Maxwell 50: Maxhell Has Frozen Over. Anna and Mary Are Off to College and Sarah Moves Out!

[NachosFlandersStyle]

Can you imagine spending your very first night in your own place at that age? Good God. I used to have panic attacks being alone at night in my first apartment -- at 19. That was 12 years ago and yet if I were living Sarah's life I'd still be years away from experiencing it. What's running through her head, finally being out from under the umbrella? Is she making up for lost time decorating the place like she always dreamed? Did she have those dreams? I wonder if she's made an impromptu late-night ice cream run or put off the dishes for tomorrow or left the bathroom door open. There are so many little freedoms that are only just occurring to her, I bet.

[Mela99]

Okay I had to go and find this comic because this is the only thing that registered in my head over this news. Garfield is me.

[NancyDrewFan1989]

My take on the Maxwell changes:

1. Super happy for Sarah, Anna, and Mary moving away from their parents. The three of them, especially Sarah, seemed to be miserable for some time. 

2. On the blog, I do see there being updates from time to time. I don't see it going anywhere as much as it slowing down. I do foresee Anna and Mary doing posts about their life in college and how great it is. I wouldn't be surprised if Sarah started her own blog and/or popped in from time to time to give updates on her life. I don't really think we have heard or read the last of Sarah Maxwell's blog posts. Also, I foresee the family giving updates about their lives and how they are doing.

3. The pastor who convinced Steve to let his GROWN daughters live outside the home deserves a freaking medal for getting through to him and Teri. I don't know what he or she said or did, but it worked. 

[HoneyBunny]

3 minutes ago, NancyDrewFan1989 said:

My take on the Maxwell changes:

3. The pastor who convinced Steve to let his GROWN daughters live outside the home deserves a freaking medal for getting through to him and Teri. I don't know what he or she said or did, but it worked. 

Oh he. Definitely he. Things haven’t changed that much. 

[NancyDrewFan1989]

9 minutes ago, NachosFlandersStyle said:

Can you imagine spending your very first night in your own place at that age? Good God. I used to have panic attacks being alone at night in my first apartment -- at 19. That was 12 years ago and yet if I were living Sarah's life I'd still be years away from experiencing it. What's running through her head, finally being out from under the umbrella? Is she making up for lost time decorating the place like she always dreamed? Did she have those dreams? I wonder if she's made an impromptu late-night ice cream run or put off the dishes for tomorrow or left the bathroom door open. There are so many little freedoms that are only just occurring to her, I bet.

Sarah is the sister whom I am the happiest for. She finally gets to experience the freedom and independence that Steve and Teri wouldn't allow her for the first forty plus years of her life. She can do what she wants when she wants not on the schedule her parents gave to her. I can see Sarah doing everything that you listed because she can finally do so without asking her parents for permission for. I really hope Sarah is having the time of her life right now. 

[nelliebelle1197]

@MamaJunebug have you seen this?

[NancyDrewFan1989]

1 minute ago, HoneyBunny said:

Oh he. Definitely he. Things haven’t changed that much. 

No kidding, Steve probably struggled more with his daughters moving out and away than they did. While it looks like Steve may be loosening his grip on his daughters, I do think he is going to do what he can to keep them under his control. The Maxwells may have state Sarah is done blogging, but I really find that hard to believe. At some point I do see Sarah giving an update on her life living along with Ellie and how she manages her time and money. I do see Anna and Mary giving updates, albeit sporadically, on their life at college. Plus, Chris and Annamarie giving updates on her health and Steve and Teri writing about being empty nesters. Like I said I really don't see the blog going anywhere, just slowing down with less frequent updates than we've been used to. 

[browngrl]

25 minutes ago, NancyDrewFan1989 said:

I do see Sarah giving an update

I don't. I think Sarah (and Anna and Mary) might well be active on social media at some point, but will keep it private. Steve and Teri will carry on for a while but I suspect their internet presence with continue to diminish and the whole thing will be done sooner rather than later. Steve looks tired and Teri never seems to have enjoyed any of it. 

