn't think it was important to stay home, stay away from others, and not travel. Justin is one example. The first cases to arrive in the US came because of travel.

      Delete
    3. Of course the OP is not saying that, they are saying it’s reckless to travel right now!

      I live in Victoria, Australia, at the moment we are completely cut off from the rest of the country, we cannot go interstate, and up until a week ago we couldn’t really travel at all (I’m in regional vic) and people living in Melbourne can’t go more than 5ks from their house or leave the house between 9pm and 5am or leave for more than 2 hours... and we’ve only had 500+ deaths here, you guys have had 200,000+!!!

      Delete
    4. @10:23 If those restrictions were placed on the US, people would be up in arms, threatening lawsuits, hollering about their rights, you name it. Meanwhile, every day a thousand or two more would be dying.

      Delete
    5. Anon 10:29 Do you know why people would have a hard time believing that the covid spread is what they are telling people on tv and what some of these "Doctors" are saying? When you watch hundreds of rioters and anarchist walking through the streets and the leaders of those cities allowing it, the leaders who are given the latest statistics on the covid allowing this, then you should know that the public is being lied to about this covid. The leaders would shut that insanity and lawlessness down if there was an actual threat of an easy spread of a pandemic going on. Don't you think that there is something else going on when the leaders of these cities threaten outside Christian Church services and yet allow maniacs to riot and destroy property and threaten people's livelihoods and their lives? WAke up and use common sense!!!

      Delete
    6. Whoever you are 4:34, you're always trying to bring rioting into the Covid discussion. TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. We get it that you don't like the riots. But we're talking about Covid here. If you think you're being lied to, go talk to the people in your local hospital and ask them what they've seen. They have no political agenda and are not up for re-election, so they will tell you the truth.

      Delete
    7. 4:34, agree that the governors of certain states are unbelievable hypocrites. It's also common sense that they still need to be doing something to help the spread because it is spreading. We're seeing it in our locale right now. :(

      Delete
    8. @7:31 It's not up to governors to "do something." It's up to YOU and EVERYONE ELSE to take actions for THEMSELVES to stop this spread! Why blame it on government? They don't know what to do. They've never faced this problem before. But you and I know what to do - stay away from other people! Protesting is a civil right and I don't blame governors or mayors for not completely stopping it. The bad behavior is on the protestors, not the government.

      Delete
    9. 5:12 Huh? How can you say that covid can spread from traveling, social gatherings and then say out the other side of your mouth that rioters and protesters that are gathering by the hundreds in the streets are a different thing. What kind of logic is that! good grief lol

      Delete
    10. 10:56 Here's the deal- I am opposed to people gathering by the hundreds and thousands, whether they're peaceful protesters, churches, or Trump rally-goers. I condemn rioting and violence, from any faction. I cannot control those who so completely disregard the seriousness of this pandemic. I can control my own behavior. That's why I follow the guidelines about mask-wearing, social distancing, and staying away from any gatherings. I would be devestated if I thought I'd infected someone else. I can only hope that other people feel the same.

      Delete
    11. 9:46, the governors have been allowing it to happen for months. It's disingenuous to say that they shouldn't take some responsibility for that.

      Delete
    12. Well, I don't have firsthand personal knowledge of every state or local hospital, but I don know about my own. Our doctors and nurses have had to quarantine away from their families here and we're a mid-size college town. One of our local realtors owned a recently closed hotel that he re-opened cost-free strictly for medical personnel (each resident having an electronic key to their room to come and go as they needed-no housekeeping personnel). They simply needed to call the owner as the need arose and could stay as long as necessary. I believe rooms were disinfected between resident stays. Our COVID-19 numbers were fairly low, until they brought the college kids back. We're now 7th in the country-Yay, us! NOT. We have 3 major retirement communities (each with hundreds of residents) and 8-10 smaller retirement/nursing homes within a 15 minute drive, along with countless seniors living in their homes. Originally our community thought COVID-19 wasn't that big of a deal, until not 23 residents died of COVID-19 at one facility within 4-5 days in April. Then, all of our retirement/nursing home facilities went on lock down and most still are restricted with no visitors. It's not uncommon to drive by and witness friends or family having a window visit. We personally know 6 people who have had COVID-19 and all but one was very physically fit, ate organic (ultra healthy, plant-based), and had physically active lifestyles for years. Four out of six were extremely sick; one did better than the others; one nearly dies and has been months recovering and is taking respiratory therapy. For all you 98%-ers out there, 67% of this group struggled (2 were under 18, 1 was in her 30's, 2 were over 50, and one was over 70). No one can guarantee who will survive and who won't. Just wear the stupid mask.

