Amanda Munck had a lovely shower.

[singsingsing]

I can't remember - were Elizabeth and Joseph going to get married in June of last year, or was it August? Either way, it would be strange, even given how quickly fundies do these things, for her to be engaged again already less than a year after the first thing fell apart.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Maybe shes just wearing a ring because she likes it?

Unless shes keeping it quiet so the focus is on Amanda, and will announce it a few weeks after Amanda's wedding. If she is engaged or courting, hopefully she has found a guy who will make her happy, not steal her soul.

[terranova]

I can't remember - were Elizabeth and Joseph going to get married in June of last year, or was it August? Either way, it would be strange, even given how quickly fundies do these things, for her to be engaged again already less than a year after the first thing fell apart.

Their registry gives the date as August 18th.

[MamaJunebug]

I can't remember - were Elizabeth and Joseph going to get married in June of last year, or was it August? Either way, it would be strange, even given how quickly fundies do these things, for her to be engaged again already less than a year after the first thing fell apart.

ITA, thus my money's on "purity ring."

[terranova]

It must be a pretty fucking magical purity ring if it can re-purify Elisabeth after she carelessly gave pieces of her heart to Joseph.

[Guest]

Go ahead and put me in the "definitely different ring" and "possibly engagement" camps. I know it's soon, but the Muncks seem to be eager to marry off their daughters, for whatever reason.

[lilith]

It's possible that Elizabeth had already given away pieces of her heart to some boy she knew before her parents arranged her wedding into a minor branch of fundie royalty, and that's partly why she couldn't go through with the marriage to Joseph. If that's the case, her being engaged this quickly wouldn't surprise me.

I agree, it doesn't look like her purity ring.

[Tangy Bee]

Maybe the ring was a birthday present. Didn't someone say her bday was in March? If it is an engagement ring...her fiance must have prayed for her to break up with Jo Maxwell so he could get his chance. That's IF it's an engagement ring.

[singsingsing]

You guys are right. They're two completely different rings. See:

I mean, that IS Elizabeth sitting at the table writing, right? And not some other girl who happens to look just like her? The latest ring definitely looks a lot more like an engagement ring. But of course that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

[Tangy Bee]

If it is an engagement ring...it's not very pretty. Does anyone have a picture of the one Jo gave her last year?

[Dru]

My guess is it's just a ring and has no special meaning.

[Jezebel]

You guys are right. They're two completely different rings. See:

[attachment=0]lizrings.jpg[/attachment]

I mean, that IS Elizabeth sitting at the table writing, right? And not some other girl who happens to look just like her? The latest ring definitely looks a lot more like an engagement ring. But of course that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

Okay, call me weird, but whatever ring she's wearing interests me less than the torturous way she holds a pen to write.

But--the ring is the thing, here. Maybe she's found a likely suitor and they're doing the "betrothal" thing as a lead-in to an actual engagement. It may be serious, and they may intend to marry, but they're taking time to get to know each other and maybe do some joint counseling before formalizing it with an engagement. Given the ridiculous haste with which she was set to be married off to Joseph, especially given how little they actually knew each other, I can't see her rushing into an engagement or to the altar. Nor can I see her wanting to go public with it on the blog until it's a sure thing, not to mention not wanting to take attention away from her sister's upcoming wedding.

Go ahead and put me in the "definitely different ring" and "possibly engagement" camps. I know it's soon, but the Muncks seem to be eager to marry off their daughters, for whatever reason.

Maybe because they don't want their daughters to end up a bunch of SAH spinsters a la Sarah Maxwell? Plus, youth and fertility are fleeting, and it's not like these young women are going off to college or starting careers. No matter how likeable the Muncks may seem, and no matter how many fun family parties they've thrown for their obviously-loved kids, their daughters are raised to get married, keep house, obey their husbands, and turn out baby after baby after baby. That's it--and that's the sad and ugly truth of it.

[Justme]

Liz's ring was a birthday gift, not an engagement. Mrs Munck answered this question in the comment section. She said Liz is not courting.

[AVENues]

I doubt Steve would permit it, not even if Jesus himself flew down on his crackermobile to tell him it was destiny. Elizabeth made them look bad! :naughty:

I totally congratulated on the happy event, her calling off the wedding. That was one happy event in fundieland. And unexpected.

[Cora Persephona]

I just noticed the following in Mama Munck's reply regarding the ring:

" Neither Elizabeth or Rebekah courting/dating anyone, so not enough time to do that and marry all in this year."

Considering that Elizabeth's courtship/engagement with Joseph was on fast forward, could this mean that they realized it's not the way to go and maybe their other children will be encouraged not to rush to marry?

