Maxwell 41: Taking a Short Vest Rest

[nvmbr02]

I totally didn't realize my daughter and Teri share a birthday. 

[Giraffe]

Teri’s birthday post is up. ”Mom loves all her married sons and their wives and is a great communicator.”  Who writes like this?!

Sarah, for the love of all things Rufus has blessed, PLEASE take some writing classes already!
 

Edited August 17, 2020 by Giraffe
Beansie got to me and prevented me from typing all the words the first time.

[PennySycamore]

@nvmbr02, Happy Birthday to your daughter!

[fundiefan]

It's August. Of course they're in Colorado. It's on the schedule, as it has been for the last however many years, except the one year Steve held back and "surprised" them when he said it could work. Even then, it was on the schedule, he was just wavering about taking it off the schedule. 

[allyisyourpally5]

On the subject of Steve from a couple of pages back:

I had a post changed on their blog. There was a series of natural disasters happening at the time across the globe, this was a few years back - I believe earthquakes, a tsunami somewhere, and the Middle East countries were really kicking off. Meanwhile over at Maxhell they were panicking over something minor on their tour and asking for prayers and compassion and saying how God was so faithful to them all the time (They had gotten a free tyre or eye drops or something). A very self absorbed post even for them. Also discreetly asking for “live offerings” and subtly hinting of something they apparently needed. I commented saying as Christians we should be praying for the world and shouldn’t be so focused on ourselves and some more. It was edited to something along the lines of We should pray for the world and have Faith at all times! All the helping others was deleted.

About asking them for recipes - I also remember a post where the girls made something like a cookie dough pizza? Someone commented that it sounded exciting and would love to see a recipe - the response was no, because it’s in a Moody book so they can’t give it away.

 

And my last one I’ve remembered, also related to the Moody books - it must have been a Moody release post. There was a comment from what was clearly a child - a fan of the books who was really praising the books and saying how much they liked it and asked the Maxwells a question. Steve replies in his usual really blunt tone, no thank you given, didn’t answer the question and was actually just rude as normal. Someone called him out. I’m struggling to remember if it was someone on here who commented on response or whether it was another published comment, but he was properly called on his behaviour. And for the first time he clearly listened, because the reply to the comment changed and suddenly it was Sarah replying and it was actually a sweet reply with human emotion that would make an innocent child fan of her books really happy. I was glad that happened but no idea when it was.

[Odd1Out]

2 hours ago, Giraffe said:

Teri’s birthday post is up. ”Mom loves all her married sons and their wives and is a great communicator.”  Who writes like this?!

Sarah, for the love of all things Rufus has blessed, PLEASE take some writing classes already!
 

So are we to assume she does not love her unmarried daughters??

[Giraffe]

6 minutes ago, Odd1Out said:

So are we to assume she does not love her unmarried daughters??

That’s how she makes it sounds, although I’m sure she doesn’t realize it. This is what she said about the “girls,” so nothing about loving the daughters  

 “To Anna, Mary, and myself, she’s our cheerleader, and looks for ways to equip and help us in the midst of our busy schedules.”

[HerNameIsBuffy]

2 minutes ago, Odd1Out said:

So are we to assume she does not love her unmarried daughters??

I know you were snarking, but this does make me kind of sad.

My mom was far from perfect, but she was very maternal.  She had this way of making us feel heard and let us know that our feelings were valid and that they mattered, even if they were unpleasant.  Even when she truly didn't understand, she still accepted our feelings as real.  

That whole love and nurturing thing goes a long way when life gets tough and as complicated as our relationship was in other ways, her easy and genuine affection laid a foundation in my psyche that saved me.  

After all this time I'd still give anything I have to lay my head in her lap and have a good cry while she played with my hair.  Or walk into a room and see her beaming at me because she's happy to see me.  

I am not saying Teri doesn't love her kids, but from all we've seen she doesn't express love in a way I would have needed it expressed in order to feel it.  

But maybe if I didn't have it as a kid, I wouldn't need it.  Who knows?  The Maxwells fascinate me in part because their particular style of parenting would have broken me.  I wouldn't have thrived in any fundy family, but the Maxwells interactions are so lacking in what I needed emotionally as a kid I absolutely believe I would have had severe mental health issues had I been raised in that family.  

Sorry....I'm clearly far too introspective today.  

