19 Kids & Counting: Singing and Fundraising

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I'm starting to wonder how many episodes they're going to "squeeze in" before having to feature that Jubilee didn't make it. We're not far now, but we were closer last week, since Michell was "further along" then. It does look like they're going to close this mini-season with the Jubilee Very Special Episode, and juxtapose it with a special on the Bates family (which is going to open a whole new can of worms, but we'll get there!), but this is starting to get ridiculous. The first episode was a bit awkward - why was the ENTIRE FAMILY at the women's conference? Couldn't JimBob and Michelle have gone with some of the youngins while the rest just met them in Branson the following day? Seeing the whole family standing around was awkward. the second episode was pretty typical... the family does some charity work while having fun. It was a little different to have a dying kid mixed in, but I'm just going to sail past that.

19 Kids and Counting "Music with the Duggars" (S06E04): The family has some Bible study time, then talk about traveling to Missouri to attend a women's conference and a concert where Cousin Amy will be singing. The family packs 30 pairs of shoes for a two-day trip. [couldn't they plan the outfits so everyone only needs the pair they're wearing and one more?] Michelle is seventeen weeks pregnant here, so this took place, chronologically, before the episode that aired last week with Anna taking the kids to the playground. [not like I don't regularly pull apart the fact that the events shown aren't in order or anything...]

Credit: TLC

Amy goes shopping with her mother and grandmother, but it's a struggle since she hates to try on clothes. [!! I ADORE shopping, but if I'm not in the mood to try things on, it ain't gonna happen, so I can totally relate. I also didn't really like what she wore to go shopping.] At the women's conference (in Springfield, MO), Michelle is asked what she thinks about fertility drugs. At first she doesn't understand the question, then makes a joke, then mentions adoption, then has no real answer. [figures.] The children sing a song, play a song, then it's on to Branson, where we see Cousin Amy warm up, then sing sans accompaniment. [I thought it was a bit awkward, and her voice isn't my style, but I'm sure someone likes it.] Amy talks about wanting to make music her career. 

19 Kids and Counting "The Duggar Twist" (S06E05): [the helium-voice making the "coming up next" announcement was cute.] JimBob and Michelle prepare for a radio interview (they apparently do about 25 of these each year). They're asked about hand-me-downs, and Michelle says that the clothes last much longer for the girls than they do for the boys. [generally common knowledge. I didn't like that she skirted the issue of how many children or how many years items actually last.] The younger kids practice writing their names so they can "autograph" things. The family is going to Rogers, AR to help out with Alex's Lemonade Stand, and invite a fan of theirs to come along. [odd scene where JimBob chastises the kids for leaving the bus dirty.] The fan is Genessa, a thirteen-year-old girl who has been battling cancer for more than three years. They originally met while Josie was in the hospital. Genessa initially doesn't want to be in the car for two hours each way, but she wants to see the Duggars. The family is shown how to make and serve pretzels and drinks. They raise about $500. [and they blame the low amount on the weather.] Sadly, it's revealed at the end of the episode that Genessa passed away recently.