Josiah and Lauren 15: The Drama Llama Rolls On

[IReallyAmHopewell]

On 12/3/2019 at 7:24 PM, DarkAnts said:

Josiah use to be a sweet caring boy. He was clearly upset when Michelle announced pregnancy number 20. Jim Bob had to strong arm him back in front of the camera. I think the compassionate sweet side of Josiah was beaten out of him at ALERT. He spent almost a year there around the age of 17. I don't think he was there by choice. No other Duggar boy spent that much time there.

I agree. He can't help looking exactly like Josh--blech. I just don't see this couple surviving. It's just not in him and she annoys me even more than Marjorie did.

[Ivycoveredtower]

3 minutes ago, Exposedknees said:

I believe Anna, Kendra, and even Abbie are integrated and accepted into the Duggar sisterhood. Kendra seems close to Joy and Jessa- even participating in the pop-up bridal salon prep for Abbie. I thought she really was close to Jinger in their faux organization segment. Abbie is probably the most differently raised wife, but she gets along with the others. They seem to like her enough to get her a Miss Renee experience. Lauren seems like the outsider. I don't see any chemistry between her and any of the Duggars.

( Including Josiah) Even in the Asabox segment-interactions with Michelle seemed forced. Her whiney, narcissistic, attitude is not helping either. She needs to look at the last outcasts from Duggarland.( I'm looking at you Dillard's?) If she's too prickly, and dramatic, they could be banished too!

I also think it has to do with connections and where the spouses sit on the pecking order. Let's face it Si has never been a fav of his parents or his siblings. And well the Swanson's knew the Duggars they were in there day to day lifes as say the Forsyths or Caldwells. Joe met kendra through Austin's family and now Paul caldwell is the duggar pastor Austin has been around since Joy was five and joy is close to kendra well jessa jinger are close to Joe so I can see why they would take kendra under their wing. 

Lauren's family tries too hard heck they moved states so their daughter could marry a duggar and honestly I think they can all smell the desperarion but they wanted Si of there hands needed a storyline and probably figured lauren was the best he would get.

 

[Cheetah]

What was y'all's take on Lily during the gender reveal party?  She's kind of in an awkward phase and I don't want to snark too much on that part but I'm thinking more about how her personality seems to differ from both Lauren's and their mom's.  

[Exposedknees]

1 hour ago, Ivycoveredtower said:

I also think it has to do with connections and where the spouses sit on the pecking order. Let's face it Si has never been a fav of his parents or his siblings. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Ivycoveredtower said:

 

I agree about the parents, but I think the brothers were close. He seemed really into the movie making. Clearly his stock has dropped with his choice of spouse.

 

I like the sister Lily- she would've been a better choice.

Edited December 5, 2019 by Exposedknees

[Ivycoveredtower]

13 minutes ago, Exposedknees said:

 

 

I agree about the parents, but I think the brothers were close. He seemed really into the movie making. Clearly his stock has dropped with his choice of spouse.

 

I like the sister Lily- she would've been a better choice.

Well I guess I was mostly thinking of the sisters. Since we were talking about lauren fitting in. Si seems to be the one brother that is not close to any sisters excluding josh of course

[squiddysquid]

1 hour ago, Exposedknees said:

I believe Anna, Kendra, and even Abbie are integrated and accepted into the Duggar sisterhood. Kendra seems close to Joy and Jessa- even participating in the pop-up bridal salon prep for Abbie. I thought she really was close to Jinger in their faux organization segment. Abbie is probably the most differently raised wife, but she gets along with the others. They seem to like her enough to get her a Miss Renee experience. Lauren seems like the outsider. I don't see any chemistry between her and any of the Duggars.

( Including Josiah) Even in the Asabox segment-interactions with Michelle seemed forced. Her whiney, narcissistic, attitude is not helping either. She needs to look at the last outcasts from Duggarland.( I'm looking at you Dillards?) If she's too prickly, and dramatic, they could be banished too!

Especially with the exploding number of grand duggarlings and marriages, I can def see TLC cutting out the less popular families (why did they have to bring back JB and Michelle?)

Though Josiah plays a big part in that dynamic too, I just don't think he was ever attracted to any girl he dated.

