Rebecca!!!1Eleventy!11!! Has A New Post Up

[FloraDoraDolly]

It seems to me the tone has changed there since they started fostering/caring for Rachel.

I noticed that, too. I imagine that situation turned their whole little homeschooling community upside down.

[Pretzel]

Rebecca has more love and compassion in her pinky than the whole Duggar-Maxwell-elite-fundie-clan can come up with together. They're all so smug and the men are lazy, controlling wannabe-patriarchs. They don't deserve a genuinely caring girl like Rebecca. I hope that there's a prince charming for Rebecca out there.

I have more respect for the Kellum family than for any other fundie out there. They can manage with little luxuries and comforts, they (well, technically we only know Rebecca,right?) don't come across as vain or smug and they seem to practice what they preach. I have yet to encounter a fundie that really does a selfless thing for someone else. I can neither see a Maxwell, M or JB Duggar, the Bateseses, nor Zsu and the PP or whomever taking in a foster child and orient themselves toward these new life circumstances the way the Kellums do.

[Eternalbluepearl]

I noticed that, too. I imagine that situation turned their whole little homeschooling community upside down.

I'm trying to piece together who Rachel is. She is a friend they took in for circumstances they can't talk about? Abuse of some sort? :think:

[nelliebelle1197]

Does Rebecca's family know the Maxwells?

They have been to conferences and Rebecca's friend Abi Klein was the Moody book illustrator. Rebecca used to be a frequent tits2 commentator.

hiswayserves-hiswayserves.blogspot.com/2011/10/maxwell-conference-2.html

[ladyamylynn]

They have been to conferences and Rebecca's friend Abi Klein was the Moody book illustrator. Rebecca used to be a frequent tits2 commentator.

hiswayserves-hiswayserves.blogspot.com/2011/10/maxwell-conference-2.html

The above link includes this shot of John surrounded by a gaggle of ladies... wonder what's holding their rapt attention?

[nickelodeon]

She's a cutie! I dig the way that she's a weirdo who collects baby clothes, it adds to her uniqueness. I would party with Rebecca any day!

[moreorlessnu]

Is there any chance that part of the reason why she receives baby/little girl&boy clothes is because they make for inexpensive gifts? If thrift store clothes are not returnable, then it may be impossible for Rebecca's mother to buy "surprise" gifts for Rebecca. If Rebecca's mother is low on cash, she can pick up a few baby things here and there, and then Rebecca has a few gifts to open on the holidays. They seem to open many gifts on Christmas, but maybe they make that happen by being extremely frugal wrt the actual costs of gifts.

[nelliebelle1197]

I'm trying to piece together who Rachel is. She is a friend they took in for circumstances they can't talk about? Abuse of some sort? :think:

Yes, it was abuse of some sort. It was discussed here. Let me poke about...

ETA: Found it on the very first click!! :D

Post is long so I am putting under tags.

viewtopic.php?f=130&t=10384&p=725499&hilit=kellum#p725499

Re: Rebecca Eleventy-hundred turns 21!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PostAuthor: jakesykora » Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:22 pm

I am hoping it's ok to necro this thread. As it's the most recent Rebecca Eleventy thread and most recent I'm finding mentioning the Wilkerson family it seemed like the best option.

I'm not sure if anyone even still really follows them since she's hardly posting and it's basically been to say she would explain when she could.

No clue why suddenly she feels able to share this, but something has apparently changed (and I'm guessing this may also be tied to the Wilkerson adoption that 'fell through') although who knows, since she has often been prone to inappropriate oversharing of specifics of the lives of others on her blog.

The short version is her 'best friend' Rachel W is - and has been for 18 months - homeschooling and then living with them.

For a year and a half, we were homeschooling our friend, Rachel. What I'm

trying to say is...is that...last October, we had a crisis, and now Rachel is

staying with us, she's been placed in our care right now. Readers, PLEASE

do not ask us questions regarding the circumstances!!!!! Legally, we are not

permitted to discuss it, plus it's personally so hard.

Then alluding to this difficult trial (I'm assuming she's meaning fundie speak for tribulation not a legal trial, though I'd guess that's also coming into play) and things being painfully sad, etc., but that Rachel is doing well.

That (to me) explains the sudden lack of her blogging and lack of reference to the rest of the family but periodic appearances of Rachel, including mentioning her being like a sister (at a tea party, and NOT tying her in like she was the other little girls there) since she's been there to a much greater degree since apparently October of 2012.

In typically Rebecca speak I'm not quite clear if she's trying to say they homeschooled her for 18 months and it's only been the last 6 months that she's been living with them also, or if it's been all of the above since October 2012 (I'd guess it's really that).

It sounds like the boys are still there (and have been all along) which, given Rachel now also being out of the home, make me wonder if that's somehow tied to the other adoption of Mary not happening at the very last minute. Timing wise that could certainly fit with something prompting some sort of investigation perhaps and then the result being a trial placement with the Kellum family maybe?

I suppose it could be more innocuous given raising multiple kids with FAS could be very difficult - I have several families that I know that have adopted sibling sets with kids that all have FAS, so I have actually seen how challenging it can be from RL friends/family.

