Michael Bates Courting!

[bal maiden]

I want to buy her some proper shoes, suitable for that weather! Ballet pumps in snow, wtf?

[Luisainlondon1]

I want to buy her some proper shoes, suitable for that weather! Ballet pumps in snow, wtf?

This! Poor Michael/Michaella! Get her some proper shoes!

[nelliebelle1197]

The father gave a speech at an ATI conference that ended up on YouTube, so there must be some sort of ties somewhere. An opponent then used that speech to create a commercial in which he nicknamed Webster "Taliban Dan," which I find creative. Still, it scares me to no end that a) people still elected him, b) he's in the US Congress, and c) poor Alyssa is marrying into this family.

Anyway, there isn't as much public information linking the Websters to ATI, but I figure that has less to do with their involvement and more to do with worries about dad's political career.

Poor Alyssa? She is just like them! Her beliefs and politics are just like Taliban Dan's. I feel for her when she leaves the ATI cult, not as she makes plans to perpetuate it.

[Ralar]

This! Poor Michael/Michaella! Get her some proper shoes!

And a coat!

[Katydid]

Eh, all we do is make judgements about people ;) Basically, I'm worried that Michaela is marrying someone who is over the top/big dramatic gestures/center of attention, because she feels she should get married or her mom set it up. Now, we all know opposites can attract and maybe that is it, but if Michaela is so shy ... I just don't feel like he supports her shyness. Instead, it is all about him.

I guess I'm the doom and gloomer of this thread. I can live with that.

IRL I'm very shy and my husband is very outgoing. We're quite happy together. It's not uncommon for introverts & extroverts to get together, in my experience. We like to say that we complement each other :)

[boxedin]

Ok, I may have a problem.... I just took the "know your Bates" quiz on the United Bates of America web site. And I got about an 80%.

Guess who are called Bert and Ernie because of their close relationship.

Guess who are also called Willie and Kenny.

The things I do not know....

Zach and Erin are Bert and Ernie

Willie is William Lawson and Kenny is Kenneth Nathaniel (looks like they changed names later on)

[IReallyAmHopewell]

He looks like Jim-Bob (the hair)

[BigSandy]

I want to buy her some proper shoes, suitable for that weather! Ballet pumps in snow, wtf?

At least they're not flip-flops, lol!

[medievalist1980]

IRL I'm very shy and my husband is very outgoing. We're quite happy together. It's not uncommon for introverts & extroverts to get together, in my experience. We like to say that we complement each other :)

I hope for M+B's sakes that they have your experience ;)

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

At least they're not flip-flops, lol!

This cracked me up. We get about six months of winter where I live, and I wear ballet flats off and on all winter. I get teased....a lot. :D

[sunshine]

At least they're not flip-flops, lol!

I'm so guilty of this. But, I am just lazy. :lol:

[meep]

Wow, I'm late, just hearing of this now.

Good for her! I was starting to think she'd become like an old Maxwell spinster being kept at home forever and ever and ever.

I usually hate these cheesy fundie dates but I think for the first time I can genuinely say the "date" was really cute and Michael(a?) deserves all of this and more.

[lizzielouwho]

You know what I was just thinking about Michael. I really do think that she loves working with children. So right now I am going to put my speculative hope for her out there.

I hope that they need a little extra income for their household which prompts Michael to begin babysitting in the home. Which evolves into a full blown childcare/preschool in which she has a couple of employees and really enjoys working with and teaching the children.

My own children have attended daycare/preschools that started just this way.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

I'm guessing "bidness "is slow in the tree industry. Gil is getting them married off pretty fast. Glad for Michael(a) that she is going to get out of the house--even if it is just to birth her own family. Most people do want a family after all.

[boxedin]

I wonder if the Board of Directors position is paid. I know that at election time, a newspaper printed the incomes of candidates in my state and where their money came from. I was amazed at how much they got for serving on a board of directors or as a "consultant"... hundreds of thousands of dollars.... I know it would be less for Gil, but he must get some type of stipend. What about speaking fees at conferences? At very least he gets travel expenses.

How much $$$ does IBLP and ATI generate?

How much do you think they get paid for appearing on the Duggar shows?

[lilith]

I wonder if his "church" is profitable? They would certainly be getting love offerings when they perform and speak and through the blog, and you can buy some of Gil's sermons online.

But 3 mega weddings won't come cheap, and Alyssa especially will want the royal treatment like Erin.

[Justme]

I would love to see them fill out the quote form from Chris Maxwell, Photography.... Michael and Brandon... :lol:

[Mela99]

Those flats she has on remind me of mine. They're work flats and they have a thick rubber bottom and a tread. I wear them when there is wet or ice on the ground.

[sunshine]

I wonder if his "church" is profitable? They would certainly be getting love offerings when they perform and speak and through the blog, and you can buy some of Gil's sermons online.

But 3 mega weddings won't come cheap, and Alyssa especially will want the royal treatment like Erin.

Then, John will probably be paying for majority of the wedding.

[Mela99]

Then, John will probably be paying for majority of the wedding.

More likely Gil will pass the hat and beg.

I doubt he contributed much money to Erin or Zach's wedding anyway

[Georgiana]

More likely Gil will pass the hat and beg.

I doubt he contributed much money to Erin or Zach's wedding anyway

I agree. From the shows, they seem to be good at getting things gratis, and we know for this wedding many things were donated/taken care of by family (for what I assume was either as a gift or at a severely reduced price).

BUT these ATI weddings are sort of...shabby affairs. Lunch meat appetizers? Olives on sticks? Fine for a casual wedding, but out of place at a formal wedding. It's all well and good if you're inviting people who expect this and to whom buy used and save is seen as a badge of honor (the ATI crowd). However, John's family might have people to impress. I don't think the average ATI wedding will be good enough for a politician's son. I think Alyssa's wedding is going to be very different and much more costly than the others.

Not sure who would be expected to pick up the tab, but I'm guessing it won't be the Bates.

[Emkay]

There may be others who can clarify this, but if work acquaintances are invited, isn't there a way to manipulate it so some of the expenses for Alyssa and John's wedding can be written off on his father's taxes (obviously, being politics, the FEC rules will probably differ from the usual tax code)?

[EmiGirl]

I wonder if his "church" is profitable? They would certainly be getting love offerings when they perform and speak and through the blog, and you can buy some of Gil's sermons online.

But 3 mega weddings won't come cheap, and Alyssa especially will want the royal treatment like Erin.

I would say that if he gets a salary from the church it's a set salary. That's how it works at my church anyway.

[boxedin]

I would say that if he gets a salary from the church it's a set salary. That's how it works at my church anyway.

Their church is an off-shoot of a church. It takes place in a motel conference room. I'm not sure how it is set up. I should go back and read the blog entry about it. It seems like some people said, "Hey Gil, why don't you preach." so they set up a motel church gathering. Don't the Maxwell's have some type of church like that?

[sunshine]

Their church is an off-shoot of a church. It takes place in a motel conference room. I'm not sure how it is set up. I should go back and read the blog entry about it. It seems like some people said, "Hey Gil, why don't you preach." so they set up a motel church gathering. Don't the Maxwell's have some type of church like that?

I believe they are more of a travelling church, where people request for them to talk about whatever is on his mind.