What's Going On With Zach and Sarah ?

[Turning-A-New-Leaf]

Just wanted to kind of point of something that seems to be a little peculiar.

 

Zach and Sarah started courting around the middle to end of June 2011, it was announced then.

 

We since, have seen them on many excusions together, with chaperones of course. But, not so recently, posts about them have been a little quieter and extremely rare.

 

Why so quiet ?

 

Also, is seems as though their courtship has been very lengthy, 7 months or so.

 

A little odd that there has been no engagement announcement yet.

 

This sparked my interest, so I checked The Reiths calendar for their music group. There is an extremely busy schedule for 2012, in TN a lot and Arkansas a little, but booked all the way through October 2012, didn't really notice a big break, except in September 2012.

 

So, if there was an engagement, when would there be time to have a wedding ? I guess they would fit it in, right ?

[Jessica]

I think Kelly said that Zach was waiting till he finished school (CollegePlus) to make the next move.

[Turning-A-New-Leaf]

Ohh...interesting...didn't hear that.

Was that on The Bates website or on the episode when they discussed the courtship ?

[Deleted03]

Ohh...interesting...didn't hear that.

Was that on The Bates website or on the episode when they discussed the courtship ?

[Turning-A-New-Leaf]

She said that several times in the comments

[Deleted07]

Yeah I don't think they are rushing at all, I think honestly if their courtship sticks, we won't hear of an engagement until middle of the year and marriage maybe at the end of this year?

The Poor guy is probably desperately trying to get together things like a house and full time employment.

[ophelia]

Maybe he is already borrowing money from his younger brother..

[IReallyAmHopewell]

I think they need to get to know each other and he likely has to earn enough money to buy a home for them without a mortgage! Not easy when you work for your Dad who has 17 other kids to support. I doubt his County Commissioner job (or whatever he was elected to) pays much ....

[fakepigtails73]

I think they are a cute couple. Hopefully they get married soon and he gets to move to her place of residence; he could be their roadie or something. Her band is allright, it would be a shame for Sarah to give it up because she moves to his area of TN...Hope that in their case instead of "bride moves to groom's area" it will be the opposite. I hope that on this the Bates and The Reiths say F.U to ATI...

[Mamajane]

I like Zach and Sarah, well the thought of them together that is. I also like the fact they are not rushing into marriage. I think its a smart idea to get finished with schooling and get your self set up before you get married.

[bananacat]

Whatever the reason, I am glad they are taking it slow. I wonder if Kelly is trying to delay it so that her daughter-in-law doesn't get a head start on the baby competition. But for the sake of everyone, it's better if they wait even just one year longer before they start having kids. A lot of growth, maturity, and self-discovery happen around their age.

[emmiedahl]

If he is trying to get a degree from College Plus, he might as well plan on lifelong celibacy.

[marmalade]

I think they need to get to know each other and he likely has to earn enough money to buy a home for them without a mortgage! Not easy when you work for your Dad who has 17 other kids to support. I doubt his County Commissioner job (or whatever he was elected to) pays much ....

[snickerz]

What exactly does Zach plan to do for a living? He's majoring in history with college minus. He's got the Podunk county commissioner job, I wonder if he's going to try to be a real politician someday?

[Deleted07]

For some reason I had always assumed he was trying to get into law enforcement? I remember reading or seeing something like that on their blog, but I could totally be warping that!!!!

[Deleted07]

AHA: http://gilbatesfamily.com/2010/10/25/za ... -training/

Zach officially completed his reserve Deputy Sherriff law enforcement training. He is enjoying learning as he works with the Anderson County officers.

AND on their blurb page:

Zach is continuing to pursue his degree in History and Criminal Justice. He completed his last semester of EMT training with a 4.0 and was recently elected as the youngest county commissioner in our state. He’s thankful for the local support he received and for the opportunity to help serve his county. He’s actively involved in working with the sheriff’s department and the volunteer fire department.

[snickerz]

Interesting...but reserve deputy sheriff is a volunteer position and won't pay the bills. Tnasco.net/reserve.php

[marmalade]

You read my mind. County commissioner of some podunk backwoods in TN ain't going to cut it either. They probably meet no more than semi-monthly and if he makes anything at all, it's probably not more than $50/meeting. That and all his volunteer positions aren't going to support a wife who actually makes a helluva lot more than him, even if you divide their take four ways.

