Josh and Anna 56: AMA and Stuck in Duggarville?

[Queen Of Hearts]

On 12/3/2022 at 3:33 PM, Idlewild said:

JB is probably desperately pitching ‘Downsizing with the Duggars’ to TLC!

If he wasn't before, he will be once he sees your idea!

[Ms. Brightside]

I don’t see JB giving up the house any time soon… his love of control is obvious (control of his children, women, finances, etc) and I’d be surprised if he didn’t want to control the revered “big house” too. It’s like a monument to his fecundity and his status in their community; “we once needed all this space, because we have soooo many kids and now they’re having soooo many grandkids. And we were important enough that a TV show paid to finish this house for us!” 

Like others have said, they still use the space for large gatherings pretty regularly. I don’t see them giving it up until they physically can’t go up and down the stairs easily. And even then they might just move in one of the families to take care of them while they live downstairs. Normal families downsize… not the Duggars. 

Edited December 6, 2022 by Ms. Brightside

[xenobia]

I also think that JB&M will stay in the TTH for a couple of years more. Even if it's true that Jason and James moved out, they still have 6 kids at home and - presumably - Anna and her 7 kids. They need space. But in 10 years from now? Josie turns 13 on Saturday, so from now on they just have teens in the house. 

All the Duggar kids will be adults in five years, moved out in ten. And how many kids will JoKen have in 10 years? Probably 10 or more. I can easily see them taking over the big house and have JB&M move into their current home. It's so close so they can visit whenever they want and host large family gatherings there as well. 

[Audrey2]

11 hours ago, Ms. Brightside said:

Like others have said, they still use the space for large gatherings pretty regularly. I don’t see them giving it up until they physically can’t go up and down the stairs easily. And even then they might just move in one of the families to take care of them while they live downstairs. Normal families downsize… not the Duggars. 

Dollars to donuts though even if Jim Bob and Michelle are living downstairs and Grandma Mary's old room Michelle won't do the laundry for whichever large family is living in the rest of the house.

[Seahorse Wrangler]

On 12/6/2022 at 10:25 AM, Ms. Brightside said:

I don’t see them giving it up until they physically can’t go up and down the stairs easily.

 

There's the slide in the boys' room to help them get down.

[Expectopatronus]

On 12/3/2022 at 2:33 PM, Idlewild said:

JB is probably desperately pitching ‘Downsizing with the Duggars’ to TLC!

I am kinda surprised that he didn’t try to sell the rights to the video recording of Josh’s sentencing as “A Duggar goes to Prison”. Heck, he could make a whole spinoff on this: A Duggar is arrested, A Duggar goes to court, An Appealing Duggar etc”. 

[Meggo]

12 hours ago, Expectopatronus said:

I am kinda surprised that he didn’t try to sell the rights to the video recording of Josh’s sentencing as “A Duggar goes to Prison”. Heck, he could make a whole spinoff on this: A Duggar is arrested, A Duggar goes to court, An Appealing Duggar etc”. 

Behind Bars: A Duggar Family Christmas. 

 

[Anne Of Gray Gables]

I just realized today is the year anniversary of Smuggar's conviction. 

And it's Friday.  Life is good.  

[Giraffe]

54 minutes ago, Anne Of Gray Gables said:

I just realized today is the year anniversary of Smuggar's conviction. 

And it's Friday.  Life is good.  

What?! Wow how time flies!

[SPHASH]

I remember feeling a sense of calm for the rest of the day after hearing about the verdict even though I wasn't a victim.  Later that evening I was listening to an internet radio station and Nights In White Satin by Moody Blues came on.  The haunting and somber tone of that song gave me chills and I thought "This must be how Josh and Anna are feeling right now".

[Father Son Holy Goat]

2 hours ago, SPHASH said:

I remember feeling a sense of calm for the rest of the day after hearing about the verdict even though I wasn't a victim.  Later that evening I was listening to an internet radio station and Nights In White Satin by Moody Blues came on.  The haunting and somber tone of that song gave me chills and I thought "This must be how Josh and Anna are feeling right now".

