Is Jana Dugger Courting?

[Letgo]

I think Jana might be courting. I'm only speculating that she is based on a comment Jill made in a TH where Jill was talking about her courting Derick, Ben and Jessa, and then looked at Jana and said "no one else is courting, that we know of" or something like that. There was a bit of discussion about it on these boards, and I think I'm in the minority on how I interpreted the TH, but I still think Jana is courting.

I've always thought Jana was the prettiest of the older girls, though the eyeliner bugs me (lol). People are always commenting that she seems sad, but I think she's just reserved and introverted and struggles with her parents' outlook on that. I was watching the 14 kids and counting on youtube, and Jana seemed the most awkward and not happy about being in front of a camera, even at that age. I believe that the Duggar kids are 'trained' that it's a sin to be shy/reserved, because you aren't putting others' comfort ahead of yourself or something like that (they've made comments about it in their book or at least on the show). They teach the little kids to not turn their heads away from strangers, and practice greeting strangers, etc. Anyway.

I think Jana has made comments about wanting kids, but she's spent her whole life raising kids and I don't think she's as anxious as say, Jill, to start a family. I don't believe, nor do I think anyone believes, for one second that guys haven't tried to start courting with her. So I think Jana is definitely doing what she wants with life for now.

So those are my rambling thoughts on Jana.

I noticed that, too! I immediately thought that Jana must be courting or on the verge of it. Perhaps there is some guy who is waiting for JB to approve. Or she could be waiting for an ATI guy to finish his stint at headquarters. There was definitely a point to Jill's comment and look. Jill's relationship with Derick was outed by her little sisters so maybe she is outing Jana.

[sunshine]

It was mentioned somewhere that Jana's special friend didn't move forward.

[LittleOleMe]

I keep hearing about how you can't court when you're doing stuff at ATI. Where is this information coming from? Why would they forbid the men from courting? Wouldn't that help their image? "This godly young man is leading ALERT while his beautiful godly wife is tending to their children" I'm not doubting you all; I'm just really curious how you know this.

[Coconut Flan]

There is a ministry type course and it's one of the rules for it. I don't remember seeing it as a blanket thing for all hq positions or work.

[for_the_Kitties]

It was mentioned somewhere that Jana's special friend didn't move forward.

I think it was just speculation she had a special friend, and more speculation that the friendship dissolved. Nothing confirmed, just observations from her ever changing and sad faces.

[itsnikki05]

The creepiness of the phrase "special friend" genuinely makes me shiver (or should I say quiver...) it's no better than the word boyfriend so I don't understand why they say it?

It just makes me laugh.. back when hubby and I were dating, we ran into one of my little sisters friends and she asked if he was my "special friend"... I thought it was hilarious! So it doesn't seem creepy to me, not overly so... maybe a little coming from them. It was cute coming from a 15 year old!

[RosyDaisy]

Jana does seem happier this season, so who knows. Maybe she's courting or maybe she's involved in something that interests her.

[LongDogMom]

We have two "children's" homes here. (two that I know of) And it is sad. These kids are waiting for someone to adopt them. We donated some toys for christmas this past year and we got a lovely thank you note. It had a picture of these wishing star things the kids made with their wishes on it. These children - who are only a few years older than my own - are wishing for families instead of toys. It's heartbreaking. If I weren't a single parent barely making ends meet as it is, I would take them in a heart beat. Children are left there bc their parents can't (or - in some cases that I know personally - won't) take of them. The state doesn't take them away; the parents take them there. It's very sad.

That is heartbreaking. It makes me feel like crying just reading that. :-(

[LittleOleMe]

That is heartbreaking. It makes me feel like crying just reading that. :-(

I know they get help from a local church, although I don't know they're affiliated at all. I had some extra stuff that I had intended to donate to toys for tots but it was too late. Then I saw a local news report that they were looking for donations and the ladies of the church were putting something together but asking for outside help as well. So there are people who help out and at least do something. (It's not an evangelical church either. My non-christian self can tolerate it, although it was better before they got money and built stadium seating)

[DuggarsTheEndIsNear]

Jana does seem happier this season, so who knows. Maybe she's courting or maybe she's involved in something that interests her.

Maybe she's seeing an end to having to be an accountability partner for Jill and being able to walk away from the "doula" life.

[halcionne]

Well of course evangelicals would think shyness is sinful. Shy people don't make very good evangelists.