On a different note - I tried to find the Maxwell trust properties on the Levenworth site but couldn't. How do I get a peek?

Edited September 11, 2021 by browngrl
spelling mistake corrected

[BigSandy]

Wow, I am thrilled for Sarah, Mary, and Anna! Like others have said, what a great "season finale" with Anna-Marie's cancer remission and then all of the "girls" moving out!

Also, this reminds me a little bit of when the Seven Farmgirl Sisters all started doing independent things. I think the impetus for that was that one of the girls was contemplating suicide, so I'm really hoping that wasn't the case for the Maxwells!

[MamaJunebug]

21 minutes ago, nelliebelle1197 said:

@MamaJunebug have you seen this?

😮 I  had  not!!!

Oh my ears and whiskers and everything!! Oh my gosh! OH MY GOODNESS!!!!

😀Thank you for the heads-up and most of all, YAYY, SARAH !!!!!!!!!!!!

😀😃😄😁😆!!!

[NancyDrewFan1989]

7 minutes ago, browngrl said:

I don't. I think Sarah (and Anna and Mary) might well be active on social media at some point, but will keep it private. Steve and Teri will carry on for a while but I suspect their internet presence with continue to diminish and the whole thing will be done sooner rather than later. Steve looks tired and Teri never seems to have enjoyed any of it. 

We shall see I guess. Chelsy will probably help Sarah set up and Instagram and Anna and Mary's new college friends can introduce them to Facebook. All of these changes are new for the family. As for Sarah blogging, part of me is thinking she will continue is due to her writing children's books. Part of her advertising for getting the books off the ground was on the family blog. So, in a way, I can see Sarah choosing to continue with promoting any new book she has coming out on the blog. Then again, she create her own blog and/or a public social media profile for that. I guess we will see, none of us really saw this change coming for the Maxwell's. I just hope that Sarah is able do continue on with her life out from under her parent's thumb all the time. 

[Queen Of Hearts]

Hey, in searching for Sarah's possible home I am unable to find John and Chelsea's house listed on the county site. I can find Steve and Teri's, Nathan's and Christopher's but not John's. Did they move out of Maxhell, too?

[JordynDarby5]

It took me a few pages to realize it was real and not dream. Anna and Mary really did go to college far away from their parents and Sarah moved out. I thought Steve would die before they were allowed to do anything.  

[bean]

6 hours ago, sparkles said:

Hell has frozen over TWICE people! They've talked about Mary and Anna on the blog!

AND SARAH HAS HER OWN HOUSE!

It does look like the blog will be coming to an end. 

I would respectfully argue that hell hath frozen over THRICE (1. A & M go to college 2. Steve admits it on the blog 3. Sarah moves out). 
 

Spoiler

 

[GreenBeans]

5 hours ago, fundiewatch said:

Someone above noted the word “home” and I also wonder if Sarah is in a rented apartment/condo versus a house. I certainly would do the same in her shoes. She never liked home projects and yard work much. 

If it is an apartment, I could totally relate! What would she do with an entire house to clean and maintain as just one person? An apartment has plenty of room for someone single - living room, bedroom, possibly home office and/or guest room (if you have visitors often), what else would you need?

6 hours ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

I just want to point out this blog post from 3 years ago in which Sarah claims she doesn't want her own house. Even I have some confusion about this change. I did think maybe one or two of the girls would find husbands, but not that a single woman would move out.

There are many ways to explain this.

1) She never really thought so, but was “led by the Lord” (Steve) to post this.

2) It’s still somewhat true, which is why she got an apartment ready to move in, not a fixer upper house.

3) She changed her mind, plain and simple. It happens.  

[GreenBeans]

3 hours ago, Howl said:

None of the ultra dogmatic families we follow who have gone through gradual or abrupt changes have discussed the process of change and what triggered it. 

It’s like with Erica Shupe. To this day I wonder what triggered the massive and sudden 180 degree turn.

[SolomonFundy]

Holy shit.