[Guest]

It looks like they moved Amanda's stuff into her new home yesterday, and the Munck parents donated their living room furniture to the young couple. Mama Munck wrote a sweet reflection on her bittersweet feelings about her first child moving away from home. Her excitement for her daughter mixed with her sadness to see her moving out just struck me as so sincere and healthy. I wish some other fundie parents (cough Steve Maxwell and Jim Bob Duggar) would see this and realize that, while it's normal to want to hang on to your children forever, it's healthy for them to get out and start lives of their own and not be stuck forever in SAHD-hood.

[Cora Persephona]

It looks like they moved Amanda's stuff into her new home yesterday, and the Munck parents donated their living room furniture to the young couple. Mama Munck wrote a sweet reflection on her bittersweet feelings about her first child moving away from home. Her excitement for her daughter mixed with her sadness to see her moving out just struck me as so sincere and healthy. I wish some other fundie parents (cough Steve Maxwell and Jim Bob Duggar) would see this and realize that, while it's normal to want to hang on to your children forever, it's healthy for them to get out and start lives of their own and not be stuck forever in SAHD-hood.

We don't really hear this side on fundie blogs, do we? At least I don't think I've really seen it. We get told that the daughter gets to be a servant in her own home and how wonderful and blessed that is, but I think it's the first time I've seen a mother actually saying how she will miss her daughter and actually seem heartfelt.

[Dru]

That was a really nice blog post. Everything else aside, these parents seem to really love and enjoy their children and want them to be happy.

[LurkerOverThePond]

It looks like they moved Amanda's stuff into her new home yesterday, and the Munck parents donated their living room furniture to the young couple. Mama Munck wrote a sweet reflection on her bittersweet feelings about her first child moving away from home. Her excitement for her daughter mixed with her sadness to see her moving out just struck me as so sincere and healthy.

+1

[Guest]

The wedding is tomorrow, and I'm already dying to see the pictures. Especially after Mary Ann's adorable second birthday party. Can I please have the Munck family plan all of my parties? I have a feeling the wedding will be beautiful.

Also, who gets married on a Wednesday? Am I the only one who finds this really weird?

[WonderingInWA]

The wedding is tomorrow, and I'm already dying to see the pictures. Especially after Mary Ann's adorable second birthday party. Can I please have the Munck family plan all of my parties? I have a feeling the wedding will be beautiful.

Also, who gets married on a Wednesday? Am I the only one who finds this really weird?

I did think it was odd they are getting married on a Wednesday. What is up with that?

And as much as I don't care for their religious beliefs, that party for Mary Ann was adorable. I wonder where they get all their party supplies and do they save them to use again? I am impressed with how they come up with party themes over and over and over again -- I only have 2 kids and can hardly think up themes for parties anymore (after hosting 23 parties total).

[Jana814]

I think that it's weird they r getting married on a Wednesday. Weekday weddings happen sometimes in the Orthodox Jewish families, because they sometimes go on a women's cycle!!

[GeoBQn]

I went to two Orthodox Jewish weddings on a Tuesday and Wednesday (as in literally the next day. They were my Hebrew school teachers who were single when class got out in May and married by the end of the summer). They got married in the middle of the week because they had a ton of guests, and the kosher banquet halls gave steep discounts for weddings that happen in the middle of the week.

[singsingsing]

I think weekday weddings can be much less expensive than holding it on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. That's the only real reason I can think of.

Another possible reason would be wanting to get married in a certain church, but the church having all the weekends booked for the next X number of months, and wanting to get married sooner. Not terribly likely unless it's a huge church, but a possibility.

[nokidsmom]

We don't really hear this side on fundie blogs, do we? At least I don't think I've really seen it. We get told that the daughter gets to be a servant in her own home and how wonderful and blessed that is, but I think it's the first time I've seen a mother actually saying how she will miss her daughter and actually seem heartfelt.

It's rather refreshing to see a fundie mom actually express what are very healthy feelings over a daughter's pending marriage for a change. It's no doubt a mixed bag of sadness over seeing a child leave the home but also happiness for that child and knowing that it's a normal next step in life. Rather than pretend with the typical fundie speak over these things, Mrs. Munck is being very honest and heartfelt, saying it like it is.

ETA: This just shows how different the Muncks are from the Maxwells. You know that Teri would not post anything like that, not that she would feel that way, but Lord Stevie would not allow it. It would be an idol or something. Which gets me wondering how the Muncks would be so taken with the Maxwells in the first place, but I suppose Liz and Joe's engagement put the families in a (temporarily) closer relationship that highlighted the differences between them. When Liz backed out, I am pretty convinced her parents supported her decision and maybe they even encouraged her to really think about what she was getting into. They obviously aren't the type of fundie parents who will force a marriage on their children; they really want them to be happy.