Lack of interest in Maxwell conferences

[blessalessi]

Steve must be terrified that if John leaves the fold and writes a tell-all book then his entire world might cave in.

It is one thing giving your kids the bounded choice to leave home if they want at graduation time, when they are too naive and inexperienced and frightened to know what the hell is on offer in the Big Bad World but, at 22ish, and with his own business and his own worldly friends to turn to, Steve can't afford to come down too hard on John, in case the emotional blackmail isn't enough.

[Brightonbelle]

Is Bethany eyeing up those bare knees??

I wonder what the response would be if Sarah or Anna said they were off to the shops or something?

[anjulibai]

Poor Abby ij that awful denim skirt. :(

[princessmahina]

Steve must be terrified that if John leaves the fold and writes a tell-all book then his entire world might cave in.

It is one thing giving your kids the bounded choice to leave home if they want at graduation time, when they are too naive and inexperienced and frightened to know what the hell is on offer in the Big Bad World but, at 22ish, and with his own business and his own worldly friends to turn to, Steve can't afford to come down too hard on John, in case the emotional blackmail isn't enough.

Who would read a Maxwell tell-all book though? I imagine the audience wouldn't be that large.

[SPHASH]

Who would read a Maxwell tell-all book though? I imagine the audience wouldn't be that large.

Me and everyone at FJ

[FloraDoraDolly]

Is Bethany eyeing up those bare knees??

I wonder what the response would be if Sarah or Anna said they were off to the shops or something?

Bethy is probably looking at her aunts' boots.

As for Sarah and Anna going to the shops, if Steve and Teri didn't want them to go I expect they would lay a guilt trip on them. "Yes, of course you are an adult and you are free to go shopping. But we really wish you would reconsider. Mama has one of her headaches and needs help with supper. Do you REALLY want to leave her with all that work to do by herself when she feels so badly? Keep in mind that part of the reason why she feels poorly is because she is so worried that Satan will attack you at the mall. But by all means, go shopping-- if that's what the Lord is leading you to do...." Insert relevant passages of Scripture where applicable.

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

Ok asked my American friend. A back rub is the same as a back massage.

I am sure I was the only one confused though haha

Feel so sorry for Abbi in that long skirt, hope she spends lots of time with Mels family.

[VodouDoll]

My goodness, her smile in that pic is so different from how it usually looks. Natural and unforced.

[DaffyDill]

I don't know...I think the ABC girls always look happy, and a little cheeky, just normal, fun-loving little girls. I'm really impressed Melanie hasn't allowed herself and her children to be absorbed completely into the Maxwellian-Borg Collective, and continues to see her side of the family and allow the girls to be little kids riding bikes, petting their chickens, and just generally doing what kids do. I bet there has been subtle pressure from the Borg-Collective though.

Abby I am sure loves her three maiden aunts, who all wear the long denim skirts, so it wouldn't surprise me if she wanted one like theirs as to her, it's wearing what the grownups wear. She still wears other stuff - in their recent "bike-riding-while-fellowshipping" post, she had on knee length (maybe rolled up) leggings under a little dress, which looked like something any kid could wear. And she'll realise after wearing one for a while and the novelty wears off how restricting they can be (depending upon fabric etc) and hopefully Melanie will let her toss it.

It's going to get interesting when the girls are a few years older, and understand how god-awful, mundane, and boring the aunts lives are, that they (probably) still aren't married, and are treated not much differently to the younger girls. Imagine Steve's face if he overhears an AB or C say "But Mum, I don't want to over to Grandad's today, it's so b-o-o-o-o-ring!" "All we just do is just little kids stuff all the time. And Grandad likes Joshua best anyway" *sulky face*

Anyway, where there's access to Melanie's family, there's hope :D

[elizasc]

Let's hope she spends more time with the fun aunties

[anjulibai]

I don't know...I think the ABC girls always look happy, and a little cheeky, just normal, fun-loving little girls. I'm really impressed Melanie hasn't allowed herself and her children to be absorbed completely into the Maxwellian-Borg Collective, and continues to see her side of the family and allow the girls to be little kids riding bikes, petting their chickens, and just generally doing what kids do. I bet there has been subtle pressure from the Borg-Collective though.

Abby I am sure loves her three maiden aunts, who all wear the long denim skirts, so it wouldn't surprise me if she wanted one like theirs as to her, it's wearing what the grownups wear. She still wears other stuff - in their recent "bike-riding-while-fellowshipping" post, she had on knee length (maybe rolled up) leggings under a little dress, which looked like something any kid could wear. And she'll realise after wearing one for a while and the novelty wears off how restricting they can be (depending upon fabric etc) and hopefully Melanie will let her toss it.