 

[Giraffe]

@HerNameIsBuffy, I found it sad, too. It’s as if even the grown daughters believe only the sons have real worth. 

[fundiefan]

1 hour ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I know you were snarking, but this does make me kind of sad.

My mom was far from perfect, but she was very maternal.  She had this way of making us feel heard and let us know that our feelings were valid and that they mattered, even if they were unpleasant.  Even when she truly didn't understand, she still accepted our feelings as real.  

That whole love and nurturing thing goes a long way when life gets tough and as complicated as our relationship was in other ways, her easy and genuine affection laid a foundation in my psyche that saved me.  

After all this time I'd still give anything I have to lay my head in her lap and have a good cry while she played with my hair.  Or walk into a room and see her beaming at me because she's happy to see me.  

I am not saying Teri doesn't love her kids, but from all we've seen she doesn't express love in a way I would have needed it expressed in order to feel it.  

But maybe if I didn't have it as a kid, I wouldn't need it.  Who knows?  The Maxwells fascinate me in part because their particular style of parenting would have broken me.  I wouldn't have thrived in any fundy family, but the Maxwells interactions are so lacking in what I needed emotionally as a kid I absolutely believe I would have had severe mental health issues had I been raised in that family.  

Sorry....I'm clearly far too introspective today.  

 

I agree. Love is not the same as showing affection / being affectionate. 

 

 

 

[meee]

Actually, I'm reading this the opposite of how you guys are. The Maxwells view their married sons as "extended family", remember? In their world it goes without saying that one's nuclear family loves each other ("Imagine brothers and sisters who love each other!"), but when your sons are demoted to "extended family" and their presence in your life has to be scheduled down to the minute, you do have to reassure your readers that yes, Mom loves her married sons.

[HoneyBunny]

My very simple vegan Ice cream recipe:  place a handful of frozen mango in the Vitamix, add a couple frozen pineapple chunks and cover with enough soy milk to blend. Add a drop of vanilla extract and eat it all by myself right away. ?

Welcome to Colorado, Maxwells!  It’s hotter than blazes and smokier than all get out due to the multiple wildfires burning in the West. I haven’t been outside,  not even to water plants or take a walk, since last Thursday. I can’t imagine anything less enjoyable right now than to go climb a mountain.  But I guar-an-damn-tee that the Maxwells will be doing just that. 

Just now, HoneyBunny said:

Edited August 17, 2020 by HoneyBunny

[kpmom]

The way Sarah wrote, "Enjoy the mountains." to her mother, made it sound like Teri and Steve went up there alone.

Maybe the sisters stayed back to help NR-Anna?

[PennySycamore]

@HerNameIsBuffy,  

5 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

<snip>

After all this time I'd still give anything I have to lay my head in her lap and have a good cry while she played with my hair.  Or walk into a room and see her beaming at me because she's happy to see me.  

<snip>

 

Me too, sister!  Me too!

[lilith]

11 hours ago, fundiefan said:

I don't know if it's entirely because Sarah's writing is so stunted or if they truly don't know how to express happiness/joy without an agenda. Both, probably.

That birthday post about Teri was rather pathetic. She loves her married sons? Well, isn't that special. I be no one else loves their married sons quite the same godly way. Of course she homeschooled for 30 years. That is Teri's tagline. And she equips the girls at home - equips them with what? Certainly not confidence or independence or skills beyond a schedule. 

 

They held back Mary’s graduation so Teri could brag about 30 years of homeschooling. That’s going to be her tagline forever.

Of course they’re in Colorado, Sarah has to “research” for when the characters in her new series take their inevitable Colorado trip! 

[Lady Grass Lake]

Vacation:  Where a family goes away for rest and relaxation, accompanied by a Mother (or in this case plus unmarried sisters) who make sure everyone else gets that.   So Steve relaxes and recharges while Terri makes salads in jars, puts toothpaste on his toothbrush, and performs all those other wifely duties to make him relaxed and happy.  

[Bethy]

35 minutes ago, lilith said:

They held back Mary’s graduation so Teri could brag about 30 years of homeschooling. That’s going to be her tagline forever.

I was going to comment this very thing. They were posting in June of 2012 that Mary was working through the summer on school because she was ahead on her academics and going to graduate early. With her August 1996 birthday, she could easily have graduated from high school in 2014 (presuming she started kindergarten right after she turned five and didn't wait an extra year.) Either way, graduating in March of 2015 wasn't particularly "early" especially for someone who'd been working through the summer as if the end was in sight in 2012.