As for Lauren being the age of a college sophomore; Joy, Kendra, Ben... were at that stage too (sadly) but they rose up to the occasion. I can see Lauren being depressed (flat speach and all) but she also acts like a pouting child faking headaches bc she didn't like how her husband built a stick nest in a game for crying out loud!

When I was in my first college year my dad died suddenly I had my own health problems, surgery, 3 months of bed rest and Medschool on top of that.

I was in a new town, my parents were divorced over a decade and I had no siblings to share my grief with (though I had some wonderful people at Uni who supported me despite only knowing me for a short time). It was time to grow up - fast.

Did I notice a difference between me and the Uni freshmen - definitely. Did I resent not having that happy go lucky stage at first - yup. Though I'm grateful for it now - when others graduated at 24, suddenly being doctors it overwhelmed the fuck out of them - the responsibility freaked them out.

It also makes it easier for you to empathise with patient. That's the thing - I can't see that in Lauren. She trampled all over Joy, making it all about yours truly.

I do see now we know the details how shocking it must have been going from a positive pregnancy test to miscarriage within days - an extreme high followed by loss. But again it was 5 weeks, your sister in law had a stillbirth.

Edited December 5, 2019 by squiddysquid

[DuggarJudger]

I signed on today for the sole purpose of complaining about Lauren. I can't stand her. Her fake soft wispy voice like it's almost painful for her to speak, her incessant talk about Asa, and a few other reasons make me loathe this girl. And I mean girl, because she is a child.

The talk about Asa is the worst. Listening to her one would think she is the only women to have ever experienced a miscarriage. My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage at 10 weeks. It sucked and it was painful, emotionally and physically. One cries, grieves, talks about it, and then moves on. One does not take every opportunity to grab attention. If she is still talking about Asa in the show after Joy loses Annabell, there is no redemption for her. 

[Coco]

On 12/3/2019 at 7:33 AM, singsingsing said:

They're just so damn young. I remember when Joy was catching a lot of flack for being so negative and done with it when she was shopping for wedding dresses. All I could think was, "Yeah, when I was 19 I probably would've behaved exactly the same." Same with Lauren, when I was her age I was very easily overstimulated and had high anxiety and had not yet learned how to effectively manage it. And I wasn't married to someone I barely knew/pregnant/having babies/postpartum! I had the opportunity to mature as a person and learn healthy coping techniques, but Joy and Lauren exist in such a fucked up environment, I have no idea what their personal growth from 20 to 30 might look like. ? 

Probably anyone any age or level of maturity would be so done and over shopping for wedding dresses when it was all controlled in front of a tv crew that she didn't sign up to be part of. Cant imagine being a bride who had almost zero choice if she wanted anything outside their approved options. And approved groom. 

[Ivycoveredtower]

44 minutes ago, DuggarJudger said:

I signed on today for the sole purpose of complaining about Lauren. I can't stand her. Her fake soft wispy voice like it's almost painful for her to speak, her incessant talk about Asa, and a few other reasons make me loathe this girl. And I mean girl, because she is a child.

The talk about Asa is the worst. Listening to her one would think she is the only women to have ever experienced a miscarriage. My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage at 10 weeks. It sucked and it was painful, emotionally and physically. One cries, grieves, talks about it, and then moves on. One does not take every opportunity to grab attention. If she is still talking about Asa in the show after Joy loses Annabell, there is no redemption for her. 

Oh I am sure she will. To Lauren there is no diffrence between her five week loss and Joy diliverying her daughter stillborn at 20 weeks. 

 

She already told Us weekly that she knows how joy feels with everyone else being pregnant and Joy not being because Lauren felt the same way

21 minutes ago, Coco said:

Probably anyone any age or level of maturity would be so done and over shopping for wedding dresses when it was all controlled in front of a tv crew that she didn't sign up to be part of. Cant imagine being a bride who had almost zero choice if she wanted anything outside their approved options. And approved groom. 

I honestly thin km joy and Austin love each other now Lauren yeah I can see her parents saying we want fame you are marrying that boy.