      Delete
    13. Viruses spread because we live in a fallen and sinful world. Viruses make people sick because people are human beings. Stop swallowing full gulps of the worlds’ programming & you will see the reality of what is actually going on. This world is full of manipulated and well-controlled human soldiers who just watch a few newsfeeds, read a few articles and experience one or two issues and it causes us to be mindless robots who will believe whatever the world dishes out... very sad.

      Delete
    14. I think we can tell who the "manipulated and well-controlled human soldiers" are here. And I think we can tell why this has spread like wildfire, when people don't take it seriously or believe science. Some of these posts are direct insults to the 210,000 people who have died and the countless more who will die before this is over.

      Delete
  11. My daughter had a boyfriend in HS and they dated for 2 years. He asked us permission to give her a ring and we said "no". He and his family always talked about their marriage and kids. I cringed and responded the he was a great FIRST boyfriend. I was so happy when she went away to college and left him behind.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, that’s sad that you felt that way! Was he really that bad a guy?? Had the decency to ask your permission to give her a ring. Sounds like a real gentleman to me. I see way more stability in a relationship that’s been going for 2+ years, than someone who is trying so many different boyfriends/girlfriends. Unless my child had a really poor choice with their first go at it, I would very much prefer for them to marry their first choice, as like I said, it seems so much more stable

      Delete
    2. I'm sorry that you see it that way. It was much different to live through. The boyfriend and his family were very controlling and we saw our out going daughter changing. She was 15 when he wanted to give her a ring. We thanked him for asking us but said she was too young. Not decent or gentleman. When they broke up he wasn't mature enough so he had to bring his mother and friend so all three could yell at her. He was 2 years older than her and has done nothing with his life. She has her masters and loving life.

      Delete
    3. My parents made me get to know more than one guy, and now I thank God they did. After several dates with my first boyfriend they asked that I consider getting to know some other nice young men too. Looking back, it really opened my eyes to all the different types of people and personalities that there are in the world, and I can now see that my personality was not a good fit for my first boyfriend, even though he was a nice guy. I am so happy with the wonderful husband I have now. My parents were wiser than me at the time and could clearly see this.

      Delete
    4. @9:17 You have no way of knowing how stable the relationship was. If the daughter went off to college and moved on with her life without him, she may have not been that in to him in the first place. My son and his girlfriend of 2 years decided to break up when they graduated from high school and went off to different colleges. I was sad about it, because I really like the girl. Lo and behold, they eventually did get back together again, without any pressure from anyone else, and got married last year. I was glad they waited until they both graduated from college and were established in their careers.

      Delete
    5. @9:44, wow I am really glad your daughter got away from that relationship and is doing well in life. I still can’t comprehend how Claire’s parents are letting their 19 year old court a 17 year old with serious marriage intentions. My parents would have never approved.

      Delete
  12. I think the Duggars' solution to any sign of rebellion or behavior unbecoming to their fundamentalist ideology in their kids is to hurry along a courtship and marriage. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the case with this one. This is not rational reason to get married in any case, let alone with a teenager.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @10:16 Yes. They sure encourage their kids to marry and be allowed to start families pretty darn fast. Must be a reason for it.

      Delete
    2. Yes! By enforcing them to have no physical relationship before marriage they are pressuring them into marriage (and in their world kids) long before they are actually ready...

      Delete
  13. Now come on!did they really expect us to believe that the family found out about Justin's courtship at that video call when he's been courting Claire since last year,he could at least have been honest and said he was letting the fans know and the family already knew, they're not fooling anybody.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They will likely have known he was in a relationship, but his announcement was that he was officially courting. I’m pretty sure that could have been news for the family that it was actually that far, therefore the surprise

      Delete
    2. It was deceptive for the family to pretend surprise. On the Dugger Family Instagram, the post from Michelle and Jim Bob says "We have loved getting to know Claire and her family better over the last year, and we think the world of them!". A little honesty would be really refreshing.

      Delete
    3. There's no way Justin would be allowed to enter into a courtship (or "relationship" as they seem to want to call this one) without Jim Bob and Michelle approving of it. I seriously doubt any of this was kept secret from the family members after that. Jana knows everything that's going on at the house and with her siblings.

      Delete
  14. I can definitely see now why Jill and Derick broke away from this. TLC didn't kick them out. They woke up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly. I'm not a fan of Derrick but he is right to get his family out of this TLC mess.

      Delete
    2. Even if TLC "kicked them out", they actually did Jill and Derick a favor, in my opinion.