I am a victim, though not one of Josh’s and I felt devastated that he didn’t get the max. I was so disappointed. 

[SPHASH]

1 minute ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

I am a victim, though not one of Josh’s and I felt devastated that he didn’t get the max. I was so disappointed. 

Wish he had gotten the max too but I knew it was unlikely.  I was expecting 8-10 years.  Hugs to you.

[Coconut Flan]

Sadly as bad as Josh was, he was not ever really in line to get a 20 years sentence. 

[FluffySnowball]

On 12/9/2022 at 3:19 AM, Expectopatronus said:

I am kinda surprised that he didn’t try to sell the rights to the video recording of Josh’s sentencing as “A Duggar goes to Prison”. Heck, he could make a whole spinoff on this: A Duggar is arrested, A Duggar goes to court, An Appealing Duggar etc”. 

One conviction and counting 😂 Hey, Josh might even become the first break out star of the family… by breaking out of jail…

Edited December 10, 2022 by FluffySnowball

[St.Clara]

On 12/6/2022 at 6:42 PM, xenobia said:

I also think that JB&M will stay in the TTH for a couple of years more. Even if it's true that Jason and James moved out, they still have 6 kids at home and - presumably - Anna and her 7 kids. They need space. But in 10 years from now? Josie turns 13 on Saturday, so from now on they just have teens in the house. 

All the Duggar kids will be adults in five years, moved out in ten. And how many kids will JoKen have in 10 years? Probably 10 or more. I can easily see them taking over the big house and have JB&M move into their current home. It's so close so they can visit whenever they want and host large family gatherings there as well. 

What you say is perfectly reasonable.

But we have seen that, in JB´s case, reason will always, always be defeated by his inflated ego. (Imo) Remember when he ran for office while his son was on trial for something truly horrible? Jim Bob probably was perfectly aware already at the time that Josh was guilty. But he did it anyway.

Edited December 10, 2022 by St.Clara

[Expectopatronus]

2 hours ago, FluffySnowball said:

One conviction and counting 😂 Hey, Josh might even become the first break out star of the family… by breaking out of jail…

They might even be at Two convictions....and counting. Didn't Jana plead guilty to her charges? And if JD ends up being charged for reckless endangerment given he crashed a plane, they could hit Three convictions... and counting.

[Father Son Holy Goat]

9 hours ago, Expectopatronus said:

They might even be at Two convictions....and counting. Didn't Jana plead guilty to her charges? And if JD ends up being charged for reckless endangerment given he crashed a plane, they could hit Three convictions... and counting.

And if we add in all the likely shady business deals, tax evasion, ect we can jump to 5,927 crimes and counting 

[Cam]

What I especially liked about the conviction was sharing the satisfaction of his guilty verdict with others on FJ and Reddit. 

[Anne Of Gray Gables]

13 hours ago, Cam said:

What I especially liked about the conviction was sharing the satisfaction of his guilty verdict with others on FJ and Reddit. 

So many women and children have been victimized by people like Josh, I think for many during the trial he became a stand-in for the ones that got away. 

And I know people thought he should get 20 years, but his sentenced was a nice hefty one considering he wasn't on trial for actually assaulting anyone. 

[Dandruff]

2 hours ago, Anne Of Gray Gables said:

And I know people thought he should get 20 years, but his sentenced was a nice hefty one considering he wasn't on trial for actually assaulting anyone. 

He'll also have 20 years of being on a fairly short leash once he gets out.  Not sure who, including his family, will want him around once he does.  I expect most anyone with minor children (especially daughters) will steer very clear.

[socalrules]

I don’t understand the idea that Jim Bob and Michelle will move into a smaller house once the kids are gone. Why would they? It’s their home. Who cares if it’s big? Most people stay in  their homes when their kids move out, especially if the house had no mortgage, at least everyone I have known. I think Jim Bob and Michelle turning the house over to someone else is just a fantasy. They have no incentive to move. 
 

