Friday, October 14, 2005

Sweet 16 or Not?

A family in Arkansas just added the 16th sibling to their family.

That is right, you heard me, Michelle Duggar just delivered her 16th child. Jim Bob, a former state representative and Michelle now have had 16 children in their 22 years of marriage. She has had all of these children in an 18-year period, which made her pregnant almost every year since her first child was born (when she was 21 ~ 4 years after they were married).
Jim Bob, 40 and Michelle, 39 said they still want more children, "We both just love children and we consider each a blessing from the Lord. I have asked Michelle if she wants more and she said yes, if the Lord wants to give us some she will accept them.”

They have been building a new 7,000-foot home for the last two years. It includes dormitory-style bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, a commercial kitchen, 4 washers and 4 dryers. The home should be finished some time before December.

Each child’s name starts with the letter “J” and there are two sets of twins. “Joshua, 17; John David and Janna, 15; Jill, 14; Jessa, 12; Jinger, 11; Joseph, 10; Josiah, 9; Joy-Anna, 8; Jeremiah and Jedidiah, 6; Jason, 5; James, 4; Justin, 2; Jackson Levi, 1; and now Johannah (the newest edition or should I say addition).”

I just cannot imagine that! I mean, being pregnant is a way of life for her. How do they have time to….???? …uh, well, I guess they do!
*~*~*~*~*~
Speaking of babies! We all know that Tom and Katie will be having a baby. They will most likely be following the delivery guidelines of the Church ~ Scientology. This is a “silent birth”, which means no music and no talking during the birth, which also means no screaming during the pains of labor. According to the doctrine, the first seven days after a child is born, (s)he cannot be talked to, prodded, poked or tested. They feel there is so much trauma during the birth that the baby shouldn't have to experience any further discomfort or sensory experience that could return later in life to haunt them. I wonder if Tom will be able to contain himself in the delivery room, since he couldn't help himself from jumping up and down on the couch when he was on the Oprah show. Hmmm...but I don't believe the doctrine says anything about jumping up and down. Maybe they will move a couch into the delivery room for him! haha
There is only one thing to say about that….. “Huh? They can not even talk to or hold their baby for the first week of it’s life?”

32 comments:

Ellen said...

I saw the news report on the Tom & Katie silent birth. One question
on that: Would the silly Mr. Cruise feel the same way if he had to push the equilivent of a small watermelon out of him? You bet he'd be screaming: "show me the baby" at the first sign of labor pains. And then not to hold the baby in the first week? Please!
Where is the all important bonding?

I don't know, but this Scientology is beginning to sound weirder all the time.

Hotboy said...

Two women round the corner from us had thirteen kids. My partner's auntie had fourteen. My maw had seven. One woman in Australia had fifteen. She said it didn't matter. After the first one arrived, she'd no time to herself anyway. One of the women with thirteen kids put them to bed at quarter hour intervals, starting at half six. Fantastic woman, actually. Great family as well. How things have changed! Hotboy

Lee Ann said...

ellen ~ It sounds like you and I wonder the same thing. (I guess he would have a whole different perspective, huh?) That was my thought, the bonding ~ it includes talking cuddling and getting to know each other!

hb ~ Wow! Amazing! My grandfather had 13 siblings in all. Times have changed. Other than the fact of being able to raise all of them with good morals, etc., how do they afford it?

Carl Spackler said...

i heard about that family in arkansas. what the fuck is up with that. i say they go for 6 more...that will give them 22. the could then have a football team...11 on offense and 11 on defense.

ps- as for your other message, i will gladly sing to you and get into your bed naked...hell, i'll sing to you naked.

Kay Ray said...

That is sooo crazy!!! about the ARK woman!!

Like some of you I have a big family.. My mother has 12 brothers/sisters but now days two or three is plenty.

Lee Ann said...

jef ~ You have good points! I agree, I just don't understand it myself. Yeah, Jim Bob did it, so can I! You also said exactly what I was thinking as to how they have time to raise 16 kids?

carslemane ~ haha you are too much!

carl ~ Yeah, football team, that's an idea.
Ok, I'm ready....start warming up those vocal cords! I'll be waiting for my serenade annnnd.... ;)

Lee Ann said...

Kay Ray ~ I think you are right. Now a days you just don't see those big families like in the past. It used to be helpful because they had all the siblings working for the family, but now, I think, it would be hard to support that many.

Dave Morris said...

These people will continue until she begins tripping over her own uterus.

The name Jim Bob says it all. I wonder what type of blood relatives they are.

jiggs said...

They must be trying to singlehandedly make up for the shortage of white babies. Also possibly trying to bankrupt their aunts and uncles.

jiggs said...

And the mcSorley's suggestions was great. thanks!

Lee Ann said...

Dave ~ haha, maybe Jim Bob will be tripping over her uterus soon enough!

Jiggs ~ Hey! Welcome back! Yeah, 16 is just too many...of almost anything! ;) I wasn't sure if McSorley's bar was even still there anymore, that was an interesting place that is for sure!

Lee Ann said...