      Delete
    3. It was the first step. Maybe going to a public university law school and putting Israel in public school will move things along too. @7:41

      Delete
  15. So what is Justin going to do to support his intended wife after they marry? She will expect to stay at home and have babies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He'll be in the family business. I thought that was a given.

      Delete
    2. 6:20 - it’s kinda disappointing that all of the men ended up in the family business. I thought at least one of them would branch out and do something completely different.

      Delete
    3. 9:51, you would think so! Maybe eventually they'll branch out more.

      Delete
  16. But why was Justin in Texas?

    ReplyDelete
  17. At least they didn't start a fire with the gender reveal like other California couples, but they still managed to make another gender reveal mess. They could have simply opened the envelope and read the results. That was nothing more than grandstanding on Jeremy's part.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Or balloons would have been nice, they don’t cause an environmental hazzard

      Delete
    2. I didn't see Jinger objecting. I don't understand why so many people are "hating" on Jeremy. All we know of him is what we see on TV. And, I see a man who loves his wife and daughter.

      Delete
    3. Opening an envelope and reading. How exciting.

      Delete
    4. 6:21 - my brother texted my nephew’s gender on the family group chat randomly one day. We were still very excited. Not everything needs to be so extravagant and over the top.

      Delete
    5. @6:21 Why does a gender reveal have to be exciting??? That's ridiculous.

      Delete
    6. I still don't get what's wrong with just getting everyone together (outside, family groups 6 ft apart) with everyone bringing a picnic meal for their own family, bring some cake or cupcakes and just share the gender with your family. Isn't being with your family special enough?

      Delete
    7. Balloons are an environmental hazard. They often wind up in lakes where ducks or geese try to eat them, and the strings can get tangled around all sorts of wildlife.

      Delete
    8. 10:38, because if you are going to the trouble to have an actual gender reveal, it should be something exciting. Even the cake reveal. If you're just going to read from a piece of paper, you might as well just call or text people rather than have them come to an event.

      Delete
    9. @3:03 The excitement is supposed to be about finding out if it's a boy or a girl, not watching how big of a bang you can make by blowing something up or making the biggest mess.

      Delete
    10. It doesn't have to be big. But if you're inviting people over, it should be a little more fun than opening an envelope. Nothing wrong with putting at least a little thought into it.

      Delete
  18. JB's comment makes me wonder what is going on with Justin that the Duggars think marriage will "cure".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn’t he putting the problem in the wife’s hands???

      Delete
    2. If that's the case, BINGO. It just became the wife's responsibility.

      Delete
    3. I didn't watch this show.... what was the comment?

      Delete
  19. The crew "can't come to their house"? The crew didn't seem have any problem coming there and showing them making disinfectant. So what is really going on?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe the filming is out of order?

      Delete
  20. Get real. This whole romance would have fizzled out in a few months if the parents hadn't promoted it by shuttling the kids between Texas and Arkansas for visits

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe, maybe not.

      Delete
    2. I also feel like things might have fizzled out between Ben and Jessa if Jim Bob hadn’t moved their relationship along by having Ben move in with them and work for him before they got engaged and married. It was a long distance relationship that wasn’t moving along as quickly as Jill and Derricks

      Delete
    3. Glad to hear you've got it all figured out.

      Delete
  21. Always love seeing Jinger, Jeremy and Felicity....they just seem real. I really liked Jinger and Jeremy’s gender reveal with the soccer ball

    ReplyDelete
  22. I tuned in to see the courtship. It was only announced in last 2 minutes of the show. We really didn't get to see anything. TLC dropped the ball. The courtship was easily the most interesting thing and they hardly showed anything. Given their ages, maybe it's fake and they're just desparate for something new to film.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The courtship tucked in at tail end is the hook to keep viewers coming back to see what happens. Marketing ploy.

      Delete
    2. Given their ages, it's better to keep the televised part short.

      Delete
  23. That 3-wheeled vehicle (and Jim Bob's ego driving it) was strange. Around here, you need a motorcycle operator's license to drive one. Why do I get the feeling that something about Jim Bob's version of it wasn't street legal? He probably wasn't worried because he knows the cops and the constables.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ 4.07 You certainly seem to know a lot of personal information about the Duggar’s....

      Delete
    2. @12:12 Who doesn't know personal information about them? It's been on TV, in magazines, online, in the papers, and on the local news.

      Delete
  24. John david seems nice but not manly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don’t think that comment was necessary. It’s one thing to point out character flaws in hopes of change but entirely another to discuss physical characteristics..

      Delete
    2. What in the world are you talking about??

