Teri says "Go make your bed"

[anjulibai]

They also hike in colorado and kayak. Seems pretty normal, family fun to me. Of course, the Maxwells seem to make everything less fun so there's that.

It's all about God and worshiping as a family, not having fun as a family.

Speaking of which, it's almost time again for what some might call a vacation.

[Maggie Mae]

It's all about God and worshiping as a family, not having fun as a family.

Speaking of which, it's almost time again for what some might call a vacation.

Maybe they aren't going this year. Too much temptation from the legalized marijuana business, or they can't afford it.

[anjulibai]

Maybe they aren't going this year. Too much temptation from the legalized marijuana business, or they can't afford it.

They tend to go anytime between July and August, so they still might go.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

I didn't see this posted so I figure I'll just slot it into the latest Maxwell thread.

This pic from Grace's public FB made me ridiculously happy. I love that Mel spends what seems to be a good amount of time with her normal family:

[albanuadh_1]

you may wonder if your children will ever grow up".

The few times that I've read Terri's posts, I've always been under the impression that she never enjoyed the kids.

Oh, I've wondered is the business about '2 animal crackers' a FJ joke or something the Maxwells actually did?

[salex]

The few times that I've read Terri's posts, I've always been under the impression that she never enjoyed the kids.

Oh, I've wondered is the business about '2 animal crackers' a FJ joke or something the Maxwells actually did?

A comment response from Steve when he was dieting over his birthday...

Pamela L. says:

August 11, 2009 at 3:59 pm

Steve, I had to giggle when you said your birthday wasn’t quite what it usually is when you are cutting back on food. I guess there wasn’t a huge, frosting covered cake for you this year! I’m sure your wife and daughters found a way to serve something wonderful and yummy and lo-cal!

My smile turned to sadness as you spoke of your friend who is sick and who lost her husband. I will be sure to pray for her. And I am reminded to appreciate my health and my own precious husband. Happy birthday and may God continue to bless you.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Actually I had requested no dessert, but we later realized there was no opportunity to sing Happy Birthday so I asked that we get out the animal crackers and everyone had two each.

Yes please pray for her.

Steve

Which is odd in and of itself, as singing "Happy Birthday" is unrelated to a cake. Heck we often do it over the phone to people, no cake needed.

[anjulibai]

I just don't get the two each. Why not let the younger ones have a few more? Why deny others when you are cutting back?

Everyone must do what Steve does.

[BullyJBG]

The few times that I've read Terri's posts, I've always been under the impression that she never enjoyed the kids.

Oh, I've wondered is the business about '2 animal crackers' a FJ joke or something the Maxwells actually did?

I don't remember the animal cracker thing either. And yeah, I think they DO know about Disney. They've done conferences in Florida and California before, so I'm sure that word has been tossed around in conversations. Plus, didn't the Munck family go there at one point? They would've heard them talk about it during Joseph's relationship with Elizabeth. It's possible she may have mentioned to Joseph how lovely it would be for them to go again with the kids they would've had......and that may have been one of the cracks that led to the ending.

How "mature" all those 5 are depends on your definition of mature. But, real mature people are ones who keep on learning and growing, even if learning from people who don't live like them. In that case, hasn't Steve's maturity declined in the last few years?

[danvillebelle]

The few times that I've read Terri's posts, I've always been under the impression that she never enjoyed the kids.

Oh, I've wondered is the business about '2 animal crackers' a FJ joke or something the Maxwells actually did?

She wasn't enjoying them when she only had 3 - then she was brainwashed into having 5 more, back to back. While suffering from almost certain clinical depression and constant back pain.

Then imagine all those years of diaper changes and dealing with toddlers and preschoolers, with a bad back.

I'm not trying to give her a pass, but no, I don't think she ever really enjoyed them when they were little. I think she enjoys them IMMENSELY now, while they do all the work and she can sit back and do....whatever it is she does all day, every day. :roll:

ETA: What would be the point of them going to Disney - they are completely ignorant of all the characters, any of the movies, ALL OF IT. They'd be utterly bewildered.

[mango_fandango]

She wasn't enjoying them when she only had 3 - then she was brainwashed into having 5 more, back to back. While suffering from almost certain clinical depression and constant back pain.

Then imagine all those years of diaper changes and dealing with toddlers and preschoolers, with a bad back.

I'm not trying to give her a pass, but no, I don't think she ever really enjoyed them when they were little. I think she enjoys them IMMENSELY now, while they do all the work and she can sit back and do....whatever it is she does all day, every day. :roll:

ETA: What would be the point of them going to Disney - they are completely ignorant of all the characters, any of the movies, ALL OF IT. They'd be utterly bewildered.

Not to mention all the ebil, liberal, immodest, pants-wearing women. Heathens, the lot of 'em.

[J'Lurker]

Where does Sarah get off giving child rearing advice??

Who do you think raised the Maxwell children? Especially the reversal babies. Surely not Teri! :cracking-up: There's no one in that house more qualified to give child rearin' advice. Of course, based on the crap they're teaching them, I would argue NO ONE in that household is fit to be anywhere NEAR an impressionable child.

ETA: Love the bed made, hate making it. I find a clean house triggers my OCPD. If I want to get work done ever, I can't bother myself with domestics, or I'd never leave my house because it would never be "clean." I'm thankful I've been fortunate to be able to hire someone to come once a week and clean up after my disgusting self since I moved out on my own (even when money has been extraordinarily tight... I've had to cut the cable and the internet out, etc. before, because priorities.)

[PennySycamore]

I love how in that picture of Melanie and her female family there are 4 women in pants, 4 in sleeveless tops, 1 in a strapless dress, several in somewhat low-cut tops and one sister with her skirt several inches above the knee. Nobody comes close to being as modestly dressed as Mel is.

[16strong]

Mel looks normal and happy in that photo. Anyone mind filling me in on how she fell in with fundamentalism?

[blessalessi]

She met Nathan at church before Steve became quite so extreme. The church was the same one Grandpa and Gigi had attended forever so the Max family prob didn't seem so odd at that time.

[Eternalbluepearl]

For those wondering if Teri never liked having children...I came across an interesting letter she wrote to her parents. The letter (which is posted somewhere in the deep dark depths of very old Mom's Corners), was Teri telling her parents that she has decided to try homeschooling her children. In it, she seems unsure that homeschooling is something she can be successful at and says to her parents, "I know what you're thinking, this is Teri, the one who questions if she even loves her children..." I'm not at all shaming her for experiencing depression, or not wanting to be a mom, or not liking motherhood. The honesty of that sentence being posted on the Maxwell's website just shocked me is all.

[Terrie]

For those wondering if Teri never liked having children...I came across an interesting letter she wrote to her parents. The letter (which is posted somewhere in the deep dark depths of very old Mom's Corners), was Teri telling her parents that she has decided to try homeschooling her children. In it, she seems unsure that homeschooling is something she can be successful at and says to her parents, "I know what you're thinking, this is Teri, the one who questions if she even loves her children..." I'm not at all shaming her for experiencing depression, or not wanting to be a mom, or not liking motherhood. The honesty of that sentence being posted on the Maxwell's website just shocked me is all.

That makes me so sad. It's okay to not want children. I haven't wanted kids pretty much since I realized that was an option. Instead, I am committed to being an additional resource for my nieces and nephews. Best of both worlds. I get to do the fun stuff, without having to change diapers. :

But in seriousness, that kind of extra support can be a life saver. My cousin fled an abusive relationship, and a huge part of what made it possible was our childless aunt opening her home to my cousin and providing her with a safe place to rebuild her life.

[danvillebelle]

For those wondering if Teri never liked having children...I came across an interesting letter she wrote to her parents. The letter (which is posted somewhere in the deep dark depths of very old Mom's Corners), was Teri telling her parents that she has decided to try homeschooling her children. In it, she seems unsure that homeschooling is something she can be successful at and says to her parents, "I know what you're thinking, this is Teri, the one who questions if she even loves her children..." I'm not at all shaming her for experiencing depression, or not wanting to be a mom, or not liking motherhood. The honesty of that sentence being posted on the Maxwell's website just shocked me is all.

It's not just on the website - the whole letter is at the beginning of Chapter 2 of "Managers of Their Schools". I still have my copy; it's the last book of theirs I bought before I came out of my "if I can just be a good enough Christian homeschooling mom I'll be happy" delusional world.

[LurkerOverThePond]

Melanie really does look happy to be among her own family. Are they all her sisters?

There has also been pictures of ABC girls visiting with Mel's family members (the evil Easter egg hunt if my memory serves me right). Seeing these ladies gives me a tiny bit of hope for the lil girls - at least they have female role models other than the Maxwell aunts in their lives! Talking about the aunts, can you imagine Sarah in this photo with Mel's sisters? Because I simply cannot. These are women of her own age, some older and some younger, who should have a lot of common with her, but there is nothing. She would be totally uncomfortable and out of her place :cry:

I often wonder if the ABC girls ever ask their mom or dad why their other aunts and grandparents let they do things the other ones strictly forbid. Like, "Daddy... why can't we have Easter egg hunt with Aunt Anna and Mary, too?"

[HoneyBunny]

For those wondering if Teri never liked having children...I came across an interesting letter she wrote to her parents. The letter (which is posted somewhere in the deep dark depths of very old Mom's Corners), was Teri telling her parents that she has decided to try homeschooling her children. In it, she seems unsure that homeschooling is something she can be successful at and says to her parents, "I know what you're thinking, this is Teri, the one who questions if she even loves her children..." I'm not at all shaming her for experiencing depression, or not wanting to be a mom, or not liking motherhood. The honesty of that sentence being posted on the Maxwell's website just shocked me is all.

This makes me really HATE Steve Maxwell.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Melanie really does look happy to be among her own family. Are they all her sisters?

I think three are sisters, three are sisters in law. Plus her mom. The caption says it's the women of her family but they are missing two other sisters and another in law.

Her family was a lot more fundie but now they're all pretty normal. Still Christian but within the mainstream. Now you know Steve wouldnt even be able to look at this picture.

[sparkles]

I love how in that picture of Melanie and her female family there are 4 women in pants, 4 in sleeveless tops, 1 in a strapless dress, several in somewhat low-cut tops and one sister with her skirt several inches above the knee. Nobody comes close to being as modestly dressed as Mel is.

And ironically, because Mel is dressed so far outside of the norm for a hot summer day, that's where your attention goes. Quite the opposite of modest. She stands out like a sort thumb.

[goldbu]

And ironically, because Mel is dressed so far outside of the norm for a hot summer day, that's where your attention goes. Quite the opposite of modest. She stands out like a sort thumb.

I actually thought Mel was dressed fairly normal in this picture. She's wearing a maxi skirt and tshirt, which is something a lot of non-fundie women wear. Heck, I'm actually wearing something very similar today (although my v-neck shirt is surely defrauding....) Where I live, this is kinda the "young mom" uniform. Maxi skirts are really comfortable and nice on hot days.

[Brittany15]

I actually thought Mel was dressed fairly normal in this picture. She's wearing a maxi skirt and tshirt, which is something a lot of non-fundie women wear. Heck, I'm actually wearing something very similar today (although my v-neck shirt is surely defrauding....) Where I live, this is kinda the "young mom" uniform. Maxi skirts are really comfortable and nice on hot days.

I agree that she doesn't look that out of place. A friend of mine (who is not not fundie at all) actually has that same skirt. I often wonder about Mel and Nathan. We only see their lives through the blog, and the blog is written by Sarah (well Steve). So we only see them through this lens. We never get to hear about Nathan and Melanie in activities that don't involve the rest of the family.

[Eternalbluepearl]

I thought Melanie looked normal, even cute. I don't dress super stylishly though, so I'm not the best judge. :shrug:

[usmcmom]

This makes me really HATE Steve Maxwell.

This article makes me hate him even more:

articles.titus2.com/we-ve-reversed-a-bad-decision/

Seriously, when I read this, I was livid. He comes across as so abusive and controlling. From discussing the decision with Teri's dad to having the vasectomy reversed KNOWING her struggle with depression....I hate him with the heat of a thousand suns.