That college minus degree in history isn't much good either; that's a degree that typically requires post-grad work to pay the bills (I know people with PhD's in history who are teaching at COMMUNITY COLLEGE). A step up from college minus, for sure, but not the prestigious professorial position most historians expect after 7 years of concentrated study.

Study that Zach Bates would never qualify for on his best day. Even if he was allowed to take the GRE, does anyone think he'd pass that (with a 4.0? WTF, Kelly)?

[Deleted07]

It really seems there aren't much options for homeschooled kids, not that I know much about that! I only knew one lady, who at the end of homeschooling her kids, realised just how little options they had, and just how much catchup school they would have to take to even be able to go to university for a further degree! Her sons ended up joining the army, since it was the only options they had, and I think even then they had to have some sort of catchup test, and their only saving grace was they were a member of the towns army cadets and such, so it was kind of like pre-enrolment in a way.

[Deleted07]

It really seems there aren't much options for homeschooled kids, not that I know much about that! I only knew one lady, who at the end of homeschooling her kids, realised just how little options they had, and just how much catchup school they would have to take to even be able to go to university for a further degree! Her sons ended up joining the army, since it was the only options they had, and I think even then they had to have some sort of catchup test, and their only saving grace was they were a member of the towns army cadets and such, so it was kind of like pre-enrolment in a way.

The girls ended up with retail jobs.

[marmalade]

I went to high school with a guy who turned out to become quite the fundie. His wife kept popping out kids and she worked as a teacher until the kids were old enough for homeschool (around kid 4/6). The oldest couple have college degrees; one is an engineer. Her group is advertised as "open" (you pretty much have to be around here...SUPER liberal), but Christian preferred. You'd never know the kids were homeschooled; the older boys looked like skateboarders and the girls like any pants-wearing teenage girl you'd see at any public high school.

Amazing what a difference a few years actually WORKING as a teacher in real life vs. even a woman like Kelly Bates with her college degree (accredited?) can do with their kids. I think the family I know is pretty fundie, but compared to what we see on FJ, these people look like granola-crunching hippies.

Who have gotten every single kid over 18 into real colleges.

[Destiny]

It really seems there aren't much options for homeschooled kids, not that I know much about that! I only knew one lady, who at the end of homeschooling her kids, realised just how little options they had, and just how much catchup school they would have to take to even be able to go to university for a further degree! Her sons ended up joining the army, since it was the only options they had, and I think even then they had to have some sort of catchup test, and their only saving grace was they were a member of the towns army cadets and such, so it was kind of like pre-enrolment in a way.

The girls ended up with retail jobs.

Sorry, but I have to disagree there. Homeschooling, done correctly, can give you a first rate education. I never finished college because of family issues (let's just say that I am 32 years old and still raising my siblings), but I have a great job, and I had SAT scores high enough to get me into Harvard easily had I been interested. I'm sure Clibbyjo would beg to differ as well.

Yes, there are homeschoolers out there who do a terrible job -- I knew quite a few of them growing up, but don't tar everyone with that brush.

/threadjack

FTR, I would not homeschool my hypothetical child, mostly because I don't think I have the patience to do it right.

[Deleted07]

Sorry, but I have to disagree there. Homeschooling, done correctly, can give you a first rate education. I never finished college because of family issues (let's just say that I am 32 years old and still raising my siblings), but I have a great job, and I had SAT scores high enough to get me into Harvard easily had I been interested. I'm sure Clibbyjo would beg to differ as well.

Yes, there are homeschoolers out there who do a terrible job -- I knew quite a few of them growing up, but don't tar everyone with that brush.

/threadjack

FTR, I would not homeschool my hypothetical child, mostly because I don't think I have the patience to do it right.

yeah pretty sure I didn't paint all homeschoolers with that brush, if you re-read you'll even see how I said I don't know much about it, just shared my one and only experience.

:roll:

[Destiny]

My apologies. I read what you said a different way. :)

[gilora]

I don't see the Bates or Reith families permitting Zach to move to Sarah's family after the marriage. It would go against the rigidly-enforced gender roles, regardless of economics or practicality.

I wonder if Sarah will be permitted to work after the marriage and before children -- maybe giving music lessons? Such a wase ...