      Delete
    3. Seriously? He's the construction truck-driving, plane-flying, police car-cruising guy. Just because he does sweet things for his wife doesn't mean he's not manly. 🙄

      Delete
    4. I'm glad he's not such a macho like his father... Please let him stay this way... Softness of heart is quit biblical ;-)

      Delete
    5. I think he’s wonderful! He treats his wife with love, respect, and heartfelt attention. He is also such a loving dad. I wish more men were like him!!

      Delete
    6. 10:29 Seriously? You do understand that gay men and plenty of women work construction, drive trucks, fly planes, uphold the law, play professional sports, etc.? I have no opinion about Jon's "manliness", however I will say this- you are stereotyping people every bit as much as the OP.

      Delete
    7. Yes, 6:33, I understand that, but stereotypes bear a ring of truth.

      Delete
    8. I think John David and Abbie are just more introverted, quiet and laid back that Jim Bob. I think they're very focused on their own relationship and Grace. He doesn't need to be the center of attention, always trying to "prove himself" and she's not an attention-getter either. I think he takes his responsibilities as husband and father seriously. All of those are admirable qualitities.

      Delete
  25. I really liked the gender reveal. It was fun without being over the top. I am happy for Justin and Claire.

    ReplyDelete
  26. When I first started looking at this blog several years ago, 99% of the comments were from fans or people who appreciated the Duggar family. Now it seems to me like 75% of the comments are critical. That's fine -- it's a forum open for different opinions -- but I'm just perplexed as to why people who find such fault with the family choose to spend your time here. I'm not a fan of the Kardashian family, and I certainly don't spend my time reading blogs about them and posting comments. I think some people just like to argue or be critical. It fills some need, I guess. I don't agree with everything this family does -- but I could say that about my own family!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know several people who were die hard fans of the Duggars and started changing their minds as time went along, a lot of these changes happened when the scandals hit. I think they stick around to show current die hard fans that it’s not all sunshine and roses in Duggar land. I personally started following them because cults fascinate and intrigue me.

      Delete
    2. When I first started looking at this blog years ago, 99% of what the Duggars did seemed genuine. I'm perplexed as to why people don't understand that the tide has turned, the truth has come out, and now it's nearly impossible to agree with everything they do. Is that a reason to stay quiet and not have an opinion?

      Delete
    3. Did you start reading prior to the Josh scandals? I think those revelations made people rethink the Duggar family dynamics, parenting, and modesty standards. Many of the people critical of the Duggars now were once fans. They may still have soft spots for some of the Duggar kids while finding fault in others.

      Delete
    4. I used to like the videos mostly about Jim Bob and Michelle and the lifestyle they lived. Sand back then Duggar blog was wholesome.

      Delete
    5. @4:52 It could be that the longer this family has stayed on TV, the more once devoted fans have become disillusioned with them. The difference between them and the Kardasians is that the Duggars present themselves as Godly Christians, with the expressed goal of converting others to their belief system and saving souls. Their TV show has exposed some serious flaws and hypocrisy in their behaviors.

      Delete
    6. Perhaps people are being more critical of the Duggars as they see them moving away from what they preach and are expressing their disappointment in where the Duggars have gone. They certainly don't live a frugal lifestyle anymore.

      Delete
    7. Seems the jury agrees on this one.

      Delete
    8. Everyone commenting on this completely missed the point. The original poster never said no one should have negative opinions of the Duggars, or that there aren’t reasons for people to have changed their minds about them. They were saying they don’t understand the point of wasting your time and energy on something you don’t like! When we all have such short lives to live, why would you want to waste any of it on something that doesn’t give you joy. And I couldn’t agree more.

      Delete
    9. I have to say that my introduction to the Duggars was through our Homeschooling Support Group and then my husband bought the Duggar girls book for our daughter. While I agree that every family has some level of dysfunction, there is a difference between normal dysfunction (communication issues, children not wanting to do their chores/lying/talking back, etc.) and an actual criminal offense (a confession-not prosecutable solely due to statute of limitations expiring). The seriousness of the offense and the subsequent response evidenced other underlying, ongoing issues that should have given any reasonable parent (Christian and non-Christian alike) pause. As a Christian and a parent, I'm looking for the truth. What I found was troubling inconsistencies, especially personally knowing Christian parents who have turned their own children in to authorities for more minor offenses than those because they loved their children and knew their children were beyond the parents correction and because God instructed us to honor those in authority. Under God, Christians are subject to the laws of the land as long as those laws don't violate God's laws. The law for that offense did not violate God's laws. You cannot say that you love and follow God or the Lord and choose not to obey Him. I'm here looking to see if the fruit matches what God's Word says. Does the walk match the talk?

      Delete
    10. @5:37 I guess for the same reason you took the time and energy to post what you posted.

