Do You Think Anna Has Any Friends?

[longskirts]

I think Anna has friends; in one of the interviews on the TLC website with her and Josh, they mentioned her friends. I think it was one of the early videos about her second pregnancy. Probably she is still in touch with many of the people she was friends with from ATI conferences as a teenager--it is not that hard to keep in contact with phone and email.

I'm guessing that not everyone is willing to be on camera and that's why we don't see them. It could also be that the producers want to keep the number of "characters" down so that the audience isn't confused trying to keep track of Friend Number 1, Friend Number 2, etc. in addition to the gazillion relatives. I think they want the main "cast" to be stable from episode to episode.

[moreorlessnu]

Anna and Michelle talking about birthin' while getting pedicures reminded me of a conversation I've had with an aunt I've only met a few times and never really liked. That cold, I'm-being-polite-to-you because I have to be sort of thing.

Did anyone else think that conversation was suggested by the TLC producers? Otherwise, how strange that Michelle would be giving Anna birthing advice for a second child, when Anna was planning on having the same type of birth (i.e., un-medicated home birth) as she had had for her first baby. No wonder Anna was giving off that "I don't really care, but I'm being polite" vibe. She had already been through the process once, and Michelle wasn't telling her anything she didn't already know.

[bananacat]

I'm not surprised that Anna and Michelle are distant. The whole courtship thing went by so fast, I'm surprised she's not that distant with her own husband. Even though she stayed with the family for awhile, it's just really hard to get close to so many people in that short amount of time, especially when you are so busy planning a wedding.

I don't think that Michelle dislikes her personally, but I don't think she likes any attention being drawn away from her. It has to hurt that Anna is being recognized for the ONLY think Michelle has ever been recognized for, while Michelle herself can apparently no longer have kids. It's like being forced into retirement from a prestigious career while having to mentor the person who is taking over, and then having to be friendly to them forever. I suspect that at least one of the kids will end up moving into the Duggar palace with their spouse so that Michelle can pretend the babies are hers.

[luv2laugh]

I'm not surprised that Anna and Michelle are distant. The whole courtship thing went by so fast, I'm surprised she's not that distant with her own husband. Even though she stayed with the family for awhile, it's just really hard to get close to so many people in that short amount of time, especially when you are so busy planning a wedding.

I don't think that Michelle dislikes her personally, but I don't think she likes any attention being drawn away from her. It has to hurt that Anna is being recognized for the ONLY think Michelle has ever been recognized for, while Michelle herself can apparently no longer have kids. It's like being forced into retirement from a prestigious career while having to mentor the person who is taking over, and then having to be friendly to them forever. I suspect that at least one of the kids will end up moving into the Duggar palace with their spouse so that Michelle can pretend the babies are hers.

I completely agree!

[IReallyAmHopewell]

That cold, I'm-being-polite-to-you because I have to be sort of thing.

Exactly! And, sorry if I'm in the minority, but I do think she dislikes her personally!

Most of the stuff we see is staged. Remember the brilliant shopping trip to the used-clothes-mart when Anna says to M-i-l "do you use many onsies?" Michelle had to stop and think! It's kind of like the kids "waking up" in street clothes.....staged, staged, staged.

[Feberin]

I think Anna has friends; in one of the interviews on the TLC website with her and Josh, they mentioned her friends. I think it was one of the early videos about her second pregnancy. Probably she is still in touch with many of the people she was friends with from ATI conferences as a teenager--it is not that hard to keep in contact with phone and email.

I'm guessing that not everyone is willing to be on camera and that's why we don't see them. It could also be that the producers want to keep the number of "characters" down so that the audience isn't confused trying to keep track of Friend Number 1, Friend Number 2, etc. in addition to the gazillion relatives. I think they want the main "cast" to be stable from episode to episode.

I agree with this! I would imagine she has lots of friends from those homeschool conferences who are around her age and since they've never lived close are used to a long distance friendship. She also frequently has one of her sisters either staying with them or visiting her in-laws. And that's not counting the Duggars friends and her sisters-in-law. And there is the other Josh at the car lot's wife. While I doubt she has a ton of friends I don't think she is as isolated as some other fundie women.