[Free Them All]

Considering how little airtime Jana and John David get, I suspect that as they have reached beyond age 21, they have asked to be in the background more. Their parents have agreed to this and seem to keep their "work" outside of the show private. I believe Jim Bob is teaching John David to invest in real estate as he has and I hope he is also teaching this to Jana. They invest their TLC cut of the trust money (since they are both over 21) and build their portfolios for the future.

[JHeathen]

They invest their TLC cut of the trust money (since they are both over 21) and build their portfolios for the future.

I sure hope this is true!

[Denim Jumper]

At the church my husband worked at, I was often criticized for being introverted, and encouraged to "turn to god" for overcome it. WTF do I need to overcome an aspect of my personality that I don't see as being a negative thing? The Hubs used to be like "The introverts are quietly doing the million and one tasks that the rest of us are too busy flapping our gums to do."

I was raised in pretty mainstream Christianity, but I still was taught that shyness was not good. Being shy or quiet was self-conscious, self-centered, and proud. Instead of being shy, I was taught to think about others and focus my attention on others and get my mind off of myself. In other words, no introverts allowed.

I still feel guilty for preferring to be by myself. I can only imagine how much worse it would be in fundieland.

[Kira]

The woman who runs the Duggar tumblr is hearing rumors about Jedidiah and a girl named Cassidy. Maybe this is a pre- pre-courtship :lol:. Jedidah is only 15(he'll be 16 in December), so I doubt that he is in a courtship. Would JB and Michelle let one of their kids get married so young? There are still rumors about Jana being in a courtship.

[Cognizant]

Jedidah is only 15(he'll be 16 in December), so I doubt that he is in a courtship. Would JB and Michelle let one of their kids get married so young?

Well JB and Michelle got married when he was 19 and she was 17, so in my mind anything is possible with them.

[realist51]

The woman who runs the Duggar tumblr is hearing rumors about Jedidiah and a girl named Cassidy. Maybe this is a pre- pre-courtship :lol:. Jedidah is only 15(he'll be 16 in December), so I doubt that he is in a courtship. Would JB and Michelle let one of their kids get married so young? There are still rumors about Jana being in a courtship.

So would pre-pre-courtship be what the rest of us call...high school dating?

[Georgiana]

So would pre-pre-courtship be what the rest of us call...high school dating?

Or maybe just a crush.

[for_the_Kitties]

Or maybe just a crush.

A betrothal.

[Knight of Ni]

Pre-pre-courtship reminds me of what my freshman roommate said about her boyfriend. She said they were engaged to be engaged. When I asked her what that meant she simply said it meant that they intended to be engaged one day. So basically it was just a committed relationship that they felt needed a special name. They broke up before the end of the first semester. Too bad that she gave away pieces of her heart.

[Georgiana]

Pre-pre-courtship reminds me of what my freshman roommate said about her boyfriend. She said they were engaged to be engaged. When I asked her what that meant she simply said it meant that they intended to be engaged one day. So basically it was just a committed relationship that they felt needed a special name. They broke up before the end of the first semester. Too bad that she gave away pieces of her heart.

I know a girl who had 2 pre-engagement "promise rings" from two different guys.

She is married to a third.

Her husband is great, but I sometimes think she married him simply because he was the one she was dating when she reached "marriage" age. That, and their engagement fell apart until she got pregnant. Which was odd because they were saving it for marriage.

[sriracha]

WTF do I need to overcome an aspect of my personality that I don't see as being a negative thing?

In a nutshell, this is why I left the fundy church. I got tired of all the made up rules (legalism) that they constantly pulled out of their asses in order to exert control. Their attacks on women were the final straw for me. I got so SICK of the guilt, I am grateful every single day that I packed up my secret rock pop CDs and took a hike.

[It'sFunToRun]

Does anyone remember a year or two ago when the Michelle said that they have a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy with their older children if they want to go on dates instead of courting? I wonder if JD or Jana has gone that route.

[16strong]

Does anyone remember a year or two ago when the Michelle said that they have a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy with their older children if they want to go on dates instead of courting? I wonder if JD or Jana has gone that route.

Seriously? They demand that their kids do everything they say, and then they just have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding dating? It's like they want to know everything...until they don't. Well I sure hope those kids have gone on a hell of a lot of dates.

[Pretzel]

I can't believe they would ever say or even less so accept if one of their children was dating instead of courting. They've successfully made courtship their brand. God forbid that one of their children doesn't abide by the holy dating rules of the TTH. I.e. NO dating. At all.