I think Anna will be waiting at the prison gates for Josh when he gets out because her entire identity has always been wrapped up in being his Godly wife. A lot of women are fine waiting for their man to get out of prison, especially those who believe he is innocent. Unless Anna suddenly does something out of the ordinary, like trying to stand on her own to feet to take care of her kids, or go to school to get training for a job, I am going to assume she will wait for Josh. I have always thought that if that marriage ends, it will be Josh ended it, not Anna. I still think that is the case. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

41 minutes ago, socalrules said:

I don’t understand the idea that Jim Bob and Michelle will move into a smaller house once the kids are gone. Why would they? It’s their home. Who cares if it’s big? Most people stay in  their homes when their kids move out, especially if the house had no mortgage, at least everyone I have known. I think Jim Bob and Michelle turning the house over to someone else is just a fantasy. They have no incentive to move. 
 

I think Anna will be waiting at the prison gates for Josh when he gets out because her entire identity has always been wrapped up in being his Godly wife. A lot of women are fine waiting for their man to get out of prison, especially those who believe he is innocent. Unless Anna suddenly does something out of the ordinary, like trying to stand on her own to feet to take care of her kids, or go to school to get training for a job, I am going to assume she will wait for Josh. I have always thought that if that marriage ends, it will be Josh ended it, not Anna. I still think that is the case. 

I’ve known a lot of people who wanted a home with everything on one floor because they didn’t want steps. And they wanted to downsize because they got tired of paying big bills heating and cooling a big house. It’s pretty common in my experience. Unless the family already has a home that is all on one floor and not too large. 

[Mama Mia]

1 hour ago, socalrules said:

I don’t understand the idea that Jim Bob and Michelle will move into a smaller house once the kids are gone. Why would they? It’s their home. Who cares if it’s big? Most people stay in  their homes when their kids move out, especially if the house had no mortgage, at least everyone I have known. I think Jim Bob and Michelle turning the house over to someone else is just a fantasy. They have no incentive to move. 
 

I think Anna will be waiting at the prison gates for Josh when he gets out because her entire identity has always been wrapped up in being his Godly wife. A lot of women are fine waiting for their man to get out of prison, especially those who believe he is innocent. Unless Anna suddenly does something out of the ordinary, like trying to stand on her own to feet to take care of her kids, or go to school to get training for a job, I am going to assume she will wait for Josh. I have always thought that if that marriage ends, it will be Josh ended it, not Anna. I still think that is the case. 

I agree that they probably won’t want to move, but we aren’t talking about just a regular suburban big house - that thing is 7,000 square feet and built like a school /dorm/conference center.  The open, steep staircase (my absolute pet peeve about that house) will be no fun if they have aching knees or start having balance problems, or need a cane. Their bedroom and bathroom is fairly small and awkwardly placed between two giant dorm suites. The kitchen is giant, there is the industrial laundry room. It just feels like it would be really uncomfortable to navigate once there are no kids around.  What might make more sense is if they converted the downstairs bedroom / bath and laundry room /playroom into a nice spacious full apartment suite for themselves - with a normal size kitchen and living room. Then keep the rest of the huge house closed off when not inhabited by various visiting adult kids or hosting gatherings, brainwashing retreats etc.

They are still youngish though, but 10 years from now it might seem like a good idea. 

[fluffernutter]

I think they'll keep it- they must have a full bed and bath downstairs since his parents lived with them at one point, along with the expansive kitchen and living area. And with soooooooo very many kids and grandkids I could see a few people living there at any given time. Unless they got to a point they couldn't afford the taxes and utilities which seems doubtful.

[noseybutt]

14 minutes ago, fluffernutter said:

I think they'll keep it- they must have a full bed and bath downstairs since his parents lived with them at one point, along with the expansive kitchen and living area. And with soooooooo very many kids and grandkids I could see a few people living there at any given time. Unless they got to a point they couldn't afford the taxes and utilities which seems doubtful.

I expect they are zoned/designated agricultural and thus their property taxes are minimal.