But at the same time, if that were the case, it'd be odd she'd mention legal stuff, not being able to ask questions, and pretty much insinuate this was not by the family's choice.

Plus, I find it hard to believe that someone - anyone - with any authority would randomly up and decide Rebecca's family was the best place for Rachel to be homeschooled and this all to have really started over schooling 18 months ago (or challenges with raising 3 kids with FAS and thus being a choice of T/S Wilk.)

As much as it seems Rebecca's family is kind-hearted and truly care about others, the blog and father's book alone are pretty clear indicators that it's not going to be a den of doctoral education or something. Which would seem to also indicate a placement for some other reason, with the Kellum family being where she went given the obvious closeness that has existed between the families for quite some time, and the fact that it does seem like Rachel was almost a family member to the Kellum girls as it was.

Plus, something was clearly amiss following the failed adoption because there were multiple mentions about hurtful things being said and such about T/S Wilk.

Anyway, like I said, hope it's ok to necro this and post. And I hope everything really is ok with Rachel and that she truly is thriving in her new (apparent) home and that she's able to stay there. She's nearly 14 now, no? A lot of moving around and such would be difficult at that age no matter what, but especially when with special needs, consistency typically makes a tremendous difference for kids!

hiswayserves-hiswayserves.blogspot.com/2014/04/only-through-gods-grace.html

Also, haven't done much looking to try to figure out more, but there is an obituary for Rachel's maternal grandfather from summer of 2013 and she is still listed there as a grandchild so that may indicate I'm misinterpreting Rebecca's comments and at that point they were only homeschooling Rachel, but it seems very odd they'd take her in to school her and then suddenly be given what appears to be some degree of legal custody for whatever reason.

And rereading Rebecca's blog around that time, she mentions Mrs. W being diagnosed with cancer in December of 2012 and the kids, so...? Maybe her math is really off and this is really all as of only October 2013 and not a year and a half ago? (I'm hoping her blog archives might end up giving more hints!)

[FloraDoraDolly]

I'm trying to piece together who Rachel is. She is a friend they took in for circumstances they can't talk about? Abuse of some sort? :think:

Rebecca's family was very friendly with a family named Wilkerson. We often saw photos of the Wilkersons and their kids on Rebecca's blog. There were three boys, plus one girl named Rachel. They were adopted by the Wilkersons as a sibling group. I'm not sure how old they were at the time. Rachel and at least some of her brothers have fetal alcohol syndrome. There was another girl who was not biologically related to these siblings who joined the Wilkerson family later, was supposed to be officially adopted, but was suddenly removed from their home. To complete the picture, Rebecca's family was also friendly with a grown Wilkerson daughter who was married and had a couple of small children.

When Rachel was about 13 or so, she went to live with Rebecca's family. No explanation was given; Rebecca was not allowed to discuss the situation. Someone here at Free Jinger managed to find out that Mrs. Wilkerson had been charged with abusing Rachel and the foster daughter who had been removed from their home earlier. Mrs. Wilkerson actually did some jail time. (3 months?) I don't know what is happening with this family now. Rachel is no longer with Rebecca's family. I have no idea what happened to her brothers. I hope they were able to be placed together with nice people.

[nelliebelle1197]

Here is an article on the abuse:

reformtalk.net/2014/06/17/how-could-youhall-of-shame-sharon-wilkerson/

[WonderingInWA]

Back to Rebecca's eligibility, she (like many fundie girls) is very immature and writes like a child much younger than her age. She has also mentioned more than once that she has a "drop foot" so walks with an uneven gait. She doesn't say why she has a "drop foot" -- anyone have any clarity on what would cause that? Combined with her intelligence level, would that perhaps ruin some of her prospects in fundie circles?

[DaffyDill]

Back to Rebecca's eligibility, she (like many fundie girls) is very immature and writes like a child much younger than her age. She has also mentioned more than once that she has a "drop foot" so walks with an uneven gait. She doesn't say why she has a "drop foot" -- anyone have any clarity on what would cause that? Combined with her intelligence level, would that perhaps ruin some of her prospects in fundie circles?

Isn't drop foot where the person has trouble lifting the top part of their foot when they walk? Possibly caused by some kind of nerve damage. People can walk with an odd gait by swinging their foot wide or lifting their knee higher when they walk to prevent dragging that foot on the ground.

[Jana814]

Agree that Rebecca is very immature. I think all she wants is to be a wife & mother.

[YoshiCat]

I would not wish Mama Arndt on Rebecca. I had a mother-in-law who was way intertwined in her sons' lives... had being the operative word. If we were just talking about the boys, I'd agree, but that (any of the Arndt boys actually pulling away from Mommy dearest enough to really forge a bond with a SO) seems highly unlikely. I could be wrong, though.

No one should marry a Maxwell or an Ardnt. Beside the usual reasons, there is something about those Arndt boys that makes me think they'd be really bad in bed but think they're great. And then he'd write a blog post about how AWESOME! sex is and I'm so glad I waited so I could have this awesomeness (because sex is not as awesome for unmarried people). Meanwhile some poor young woman is lying there thinking "that's it? That's what I've been waiting for?" But she has to please her husband and act like it was good for her.

It gives me the shudders just thinking about it.