It's going to get interesting when the girls are a few years older, and understand how god-awful, mundane, and boring the aunts lives are, that they (probably) still aren't married, and are treated not much differently to the younger girls. Imagine Steve's face if he overhears an AB or C say "But Mum, I don't want to over to Grandad's today, it's so b-o-o-o-o-ring!" "All we just do is just little kids stuff all the time. And Grandad likes Joshua best anyway" *sulky face*

Anyway, where there's access to Melanie's family, there's hope :D

But she has other aunts who wear shorts and pants. Why wouldn't she want to dress like they do? I doubt if she asked for shorts, she'd be allowed to wear them.

I bet she was guilted into the long denim skirts.

[Dru]

I think Abby sometimes (often) looks annoyed in the pics posted on the blog. My theory is she has little patience for the constant pose and take picture nonsense.

Regarding the denim skirt, I'm guessing Abby does choose it because it makes her feel like a grown up being that her other aunts wear them. Of course she she couldn't choose pants or shorts in her family, but we've seen her in other types of dresses and skirts recently, as has been pointed out.

[treemom]

Honestly? I think she is happy. I think that Steve has stunted their emotional growth, pruning them like little bonsai trees, and now they would be lost without him. They might have had the potential for rich, fulfilling lives, but that's all gone. At this point, it's kinder to leave them where they are.

Bonsai tree is how I have often described them.

[Elegant Mess]

I hope I'm not derailing the thread too much with this, but I had not appreciated how far down the rabbit hole this family has gone until I looked at the titus2.com website from the early years via the Wayback Machine.

Case in point, look at this photo of Teri and Anna from 2000. The caption literally reads (I bolded for emphasis):

"Teri and Anna working together as a team to load boxes (yes, that morning was really hard on Teri's back - but was nothing that a Pepsi and two aspirin couldn't fix!)." :pink-shock:

For those wanting to see the source: web.archive.org/web/20000815220838/http://titus2.com/m-photo5.htm

[SPHASH]

I hope I'm not derailing the thread too much with this, but I had not appreciated how far down the rabbit hole this family has gone until I looked at the titus2.com website from the early years via the Wayback Machine.

Case in point, look at this photo of Teri and Anna from 2000. The caption literally reads (I bolded for emphasis):

"Teri and Anna working together as a team to load boxes (yes, that morning was really hard on Teri's back - but was nothing that a Pepsi and two aspirin couldn't fix!)." :pink-shock:

For those wanting to see the source: web.archive.org/web/20000815220838/http://titus2.com/m-photo5.htm

Now Teri isn't allowed Pepsi at all, thanks to Steve.

[Brightonbelle]

Re: a tell all book. The audience may not be that large, but someone who has spent a large part of their life being forced into peddling a lifestyle that they later disagree with may decide to publish their own opinion on it. Just to even things up if nothing else. We can hope!

[Arete]

Now Teri isn't allowed Pepsi at all, thanks to Steve.

On that you're wrong. Steve is a monster, but he never forbid Teri from drinking Pepsi. If you go back to the Pepsi story which is in one of the old Mom's Corners, it was TERI who decided to stop drinking Pepsi because it was coming between her and Jesus. No kidding. She was worried that because she needed it every day to get through the day, it had become an IDOL in her life. So she prayed about it and quit cold turkey. Even that small amount of pleasure had to be eliminated from her life.

[SassyPants]

CONTROLCONTROLCONTROLCONTROL!!!!!!!

Caffeine is my idol!

[Sundaymorning]

Re: a tell all book. The audience may not be that large, but someone who has spent a large part of their life being forced into peddling a lifestyle that they later disagree with may decide to publish their own opinion on it. Just to even things up if nothing else. We can hope!

I agree. And nowdays, anyone can publish an ebook, no need to print anymore.

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

Craving a diet coke now. Thanks Terri :/

FFS it's clear that Steve is everyone's IDOL and that's the way he wants it, with no distractions.

[DaffyDill]

But she has other aunts who wear shorts and pants. Why wouldn't she want to dress like they do? I doubt if she asked for shorts, she'd be allowed to wear them.

I bet she was guilted into the long denim skirts.

The Maxwell aunties are the ones she sees the most because they live nearby, that's why she wants to dress like those grownups. I'm sure though, she received plenty of "Maxwell positive reinforcement" for asking to wear one though. It also doesn't mean that one day, when she's tired of that restrictive skirt, she won't want to dress like Melanie's family.

[elizasc]

The bonsai comparison is so apropos

[FloraKitty35]

CONTROLCONTROLCONTROLCONTROL!!!!!!!

Caffeine is my idol!

Time for a cup of coffee. :)

[PennySycamore]

Time for a cup of coffee. :)

Or tea! The kettle just started whistling.

[Black Aliss]

I agree. And nowdays, anyone can publish an ebook, no need to print anymore.

Or do print-on-demand, which is what a publisher friend of mine does with his niche titles.