The Maxwells are patronizing/new baby photoshoot

[nausicaa]

It's got to really peeve Stevehovah that his grandchildren have aunties who wear strapless tops and jeans as well as listen to contemporary music and dance. Also, Grace is seriously beautiful. I hope that she sees the Maxwell girls often, so the girls have a strong female role model in their lives.

She posted a link on her facebook about how the mercury in vaccines causes autism and the CDC is attempting to conceal it, so I'm of mixed feelings about her being a role-model for them.

But I just can't get over that a woman who travels, dresses like that, and is fully doused in the modern world is even tangentially connected to the Maxwells. It does not compute. I'd love to know what she thinks of her sister's in-laws!

[MamaJunebug]

facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=717314714947163&id=100000059223976&set=a.253329148012391.74987.100000059223976&source=43

Also in the pics, the girls at an Easter egg hunt

Oh! my day is made. Abby's showing teeth! And her eyes are crinkling, could it, her smile is going to her eyes????

Go, Auntie Normal Person Who Travels And In So Many Other Ways Actually Lives Life! Go, Melanie. Keep it real. Nathan has spoken arrogantly and has the crazy eyes, but maybe he and Melanie are overlapping enough with the real world to give the girls and #4 a chance at a good life.

[Dru]

She posted a link on her facebook about how the mercury in vaccines causes autism and the CDC is attempting to conceal it, so I'm of mixed feelings about her being a role-model for them.

But I just can't get over that a woman who travels, dresses like that, and is fully doused in the modern world is even tangentially connected to the Maxwells. It does not compute. I'd love to know what she thinks of her sister's in-laws!

Interesting because she had to get a ton of vaccinations before her Malaysia trip. Regardless, the fact that the girls have exposure to Christian women that go to college, have jobs, and live alone can only be good. They have someone to go to when they get older if they feel their parents are being too oppressive.

ETA- Can't forget friends! Mel even listed friends as one of the things she was thankful for on Thanksgiving. I bet that kept Steve up at night.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

And grace isn't the only sister. There are many and they're all normal.

[lizziesmom]

I loved this comment: I just love the pic with Chris! Those girls are just too cute. I imagine they keep Nathan and Melanie hopping. I will give you one bit of advice: Just love these moments as they are precious. You are going to turn around and Abby will be asking you for the car keys and you are going to be wondering where the time went. Sara looks like she just loves those girls so much! Obviously Cathie doesn't understand the Maxwells.

I don't think Abby will ever be asking anyone for car keys. The Maxwells go everywhere together and I imagine the headship will do most of the driving.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I'd love to know what she thinks of her sister's in-laws!

I'd love to read some honest opinion from ANY of the more extended Maxwell relatives (such as Steve-O's brother's kids) about just what they think of their fundie relatives.

The kids were kept from their more worldly cousins, for a while they would have those cousins over at chez Maxwell but Steve-O (in the "Hearts" book) writes that he viewed those family gatherings as a prime opportunity to proselytize to the relatives (and they also let him be involved anywhere the kids were interacting to be certain nothing he didn't approve of would go on).

Probably most people will pretty quickly tire of visiting a relative who insists all the gatherings happen only at his house so he can preach to you about death during the visit rather than just normal personal chit-chat.

A coworker of mine at a former job had a sister who "went fundie" ages ago (no one remotely famous and I don't think they blog) and had nine kids, whom are of course all homeschooled. The coworker didn't have much contact with the sister anymore, seeing that family maybe once a year at some event, tops, and it seemed the rest of the family just had a sort of "well, what can ya do, they're nuts, but whatever" attitude.

It's interesting to read the blog of the normal worldly Botkin cousin when she takes on the writings of the Botkin SAHD. She makes it clear she thinks their ideology is 100% full of it.

[Dog-n-Suds]

Sarah, Take the headband off, give it to one of the nieces, and back away!! You can do this...you are a 32 year old grown woman.

I tried the link to Melanie's sister's info (Facebook?) And it didn't work. Can anyone help?

[anjulibai]

And grace isn't the only sister. There are many and they're all normal.

I wonder what the heck happened to Melanie that she got sucked into Maxhell.

[Dru]

Sarah, Take the headband off, give it to one of the nieces, and back away!! You can do this...you are a 32 year old grown woman.

I tried the link to Melanie's sister's info (Facebook?) And it didn't work. Can anyone help?

Try adding www. to the beginning.

[Odd1Out]

Sarah, Take the headband off, give it to one of the nieces, and back away!! You can do this...you are a 32 year old grown woman.

I tried the link to Melanie's sister's info (Facebook?) And it didn't work. Can anyone help?

Sarah honestly looks half her age in that pic.

[Dru]

I wonder what the heck happened to Melanie that she got sucked into Maxhell.

Steve hadn't completely lost his shit at that point.

[Alachantal]

Sarah honestly looks half her age in that pic.