[usmcmom]

If Sarah started her own blog, I’d love to follow it. I’d find it very interesting to see how she decorated her home, planned meals, devoted time to her church. I think she could be a really influential blogger for single women in the fundie world.  Her insight would make a lot more sense than, say, Girl Defined, or Allison Helferich. 
 

I find myself wondering how Nathan and Christopher feel about all these changes. First, they and their wives depended on “the girls” quite a bit for child care and household help. Second, the two oldest Maxwell sons weren’t given the same opportunities. I’d love to know what kinds of conversations are happening throughout the compound. 
 

Having said all that, I am really happy for Sarah and I hope she finds a lot of joy in her new home. Likewise for Anna and Mary. I hope college proves to be a wonderful experience for them. 

[fundieundies]

Just read this news as I (a married 28 year old) came home from the bar!! Gobsmacked. Shocked. Aghast. Astonished. Stunned. Dumbfounded. 

My gaping maw has made a new home on the floor. GO Sarah Go!! 

Am wondering how the schedule will adjust or if they'll fully embrace the madness and put meat in the burritos.

[FloraDoraDolly]

26 minutes ago, usmcmom said:

I find myself wondering how Nathan and Christopher feel about all these changes. First, they and their wives depended on “the girls” quite a bit for child care and household help. Second, the two oldest Maxwell sons weren’t given the same opportunities. I’d love to know what kinds of conversations are happening throughout the compound. 
 

Yeah, the Maxwell daughters now have more freedom than any of the sons. Those boys were all very much under Steve's thumb! I expect Nathan and Christopher are just as shocked as we are, albeit in different ways and for different reasons. Based on family photos, it looks like Nathan is loosening up a bit-- his kids get books from the public library and the girls are wearing pants now. But Christopher still appears to be sticking to the old ways. Even that may change now that Anna Marie is healthy.

[church_of_dog]

No one has mentioned the biggest news -- the FJ server seems to be holding up okay during this news reveal!

[hoipolloi]

5 hours ago, Howl said:

When did they start going to this new church? Something serious must have happened to get through to Steve.  Interesting how things will be with just Ma and Pa Maxwell rattling around in the house by themselves.  Or, bear with me here, they decided they wanted to house to themselves after all these years of five adults crammed in there?

I suspect that their pastor instigated a number of these changes. There is no way that Steve made them all on his own.

For that matter, I'm not ruling out a Come-to-Jesus meeting between Steve, Teri, and their adult children, but the fact that Steve specifically mentions the pastor in announcing Mary's & Anna's attendance at ABC makes me think that the pastor had some influence.

Also, good for the adult children who desire more online privacy for themselves and their families. I can't blame them at all.

May Sarah thrive in her new abode and life on her own!

 

Edited September 11, 2021 by hoipolloi

[CyborgKin]

4 hours ago, NachosFlandersStyle said:

Can you imagine spending your very first night in your own place at that age? Good God. I used to have panic attacks being alone at night in my first apartment -- at 19. That was 12 years ago and yet if I were living Sarah's life I'd still be years away from experiencing it. What's running through her head, finally being out from under the umbrella? Is she making up for lost time decorating the place like she always dreamed? Did she have those dreams? I wonder if she's made an impromptu late-night ice cream run or put off the dishes for tomorrow or left the bathroom door open. There are so many little freedoms that are only just occurring to her, I bet.

I can try to imagine it and I don't have many years in which to avoid being in the same boat.

 

So, everyone, do you know where you're going when you leave MaxHell?

I came for the Botkins but stayed for the Maxwells and their constancy.  I wonder if Geoff will ever be made to relax his grip to the extent Steve has, but I doubt it.

It's not truly over until we know how to cut lettuce with a pizza cutter though.

[Corntree]

I haven't posted here in forever but this latest Maxwell blog post has gotten me to say something. This is incredible. I hope there are still blog posts. I have been following the Maxwells for 19 years. Almost all the other main fundies I follow have already dropped back on online content. I don't know what I'll do without the Maxwells.

[Granwych]

5 hours ago, Mela99 said:

Okay I had to go and find this comic because this is the only thing that registered in my head over this news. Garfield is me.

I love this one:  Butter my butt and call me a biscuit.