[Coco]

On 12/3/2019 at 10:02 PM, JDuggs said:

In Lauren’s Instagram story, she’s shilling some skincare gadget so she’s not wearing any makeup. My god, she looks (and sounds) 12 years old. She really is a pretty young woman; I can give her that.

More like tired average college student imo but ymmv lol it is kind of hilarious when 20-somethings shill skin products. Everything works great on typical balanced skin at that age. ?

[Coco]

4 hours ago, squiddysquid said:

Especially with the exploding number of grand duggarlings and marriages, I can def see TLC cutting out the less popular families (why did they have to bring back JB and Michelle?)

Though Josiah plays a big part in that dynamic too, I just don't think he was ever attracted to any girl he dated.

As for Lauren being the age of a college sophomore; Joy, Kendra, Ben... were at that stage too (sadly) but they rose up to the occasion. I can see Lauren being depressed (flat speach and all) but she also acts like a pouting child faking headaches bc she didn't like how her husband built a stick nest in a game for crying out loud!

When I was in my first college year my dad died suddenly I had my own health problems, surgery, 3 months of bed rest and Medschool on top of that.

I was in a new town, my parents were divorced over a decade and I had no siblings to share my grief with (though I had some wonderful people at Uni who supported me despite only knowing me for a short time). It was time to grow up - fast.

Did I notice a difference between me and the Uni freshmen - definitely. Did I resent not having that happy go lucky stage at first - yup. Though I'm grateful for it now - when others graduated at 24, suddenly being doctors it overwhelmed the fuck out of them - the responsibility freaked them out.

It also makes it easier for you to empathise with patient. That's the thing - I can't see that in Lauren. She trampled all over Joy, making it all about yours truly.

I do see now we know the details how shocking it must have been going from a positive pregnancy test to miscarriage within days - an extreme high followed by loss. But again it was 5 weeks, your sister in law had a stillbirth.

Apologies for being this blunt but imo that's a one-week late period. Loads of women have no idea and miscarry at 5 weeks. These quiverfull fanatics peeing on sticks every few days and going through serious mourning for a small amount of hcg and an egg that didn't implant, a situation that almost couples would be sad about but just think it wasn't meant to be. That's really narcissistic that she even thinks to compare it to her SIL losing an actual baby at 20 weeks. 

Edited December 5, 2019 by Coco

[adidas]

@Coco ouch. That’s a bit cold. Many women (including myself) have early miscarriages that are more than a ‘late period’. When you’ve been TTC for years and you finally get a second line, the miscarriage a week later is a crushing blow. In that week of thinking I was pregnant, I imagined the future with the child I would go on to miscarry. I mourned what I had begun to dream of when I miscarried. And while in no way was it like my later miscarriages (and absolutely not the same as a stillbirth), I still grieved. As did my friend who miscarried at 5 weeks after years of unsuccessful IVF.

I’ve been outspoken that I think Lauren has processed her loss in an unhealthy way, but writing early miscarriages off as late periods is not helpful.

[VeryNikeSeamstress]

I hate to say it, but with an alphabetical naming theme, in order to get to the end, Lauren is likely to have several more miscarriages. She would need to get pregnant 24 more times between now and menopause. If she's 20 now, and stops conceiving around the age of 46, that would mean a pregnancy almost every year. Is this even possible if she carries the majority of her pregnancies to term?

 

This feels like a math problem with many complicated variables. Where's Sheldon Cooper when we need him?

[Daisy0322]

14 hours ago, Ivycoveredtower said:

I remember Jessa saying how she would keep her complaints to herself around Lauren after the miscarriage because she realized how precious having a baby was (para phrasing can't remember exact wording) so I wonder how Jessa felt that After Lauren got the longed for pregnancy all she did was complain.

I understand the sentiment of this and Lauren is by far my least favorite duggar but I will say I think that feeling as though you can't say anything negative about being pregnant because "it's a blessing" causes its own issues. I'm not supposed to be able to have babies and I'm on pregnancy number two- the pressure to just be greatful and glowing is real. Even though I have HG, pregnancy hormone related depression, and I kid you not at almost 37 weeks my belly button is ripping. Like skin bleeding and flappy lol. I sincerely am beyond grateful to be able to have this experience but there's parts that just suck and I do feel bad for all the women in this cult because I think what jessa  is expressing is a big part of their harmful culture and keeping sweet at the expense of your self. Now how Lauren acts is a whole different issue and she's insufferable I'm talking more about jessa here. 