I agree, it's all about Teri's 30-year homeschool bragging rights. I'd say I feel sorry for Mary, having to delay her graduation, but...what else was there for her in life? She didn't miss out on scholarships or playing sports at the college level because she delayed her graduation. She didn't miss out on job opportunities because she didn't have her diploma. I'd be willing to wager that extra year or two was mostly about her having to outline the entire Bible and probably didn't take more than an hour a day - just enough to be able to truthfully say Teri was still "homeschooling" her. I don't imagine her life or daily schedule has changed much since she "graduated."

[CyborgKin]

On 8/11/2020 at 8:37 AM, Bethy said:

Wasn't the main character Bill/William? Last name was Collins maybe? And Dragonfly was another friend. I feel like he was the one with the alcoholic/atheist dad. I think Poetry's real name was Leslie.

No i remembered the boy with the alcoholic dad was Tom Till.  And I think he had a big brother, Bob?

You're right on the rest though.  Dragonfly.  How could I forget Dragonfly?

Quote

Teri Maxwell says:

August 13, 2020 at 11:38 am

Funny think is, we usually can’t talk Sarah into sitting down and letting someone else take the photo.

Funny think?

Quote

Mom is a beautiful treasure of serving the Lord Jesus and her family.

Sarah is an awkward fountain of writing the strangest grammar and sentence structure.

I am a snarky of human of being glad no one else pointed this one out before I could have the 'honour'.

[anjulibai]

Well they noted that this is Teri and Steve's 46th anniversary. I guess Sarah remembered correctly, since Teri said 44 years. Now how long before they change the About section to say 46 years married? They only very recently changed it to 45. I am going to go with at least a year and a half.

[ophelia]

20 hours ago, Alisamer said:

As far as "vacations" go, they're so insular that theirs is probably pretty safe. Same place, same cabin, same mountains, food from home, etc. It's only the trip there and back that has any real risk.

It's not like they meet people, see new places, or God forbid learn something new!

So you know the world is in a critical state when Maxwellian behavior sounds sane, reasonable and actually PREFERABLE. I wish more people on  vacations would act like the Maxwells nowadays.

[allyisyourpally5]

I seem to remember at Mary’s graduation they were asked if they did the GED? They said no - so what exactly do you get if you don’t have the GED? I always found the American High School system confusing (and I’m sure the British one is just as confusing from the outside). The GED is what most graduates have? Or have I got that wrong? Or is it number of credits equals what diploma you get?

 

I also like the line about Teri helping them to manage through their busy schedules. They REALLY want people to know how busy the girls are. The Day in the Life posts showed me that they are really not busy at all (just busy work ironically) - I wonder if they are facing criticism? 

[Coconut Flan]

GED is a test people can take that is theoretically sort of close to a regular high school diploma.  What the Maxwell kids got was a piece of paper that said they graduated from their home school high school.

[PennySycamore]

@allyisyourpally5,  each state has its own requirements to earn a high school diploma.  They vary with the number of English courses, math courses, science courses,  social science and history, and so on that you will need to earn a diploma.  Some states may require a unit or so of foreign language and they vary in the physical education requirements.  I don't know if which, if any, state recognize home school credits although I suppose some do if homeschool students get a certain score on tests in each subject.  If a state doesn't have an alternate way to earn a diploma for homeschoolers, them they have the GED.    A homeschool "diploma" without state OK is worth exactly nothing.

[SPHASH]

New post up.  Teri and Steve went to CO without the "girls".  If anyone deserves a vacation it's the girls, Sarah for getting screwed over in life, Anna and Mary for raising Chris and NR Anna's kids for the past three months.  So Teri and Steve:

 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by SPHASH
ETA

[allyisyourpally5]

@PennySycamore and @Coconut Flan thank you! I thought the GED was the HS Diploma so thank you for clarifying!

See in England if you homeschool, and you want to take the exams to receive the proper qualifications and grades you have to enter formally and go to a testing center to sit the exams. I’m not sure of the alternative. 
 

Ha! Do you think “the girls” were home alone?? 
Do you think they do what I do when I was home alone? Walk round in next to nothing? Stay up late? Have some friends round? Watch trashy TV? 
( I live alone - I’m thinking about when I lived with my parents!)