Mary Maxwell graduates (aka 30 years of homeschooling)

[nelliebelle1197]

Drew and any other boys born will notice most.

I think the favorites will be the children of Joseph and Mrs. Joseph. Joseph is the eldest reversal and seems to be daddy's little pet.

[goldbu]

I'm going to admit that I don't have this family tree on lock yet but YES, Joshua looks older than some of the kids that are even sitting at the table. Is this double bib thing really needed? What is going on with that? Hasn't he been in that thing for years? I remember a photo when I first started reading FJ where he was wearing the same kind of smock/bib thing. It was weird then and it is weird now.

My oldest is about the same age as Joshua and, knowing what a mess he could make, I didn't think much about the double bibs before. But now my kid is generally able to eat without a bib. If we eat something particularly messy, like spaghetti or some soups, we'll give him one of the rubber Baby Bjorn ones, but that's not usual. So yeah, I'm side eyeing the double protection now.

[anjulibai]

I agree the matching clothes and uber-bibs are Christopher's idea. He strikes me as more conservative than Steve, which is very scary. I think Anna can deal with it, but those poor kids...

Also, I contrasted how Joshua is set up at the table to how Christina is. Christina is sitting at a regular chair next to her father without any bib whatsoever. Joshua, meanwhile, is still in a high chair covered completely.

While Joshua might be the Golden Child now (though Nelliebelle might be right about Joseph's kids), his life is going to be far more difficult than I think any of the children of his uncles.

I also noticed that Melanie looks very tired and run down. I hope it's just because she's got 4 kids, including an infant, and nothing else.

[anjulibai]

Oh, and BTW, those smocks Joshua and Ruthanne wear are from Ikea. They are meant to be worn when a kid is painting.

[sparkles]

Some of my favorite pictures of my daughter when she was a wee tyke are the ones where she's wearing her food. I can't imagine a Maxwell kid being allowed to do the same because surely there's a bible verse that talks about how spaghetti in your hair will lead to a life of sin. And given that NR Anna is swimming the kool-aid, happily or not, she doesn't strike me as the type who would be lax about neatness. If they could put the kid in a hazmat suit, I'm sure they would.

[usmcmom]

Some of my favorite pictures of my daughter when she was a wee tyke are the ones where she's wearing her food. I can't imagine a Maxwell kid being allowed to do the same because surely there's a bible verse that talks about how spaghetti in your hair will lead to a life of sin. And given that NR Anna is swimming the kool-aid, happily or not, she doesn't strike me as the type who would be lax about neatness. If they could put the kid in a hazmat suit, I'm sure they would.

:lol: :lol: Oh my, I just had a vision of Joshua and Ruthanne wearing tiny shower caps at the table to keep their food out of their hair. :lol: :lol:

I'm with you - some of the cutest pictures of little ones are when they are all messy with food. I was one of those moms who just pushed up their sleeves, fastened a bib on them and...you know...let them eat. It's not like it took a garden hose to clean them up afterward (well, not typically, anyway) Some meals were more adventurous than others, but that's part of the learning process....and the fun.

[Seven Severn]

It's probably just me, but I found it interesting that the pic of Joseph and Elissa praying over Mary had Bethany's head directly in front of Elissa's abdomen. Hiding something that exists? Hiding something that doesn't exist? It's the only pic taken from that angle. Hmmm...

[twin2]

It's probably just me, but I found it interesting that the pic of Joseph and Elissa praying over Mary had Bethany's head directly in front of Elissa's abdomen. Hiding something that exists? Hiding something that doesn't exist? It's the only pic taken from that angle. Hmmm...

It is possible, however, I would bet that little photography trick is above the level of Sarah or Christopher.

[SPHASH]

The pics Sarah took of Mary were so awful I thought Chris took them. Mary is off center and Sarah cut off part of her arm.

[SPHASH]

OK who wrote this: Joel says:

March 30, 2015 at 1:07 pm

Congratulations Mary on your graduation! My guess on the trip outing for Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell is a trip to the safari.

[Lillybee]

I thought it was odd, that Steve even grills wearing a suit jacket.

[Jana814]

I thought it was odd, that Steve even grills wearing a suit jacket.

Maybe it was cold.

[anjulibai]

The pics Sarah took of Mary were so awful I thought Chris took them. Mary is off center and Sarah cut off part of her arm.

I was wonderin who took that last pic of Steve, Mary and Teri. It's so horribly off center I wonder if that was done on purpose. They could have at least cropped the photo.

[sparkles]

OK who wrote this: Joel says:

March 30, 2015 at 1:07 pm

Congratulations Mary on your graduation! My guess on the trip outing for Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell is a trip to the safari.

Considering that Teri's holding a handful of zoo animals that's probably spot on. Oh boy! The safari park! Again...

[DGayle]

We are so excited to see what the lord has in store for Mary....

What if what the lord had in store for her was for her to find a single, easy cure for all cancers? A lot of roads have been closed off.

[nomoxian]

Considering that Teri's holding a handful of zoo animals that's probably spot on. Oh boy! The safari park! Again...

There's so few places they can go out without getting out of the car, so I can't fault them for going there yet again.

Even a drive-thru would be too much for the Maxwells. Mc Donalds boxes of cookies have enough for each person to have more than two!

[church_of_dog]

I was wonderin who took that last pic of Steve, Mary and Teri. It's so horribly off center I wonder if that was done on purpose. They could have at least cropped the photo.

But then how would we know the photo was taken at 8:37? :lol:

[anjulibai]

But then how would we know the photo was taken at 8:37? :lol:

Obviously that was an incredibly important piece of information they wanted to preserve about that night. :? :lol:

So, I wonder if they will start branching into books about SAHDs and SAHSs, since they have 5 now, and no one that is still "in school". Surely that is a market that could be cornered. They could write about scheduling for childults, chores for childults, sheltering for childults, ways to earn income for childults can do, etc.

They've got a lot of experience at this point with this subject. I'd be incredibly curious how Sarah, John, Anna, Jesse and now Mary spend their days.

[thoughtful]

But then how would we know the photo was taken at 8:37? :lol:

According to that clock, it was, indeed Friday . . . the 13th.

Correct the post, Steve!

[SPHASH]

According to that clock, it was, indeed Friday . . . the 13th.

Correct the post, Steve!

I left a comment that Friday was the 13th but he ignored it. Maybe it's because I signed it "Obama family".

[thoughtful]

I left a comment that Friday was the 13th but he ignored it. Maybe it's because I signed it "Obama family".

Oh, I know -- that's the only reason I noticed.

I'm lucky if I know what year it is, let alone what date went with what day of the week. :embarrassed:

[Dru]

I left a comment that Friday was the 13th but he ignored it. Maybe it's because I signed it "Obama family".

Meta data on the photos also conform they were taken on (Friday) the 13th.

[Lillybee]

Meta data on the photos also conform they were taken on (Friday) the 13th.

How do the Maxwell adult children even have a clue about what day of the week it is?

[16strong]

How do the Maxwell adult children even have a clue about what day of the week it is?

Well, I assume they're taught when Sunday is, and they take it from there. :lol:

[BornFree]

I'm constantly amazed at Steve's overwhelming compulsion to control. It was obviously a special treat that after the younger children left Mary's party, the older "childults" were allowed scheduled time to talk with each other.