[LittleOwl]

I cannot get over the compromise task to build a nest.  The entire point was to learn how to give and take, share ideas etc.  But no, she walks away to wait for him to work out that she was right.  Big red flags right there... 

[just_ordinary]

I am seriously confused. Ben, Kendra and Joy got SO MUCH criticism around their wedding and after about their childishness, ridiculous and/rude attitudes. People predicted unhappiness, divorce, no chemistry, resentment and what not.  It’s not as if Lauren is an exception here. I don’t see how she comes away worse than them at the time. (Kendra and Joe are probably the couple with the least criticism.)

I think we all agree that Lauren’s focus on her miscarriage seems unhealthy and comparing her situation to Joy was oblivious at best (stupid and plain rude more likely). I think having a living baby to dot on will heal some wounds. What I have seen so far doesn’t look too bad.

They don’t seem to fit in well with the rest, but honestly it’s not as if fitting in with the Duggars is a compliment. It’s a rather harsh insult in my books. They are both characters that don’t present well on tv and social media. But being a whiny, needy, high maintenance egomaniac is hardly a crime. 

If I had to choose to spent my time with either of them I sure as hell wouldn’t pick Josiah. He comes across like a real piece of work.

[Daisy0322]

Im not sure I always thought joe and kendra seemed like a good fit and I thought Ben and jessa were just horny haha I'm not sure if I gave them much credit past that. I kinda had embarrassingly high hopes for derek too. John and Abby rub me the wrong way I liked them together up until the wedding. However Lauren and Josiah..... I think they'll be unhappy but not because of each other. I think they'll be unhappy because of themselves and that they are forcing a square peg in round hole to earn cult points without regarding their own needs or wants. I think Lauren was raised to be a people pleaser and wants to have all the babies and be the perfect fundy wife to please her family and God. Josiah was lost in the mix and I think was never really the "favorite" so now he is trying to buckle down and earn cult points. They may in a few years find themselves a little more i think derek and Jill were similar at first jumping head first into cult life. I don't think any of the couples will be what we would like but I think they'll all find their own brand and intensity of the cult creed. 

[bal maiden]

2 hours ago, LittleOwl said:

I cannot get over the compromise task to build a nest.  The entire point was to learn how to give and take, share ideas etc.  But no, she walks away to wait for him to work out that she was right.  Big red flags right there... 

I agree. The way she described her feelings around leaving him to figure out that he was wrong was exactly the opposite of what the task was trying to achieve. She didn't learn anything from the activity. If Pastor Caldwell is such a great marriage counsellor, he should have stepped in to help them to work together and work it out. Then they could have both learned something. 

 

1 hour ago, just_ordinary said:

I am seriously confused. Ben, Kendra and Joy got SO MUCH criticism around their wedding and after about their childishness, ridiculous and/rude attitudes. People predicted unhappiness, divorce, no chemistry, resentment and what not.  It’s not as if Lauren is an exception here. I don’t see how she comes away worse than them at the time. (Kendra and Joe are probably the couple with the least criticism.)

I think all those other couples actually seemed to *like* each other, though, even if it was but youthful horniness. Josiah and Lauren seem like they can barely tolerate each other. I wince when they kiss, it's so awkward. 

[Glasgowghirl]

I think while Joy, Kendra and Ben were all a similar age to Lauren and immature at the time of their wedding, they have all matured and embraced their new roles, Ben appears to be a good husband and dad. Joy and Kendra also appear to doing well to. Lauren so far has not grown up and still acts like a teen, if they both are not communicating with each other well, especially now they have a baby then their marriage will be in serious trouble, Lauren not participating in activities at the retreat and using her pregnancy and other baby's crying, is also another red flag, to go to a retreat and avoid most of the activities was just wasting her and Josiah's time and inconsiderate towards the organisers of the retreat too. I may not agree with the religious beliefs of the people organising the retreat but having attended some when I was at Catholic school, I know the time and effort that is put into organise those events, the ones I went to were just day retreats. That behaviour is just bratty. 