      Delete
    11. @2:30AM So true. I could say a lot more but then this comment wouldn't get posted.

      Delete
    12. 5:37 - The explanation is part of the reason why people continue to comment on them. People found joy in watching the family and became disillusioned when everything came out. They are funneling that disappointment in many of the comments.
      I don't watch the Kardashians and can't comment on them because I don't care enough to know what they do. I've watched the Duggar family since their first special and admire the older Duggars kids minus Josh. I watch the show to keep up with their lives. I will comment when someone posts about wanting Josh back on the show because I don't think someone with his character, and who committed the acts that he did, should have a tv platform. I've commented on lifestyle inconsistencies because how they've presented themselves shifts without explanation. I will also defend members of the family when I think they're receiving unfair criticism. There are comments where I read the two sentences and decide not to continue.
      I feel that everyone commenting, whether positive or negative, is wasting the same amount of time and energy.
      Critical comments aren't solely coming from "haters" and "trolls." It's more complicated than that. There have also been negative comments from posters who normally praise the family over the past months.

      Delete
    13. I personally miss the Duggar s of yesteryear. I really enjoyed watching and learning how a super large family lived and admired their frugal and servitude ways. It was so inspirational to watch. But as the money poured in their lifestyle started to dramatically change and so much of what I admired was gone. The servant lifestyle turned to big expensive vacations and big parties and planes and expensive vehicles etc. It will never be that frugal servant family again and so once in awhile I'll watch the show and just put it in a category of just a reality show like so many of the other reality shows.

      Delete
  27. He works in law enforcement, can fly planes and helicopters, can shoot a gun with precision, among many other things I’m not taking the time to write. He is also the absolute sweetest, and most devoted man to his family I’ve ever seen (from what we see on tv and social media anyway). If that isn’t manly to you, I’ll take a “not manly” guy ANYTIME.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This was meant to be a reply to the anon on Sept 24 at 1:52.

      Delete
    2. What 16 or 17 year old works in law enforcement and what enforcement agency allows this?? Please back up that comment with some proof.

      Delete
    3. That's what I look for in a good husband, can he shoot a gun straight.

      Delete
    4. A 17 year old "works in law enforcement"? That's a stretch. He's NOT an adult.

      Delete
    5. 8:15- I'm not about to get into an argument about how "manly" a guy may or not be, but regarding your examples- I've known women who work in law enforcement, can fly planes and helicopters, can shoot a gun with precision, wield a chainsaw, drive a semi, rope cattle, etc. I don't think those skills can be associated with just males.

      Delete
    6. Dang, y’all need to chill. I’ve been following this blog for awhile now and the first time I choose to comment everyone freaks. All of you thinking this was about Justin, really? It was meant as a reply on a previous comment about John not being “manly.” I never said women CANT and DONT do those things. I simply stated those things to show that the person who made that comment didn’t have much to go on, since they obviously have a stereotypical idea of what manliness is, I used stereotypes to make my point. Jeeeeeeze.

      Delete
    7. John is the man being discussed here, NOT Justin.

      Delete
    8. Just to clarify, I think the commenter at 8:15 was talking about John-David, not Justin.

      Delete
  28. The commenter at 4:52 is spot on!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Is this the 'Ending of The Season' vid??? I LOVE THE DUGGARS!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Did you hear what they said at the end of the episode,what we are to expect for next season, someone else could be courting,and at the end of last season they said there was a surprise about Jana,and the Bates are also waiting until next season to announce who Nathan is courting, anyone else put two and two together.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The surprise for Jana was her greenhouse. She also has a new business. There will be no courtship announcement about her courting Nathan. I wish people would leave poor Jana alone

      Delete
    2. I don’t believe they said anything about a surprise ABOUT Jana, it was a surprise FOR Jana, which turned out to be her new green house.

      Delete
    3. Those are just teasers. With that huge family, anyone could be courting at any given time. Also, Nathan was spotted with a young woman's photo on his phone screen. It was not Jana.

      Delete
  31. He is away from home alone? I thought the unmarrieds weren't allowed to travel alone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It sure appears he's down in TX with her family.

      Delete
  32. Why did he introduce her as if nobody knew her, since tneir families have known each other for years? Weird. Really weird.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was for the audience's benefit. It would have been more natural and honest to break the fourth wall and directly introduce her to the public.

      Delete
  33. I watched the show on 22nd September it was very nice. Love the Duggar family . Natasha Gilbert your fan

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving your comments! We answer as many of your questions as we can, but due to the number of comments we receive daily, we are unable to answer every one. Our aim is to post all points of view, but we do not post anything that is profane, insulting, derogatory, or in poor taste.