I honestly thought she was the youngest reversal girl in that pic at first glance - I had to take a second look to see that it was indeed a grown-ass woman wearing a fucking toddler headband. :wtf:

[twin2]

I remember when Abby used to have the big smile with the crunched up nose...

I'm assuming her chore-pack will be getting much bigger after the newest blessing arrives....

[Justme]

"Sometimes the things we do to protect ourselves destroy us" written on Grace's FB (in the PUBLIC section, about)...

Very powerful quote. It so pertains to the way Steve "rules" his family..... "Protection" is ok for little kids, not so much for grown adults.

[lilith]

anyone who thinks Nathan is verging towards sanity should read his Scamaritan endorsement.

[kpmom]

anyone who thinks Nathan is verging towards sanity should read his Scamaritan endorsement.

Absolutely. And, read his smug post from when Melanîe was in the hospital awaiting the birth of Abigail.

He writes about how in every other hospital room on their floor patients are watching tv. He goes on and on how he and Melanie are the only ones not watching the filth on the beast.

He's just as smug and judgemental as his old man as far as I can see.

[SPHASH]

I honestly thought she was the youngest reversal girl in that pic at first glance - I had to take a second look to see that it was indeed a grown-ass woman wearing a fucking toddler headband. :wtf:

At first I though it was Reversal Anna and I said Anna take that stupid headband off then I looked closer and saw it was Sarah and I thought "worse than I thought it's Sarah!"

[SPHASH]

I'm sure she still would have had to give it up if Chris moved to WA or NR Anna had been a local person like Melanie.

To be precise, she gave up her herd of dairy goats behind when she moved to KS. Making goat's milk soap doesn't really pay if you have to purchase the goat's milk from someone else.

[FloraDoraDolly]

I wonder what the heck happened to Melanie that she got sucked into Maxhell.

Melanie's family attended the same church as the Maxwells (back when the Maxwells still went to a real church). I don't know what kind of church it was, but I'm guessing Independent Fundamental Baptist or something of that nature. IIRC, Melanie and her siblings are also homeschooled. But from what I see on FB, at least two of the sisters (Grace and Anna) grew up to be mainstream Christians. I wonder if they had to "break away" from their parents (it doesn't look like it) or if the parents simply aren't control freaks and let their kids choose their own path. But if it's the latter, how did Steve Maxwell ever consent to his son marrying into that family?

[anjulibai]

Melanie's family attended the same church as the Maxwells (back when the Maxwells still went to a real church). I don't know what kind of church it was, but I'm guessing Independent Fundamental Baptist or something of that nature. IIRC, Melanie and her siblings are also homeschooled. But from what I see on FB, at least two of the sisters (Grace and Anna) grew up to be mainstream Christians. I wonder if they had to "break away" from their parents (it doesn't look like it) or if the parents simply aren't control freaks and let their kids choose their own path. But if it's the latter, how did Steve Maxwell ever consent to his son marrying into that family?

Interesting. Thanks for that background.

[theologygeek]

My daughter yelled at me for saying something negative about someone's clothing choice. My daughter said that it was her body and she could dress whatever way she felt like dressing, and it is not my place to say what another woman should do with her body. So....I promised her that I would not do that any more. Which means that I cannot say anything about that headband on a grown woman, because I am supposed to be behaving. It's killing me, people.

[latraviata]

My daughter yelled at me for saying something negative about someone's clothing choice. My daughter said that it was her body and she could dress whatever way she felt like dressing, and it is not my place to say what another woman should do with her body. So....I promised her that I would not do that any more. Which means that I cannot say anything about that headband on a grown woman, because I am supposed to be behaving. It's killing me, people.

Here in the intimacy of our snarkoir you can let it all out girl!!

[theologygeek]

Here in the intimacy of our snarkoir you can let it all out girl!!

THANK YOU!!! I can't keep it in any more. THERE IS A TODDLER HEADBAND ON A 32 YEAR OLD WOMAN AND THEY WEREN'T PLAYING SIMON SAYS! That felt good. Thank you again, latraviata.

[mystikchick17]

Melanie's family attended the same church as the Maxwells (back when the Maxwells still went to a real church). I don't know what kind of church it was, but I'm guessing Independent Fundamental Baptist or something of that nature. IIRC, Melanie and her siblings are also homeschooled. But from what I see on FB, at least two of the sisters (Grace and Anna) grew up to be mainstream Christians. I wonder if they had to "break away" from their parents (it doesn't look like it) or if the parents simply aren't control freaks and let their kids choose their own path. But if it's the latter, how did Steve Maxwell ever consent to his son marrying into that family?

Simple. He didn't: Melanie married into the Maxhell collective. To think that they would have any sort of affiliation with her family in a tangible sense (in Stevehovah's world) would be to go against patriarchal thought and the whole concept of marriage being the moment where a woman leaves her home and joins her husband's family.

[ShesCrafty]

I'm hoping that Sarah was just wearing the headband for the picture to be silly and match the girls. My brain refuses to believe that a 30-something year old woman thinks that it is an appropriate thing to put on her head otherwise. :snooty: