Happy Birthday Sarah Maxwell!

[Elegant Mess]

10 minutes ago, Mela99 said:

So if Steve determines someone is the right guy she has to marry him? 

This is also a concern I have about Sarah, Anna, and Mary.  If true, it just reinforces the opinion that many of us at FJ share, that they don't have real choices over how to live their lives.

As much as I would love to see one or more of them leave Maxhell, I wouldn't want any of them trapped in a nightmare marriage, either.

[salex]

6 hours ago, silverspoons said:

While it is not unusual these days to wait till your 30's to marry , how many 34 year olds have never been on a date? I have had several friends go through medical school and challenging residencies and not marry till Sarah's age but they did squeeze in a few dates over the years and had plenty of male interaction in the workplace.

 

I'm not sure if Sara could even handle getting married after so many years of Maxwell life unless maybe she was able to find someone on the same schedule and live next door. I live in southern Utah and it is a very sheltered place to raise kids with few options for independent activites. My child had a teacher that just didn't seem to enjoy her job so I talked with her. She explained she really wanted a different career but would have never have left southern Utah. She did not want to go to college in one of those scary bad big cities. She was a very smart women and it made me sad to see her literally shaking talking about how it would have been going to Denver or Boston.

Some of the aging SAHDs, with their writing and cleaning and whatever with their parents make me think of A New England Nun

http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/nenun.html

Even if the dream of a husband were to come along, would they be comfortable with the change>?

[PennySycamore]

24 minutes ago, Babycakes said:

I'm debating sharing something....stupid question, but how does the spoiler feature work? Is there a member/post count requirement or does it simply prevent showing up in a Google search?

No post count required that I'm aware of.  All you need to do is to click on the little eye icon at the top of the reply box and it should bring us a spoiler box to type the text in you want hidden.

Spoiler

Just trying this out!  Works great!

 

[iweartanktops]

31 minutes ago, Babycakes said:

I'm debating sharing something....stupid question, but how does the spoiler feature work? Is there a member/post count requirement or does it simply prevent showing up in a Google search?

Only members can see. It doesn't matter how many posts. Just remember you can't delete it in the future.   

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

I'm going to hold onto hope that Sarah may court this year. 

 

Spoiler

I have a friend who is a good friend of Sarah's. Apparently, Sarah and "some of her siblings" came for a visit here last year and some of them are coming again this year. No mention of the parents.  We're a good ways from KS, I can't imagine those visits not having a "purpose". This was a quick chat on Facebook, I didn't get more details. I won't share if/when I do get more information in the future, I already feel a bit scummy sharing this much. I just know some of you share my soft spot for Sarah.

 

[HermioneSparrow]

@Babycakes Ohh, a glimpse of hope maybe??? 

 

Spoiler

I understand the not sharing but if there is something huge to share maybe maybe you'll tell us? I mean... If something really happens with Sarah.. Let's hope.

 

[Jana814]

I hope Sarah gets into a courtship this year. 

[fundiefan]

So, in Maxhell being a member of the family means living in the same house as mom & dad and following their rules. 

Yet again, they make me thrilled for my upbringing. I haven't lived with my mom since I was 16 yet, here we are, more than 30 years later, still a part of the same family. 

[socalrules]

25 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

So, in Maxhell being a member of the family means living in the same house as mom & dad and following their rules. 

Yet again, they make me thrilled for my upbringing. I haven't lived with my mom since I was 16 yet, here we are, more than 30 years later, still a part of the same family. 

Imagine parents wanting to their kids to be a part of their family even once they live outside the house? It is such a novel idea. Leaving the immediate family once married is the Maxwell version of "leave and cleave". Since Gigi lives on her own, wouldn't that mean that she is not part of Teri's immediate family?

Gigi seems to be a big part of the Maxwell family. They obviously love her very much and she seems to be at every event. I wonder why Steve allows it when he obviously did not like his own family very much. The fact that Gigi still lives on her own, even though only next door, shows she isn't a believer in needing a male headship. I wonder if he allows it because Teri functions better when near her mom (both parents before her dad died). I would guess that Teri's parents picked up a lot of the slack when Teri was having trouble functioning and couldn't take care of the kids. 

 

[iweartanktops]

I'm guessing you're right @socalrules

Do we know much about Steve's family? I don't recall ever reading anything about his parents, siblings, etc. 

[clese]

17 minutes ago, iweartanktops6 said:

I'm guessing you're right @socalrules

Do we know much about Steve's family? I don't recall ever reading anything about his parents, siblings, etc. 

Just read this comment too...sarah has added a winking emoji. Winking!!! ( by the way I'm talking about the cherry comment. i don't know how I got this attached?!)

[halcionne]

1 hour ago, Babycakes said:

I'm going to hold onto hope that Sarah may court this year. 

The spoiler doesn't hide anything from anyone, I'm sorry to say. Anyone, even lurking non-members, can open your spoiler. I logged off and checked this recently in another thread.

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

9 minutes ago, halcionne said:

The spoiler doesn't hide anything from anyone, I'm sorry to say. Anyone, even lurking non-members, can open your spoiler. I logged off and checked this recently in another thread.

Well, stink!

What exactly is the point of the spoilers then?

[anjulibai]

20 minutes ago, iweartanktops6 said:

I'm guessing you're right @socalrules

Do we know much about Steve's family? I don't recall ever reading anything about his parents, siblings, etc. 