[SassyPants]

7 hours ago, Coco said:

More like tired average college student imo but ymmv lol it is kind of hilarious when 20-somethings shill skin products. Everything works great on typical balanced skin at that age. ?

Didn’t she say something like filling in the the fine lines and wrinkles while using the microderm machine? WT actual hell, she’s all of 20. I actually LOL’d

[llg1234]

12 hours ago, Exposedknees said:

I like the sister Lily- she would've been a better choice.

Lily is about 17 years old. It probably wasn't your intention, but she is not a choice at all.

[Exposedknees]

58 minutes ago, llg1234 said:

Lily is about 17 years old. It probably wasn't your intention, but she is not a choice at all.

I was commenting hypothetically...not encouraging child marriage. Lily has a more fun-loving personality. In another upbringing I could see her as a "theatre kid". She's fun, bubbly, likes to plan parties etc. Lauren has no spark only bratty narcissism. Lily's spark will be extinguished when she is forced into marriage in a year or so.

[Ivycoveredtower]

8 hours ago, VeryNikeSeamstress said:

I hate to say it, but with an alphabetical naming theme, in order to get to the end, Lauren is likely to have several more miscarriages. She would need to get pregnant 24 more times between now and menopause. If she's 20 now, and stops conceiving around the age of 46, that would mean a pregnancy almost every year. Is this even possible if she carries the majority of her pregnancies to term?

 

This feels like a math problem with many complicated variables. Where's Sheldon Cooper when we need him?

Now the question is if she has twins does that mean they their own letter or the same letter

18 minutes ago, Exposedknees said:

I was commenting hypothetically...not encouraging child marriage. Lily has a more fun-loving personality. In another upbringing I could see her as a "theatre kid". She's fun, bubbly, likes to plan parties etc. Lauren has no spark only bratty narcissism. Lily's spark will be extinguished when she is forced into marriage in a year or so.

If only Si was allowed to wait like john was but it's been established that he is by far not one of jb and Michelle's favs. 

If the Swansons really want to push another Duggar in law I could see Jer and Lily in a few years.

[Coco]

9 hours ago, adidas said:

@Coco ouch. That’s a bit cold. Many women (including myself) have early miscarriages that are more than a ‘late period’. When you’ve been TTC for years and you finally get a second line, the miscarriage a week later is a crushing blow. In that week of thinking I was pregnant, I imagined the future with the child I would go on to miscarry. I mourned what I had begun to dream of when I miscarried. And while in no way was it like my later miscarriages (and absolutely not the same as a stillbirth), I still grieved. As did my friend who miscarried at 5 weeks after years of unsuccessful IVF.

I’ve been outspoken that I think Lauren has processed her loss in an unhealthy way, but writing early miscarriages off as late periods is not helpful.

Yes, that's why I was apologetic in my criticism of her. Very early hcg detection is good for birth control when women aren't ready to take on the responsibility of parenthood but tragic for couples who are prepared. It is true that hcg is just the beginning hormones, not proof of an emplanted embryo. There should be a second test for people to know whether the implantation was successful so that the mourning isn't as harsh for something that never really got started. 

[IReallyAmHopewell]

 

 

 

1

11 hours ago, DuggarJudger said:

 

The talk about Asa is the worst. Listening to her one would think she is the only women to have ever experienced a miscarriage. My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage at 10 weeks. It sucked and it was painful, emotionally and physically. One cries, grieves, talks about it, and then moves on. One does not take every opportunity to grab attention. If she is still talking about Asa in the show after Joy loses Annabell, there is no redemption for her. 

Thank you! I adopted my kids so can't speak to miscarriage, but come on--the stick had barely dried! They couldn't even have known the baby was a boy was a boy! What arrogance to assign a gender and a NAME? Please.  [I'm ONLY talking about Lauren/Siah--don't get upset if this helped you, ok? LOVE you.] I think it got hyped for the show and then they decided on a B name for their real first child so it looks like she's pouting, too, over her A-Z name scheme being ruined at the start. I loathe  her.  By comparison, JOY seems to be coping much better. Granted she has a toddler and WORK with Austin to keep her busy, but still. I imagine Lauren is bored to tears at home all day with nothing to do.