Frank ~ That was thoughtful. Did it give you any good insight or helpful tips (that really helped you feel better)?

mojoala said...

I wanna know what the dad does for a living so that he's able to feed 18 people and clothe them all?

Lee Ann said...

Mojo ~ I am right there with you! I wondered the same thing.

zomba said...

My Dear Mojoala,

I'm not too sure about the Dad in question, and how he supports 18, but somehow I support at least 17 people, on my supplement, various careful investments, royalties, hunting licences, agent's fees and so on.

I imagine its a lot easier to do this here in Kalimbuka, than it is in the USA.

Perchance he feeds them ufa.

MM III

Lee Ann said...

MMIII ~ That is good advice...good investments! (Good for everyday life as well)

freethoughtguy said...

And my child-free self thought I was burdened with just a house plant!

At least I'm not burdened with Scientology (or any religion).

Lee Ann said...

Free ~ Hey! Thanks for stopping by!
Just think of all the peace and quiet you get, that they don't! (Sometimes, I can go days without conversing at home, unless my cats want to listen) Stop by again:)

Ticharu said...

You just love to dig up the freaks!
I love the signs around here that say 'God is pro-life'... God is also very much pro-death! Pro-starvation! Pro-crop failure! Pro-ecosystem collapse due to severe overpopulation and the utter depletion of the Earth's resources while the faithful wait for God to come back and fix it all for them...

Lee Ann said...

Tich ~ I just can't help it! I am so curious about odd or unusual things. You are right about the overpopulation thing. This family is doing a good job with that!

BeckEye said...

I wonder....oh, never mind. Anything I could say would just be totally disgusting.

Lee Ann said...

BeckEye ~ Hmmm...you are probably thinking of what I have thought of!

Brooks Brown said...

The Duggars are definitely out there. I saw a show about them last year after the 15th was born and was impressed that they pay for everything in cash and receive no government assistance. I say as long as they can afford them, let them carry on.
Tom Cruise is the one I can't understand and his Heaven's Gate cult club. Michelle Duggar having 16 kids makes more sense to me than a religion that dictates the noises a woman can or can't make during natural childbirth. Like Ellen said, let Tom Cruise push that thing out of his lower extremities. I am officially sick of him and everything he has to say about women and their reproductive realities. He is not a great actor of our time and is really just famous for being a celebrity that remains in spotlight.

Chris W. McCarty said...

Okay, this is easily the most stupid/male question I have ever asked (which is saying something), but I need to know: Do you think the pain of childbirth even bothers this woman anymore, or, after sixteen, does even that become old hat?

Lee Ann said...

Echeevo72 ~ You have an excellent point about the Duggars "as long as they can afford them, let them carry on." I just wonder how they have time to raise them!

Lee Ann said...

C. Warren ~ Hey! Thank you for stopping by. I don't know, it would seem like it would be easy for her after all of the births she has had. (Maybe easy is not the word, but she certainly knows what to expect and maybe that makes it easier for her to deal with.) Good question! Come by again.

Brooks Brown said...

Lee Ann -- according to the TLC documentary the older Duggar children (boys and girls) are assigned a younger child called their "buddy". The older child helps the younger child to dress, to eat and also helps the him/her with homework and is bascially the little kids first line of defense. I was really impressed with their organization and their system of making their household and family work. It is definitely something right out of The Waltons. One of their traits that bother me is that the kids are basically dressed in uniforms. The girls all have long hair and wear homemade dresses, The boys have the same haircut and all wear polo style shirts and khacky pants. The lack of personal outward expression gives their clan a cult-like vibe. Also, they are so sheltered from any outside influences that it will be hard for them to socialize with any other kids other than the ones raised in a very similar environment. I disagree with a lot of their conservative Christian politics, but i think they have developed a pretty amazing division of labor and organization among this huge family. These kids do all kinds of housework and chores and start at an early age. Considering how many spoiled rotten, lazy video game addicted kids there are out there, I commend the Duggars for teaching these kids the disiplines of work and working together as family. I read that TLC is doing another show on them that will air next year.You should watch it Lee Ann. It is pretty amazing.

crallspace said...

That's too many kids. How in the world can he still enjoy the sex... or her? Ugh. I am out of any mood I may have been in. Presently as horny as Archie Bunker. (all in the Family fans will know what I mean.)

Lee Ann said...

echeevo72 ~ Wow! Well, that is good that they have that type of organization. It would never work for them if they didn't. I totally agree with you about how they keep them as much the same as possible (no personal self expression). Very interesting though, just not my cup of tea! I would like to watch that next time it comes on. Thanks for all of the good info.

Crall ~ haha, I can imagine that having that many kids around would keep you out of "the mood". However, it doesn't seem to bother him, does it?

onan the bavarian said...

LA - I support several dozen penguins, without assistance. The government refuses to contribute to the cost of their beer. Is this fair?

Hotboy - I heard you the first time. Heard you the first time.

Lee Ann said...

Rob ~ Those are some lucky penguins! :)

Spinning Girl said...

Those 2 are freaks.