Steve's parents divorced, it seems sometime in his early teens, perhaps due to his . Both of his parents remarried, and Steve took the last name of his step-father. Maxwell is NOT Steve's birth last name. Steve also has 2 full sisters. 

Steve's mother, whose name was Mary Ann, had Alzheimer's (or some other dimentia) and was in a home in another state the last few years of her life. She was almost never mentioned, except once when Chris and Anna Marie went to visit her right after their marriage. It seems when his mother was healthier, she did the illustrations for Sarah's first Moody book. 

Steve's biological father, Paul, seems to have had a pretty active life, with lots of socializing and hobbies, including flying, like Steve used to enjoy. He had a bunch of step-kids and seems to have been well liked by those that knew him. I don't remember his (and thus Steve's original) last name, but I believe it began with a B. 

Both his biological parents died about 2 years ago or so, and their deaths were never mentioned on the blog. I don't believe any of the Maxwells went to the funerals, though I could be wrong.  I believe his mother's death was within a month of Teri's father dying, whose funeral the Maxwells were definitely at. 

Steve's step-father was a James Maxwell, who I think was a doctor. I seem to remember that he and Steve's mother were also divorced, but I'm not sure. James Maxwell died many, many years ago, it seems. 

If anyone wants to add anything or correct me, please do so. 

[browngrl]

I hope Steve's comment was an oblique way of letting everyone know Sarah is in a courtship or better yet engaged. Marriage and children are the be all and end all for women in their world and I imagine Sarah pines to be married and a mother. If not I hope that Sarah is happy with her "choice".

[Rear Window]

But if Steve, I mean God, marries his daughters off, who will dust the ceiling fans and wipe cabinets?

I hope Sarah has a happy bday but animal crackers and meatless burritos scream most depressing bday ever. 

[gustava]

3 hours ago, Mela99 said:

So if Steve determines someone is the right guy she has to marry him? 

Pretty much.

[Jana814]

43 minutes ago, anjulibai said:

Steve's parents divorced, it seems sometime in his early teens, perhaps due to his . Both of his parents remarried, and Steve took the last name of his step-father. Maxwell is NOT Steve's birth last name. Steve also has 2 full sisters. 

Steve's mother, whose name was Mary Ann, had Alzheimer's (or some other dimentia) and was in a home in another state the last few years of her life. She was almost never mentioned, except once when Chris and Anna Marie went to visit her right after their marriage. It seems when his mother was healthier, she did the illustrations for Sarah's first Moody book. 

Steve's biological father, Paul, seems to have had a pretty active life, with lots of socializing and hobbies, including flying, like Steve used to enjoy. He had a bunch of step-kids and seems to have been well liked by those that knew him. I don't remember his (and thus Steve's original) last name, but I believe it began with a B. 

Both his biological parents died about 2 years ago or so, and their deaths were never mentioned on the blog. I don't believe any of the Maxwells went to the funerals, though I could be wrong.  I believe his mother's death was within a month of Teri's father dying, whose funeral the Maxwells were definitely at. 

Steve's step-father was a James Maxwell, who I think was a doctor. I seem to remember that he and Steve's mother were also divorced, but I'm not sure. James Maxwell died many, many years ago, it seems. 

If anyone wants to add anything or correct me, please do so. 

Thanks for the information of Steve's family.  I guess it explains a little about why Steve is the way he is. Maybe his father's activities took him away from the family & he didn't want to do the same thing. 

[iweartanktops]

1 hour ago, Babycakes said:

Well, stink!

What exactly is the point of the spoilers then?

I owe you a huge apology! I'm so sorry! I sincerely thought non-members couldn't see!  I feel bad. 

@anjulibai

Wow, thank you so much for that! Very interesting... 

[quiversR4hunting]

Add to what @anjulibai said I found his mom's obit. http://m.legacy.com/obituaries/pjstar/obituary.aspx?n=Mary-Ann-Maxwell&pid=171089049&referrer=0&preview=True#sthash.QWB4iGl9.dpuf

nothing about his dad

[Toothfairy]

Imagine Sarah marrying a guy like Steve

[Hane]

Somehow, I get the impression that Steve would never coerce a daughter of his to marry anyone she didn't like, even if the prospective beau were hand-picked and exhaustively vetted by Stevehovah himself. So her default would be eternal SAHD-hood. At least she'd be able to take comfort in the familiar.

[Justme]

Stevie's bio parents were discussed in FJ around the time of their deaths. Links to both obits were posted. 

Also, Joe asked Elissa to marry him the day of Steve's Mom's funeral. 

 

[BullyJBG]

Ah, Sarah is 34. 6 more years of being a "single young woman". I'm sure she's at least thankful that the term "another year older and deeper in debt" doesn't apply to her. Thinking it probably would if she had her own apartment, her own car, etc.

  Steve has gotten better with the birthday posts. Wow; we get the better of him for that, lol. Mentioning the Moody series ending and her new series in progress. And considering the surprise party and her "different towns" research for her next book series, she seems to at least be able to go out alone, or drive alone in whatever vehicle; even if it's one she shares with her sisters. Though bringing back the "until the right guy comes along", not sure. But maybe he's trying to prove that he CAN let her go, even if the thought leaves him shaking in his booties. Poor Steve. Keep trying. You can do it.

[marmalade]

8 minutes ago, Justme said:

Stevie's bio parents were discussed in FJ around the time of their deaths. Links to both obits were posted. 

Also, Joe asked Elissa to marry him the day of Steve's Mom's funeral. 

 

It IS always about DEATH with these people, isn't it? Geez, Joey, ask her some other day.