Them Duggars

My grandfather was the oldest of 18 children, ten of whom are still living. There was one set of twins. So I figure my great-grandmother was pregnant for a total of fifteen years or so, the whole 17 if you count recovering, nursing, what have you. Let's just call it 17 years. In fact, let's just call it 5,000 years, because that might have been what it felt like to her. Many of my great aunts and uncles have license plates that say, for example, "1 of 18" or 9thof18 or something, which is sweet. They get along. There's a huge second, third, and now fourth generation. We get together a couple of times a year, and many of us vacation at the same South Carolina beach condo farm. So big families? No biggie for me.

I love the Australian news story about the Duggars in Arkansas, who just had their 17th child, because I love reading about American news and oddities in international terms. Some people say having this many kids is freakish, and I'm all whatever about that. Excessive fertility is just as possible as the opposite situation in this world of checks and balances, and some people just don't believe in birth control. They seem to be supporting themselves, and although I'm guessing from what I've read that we wouldn't agree on anything political or religious if we sat down for a drink, I leave them to their child-heavy existence. I don't have to change the nappies.

I just have to say though, after clicking on the "How many Duggars can you name starting with J" (uh, hello, news.au, ALL OF THEM!!!! Dad's name is Jim Bob and it just cascaded on down the line!!!) list on the right, that if I were Jinger, I'd be pissed.

"Hello, I am strapping young Joshua Duggar. This is my little brother Jinger." It just screams sidekick to me, and does a middle child (especially in the middle of this sea of Js?) really need that? If I were him I'd rechristen myself a studly as-yet-unclaimed J name and rock it. It worked for Zowie Bowie.

Comments

[Jennifer/The Word Cellar]

I'm confused about the twin named David. How did he get singled out to have a non-J name? Or am I reading the list of names wrong? Oh, and I thought that Jinger rhymed with "Stinger" until my husband pointed out that it's probably pronounced "Ginger." Duh for me.

[Laurie]

Jennifer - Someone just pointed that out to me too, about the "Ginger" business. Who would know? It'll get read as "JINGER" like "Singer" her whole life.

And clearly David is set up for an inferiority complex. Or maybe he's the chosen one? ; )

[RebekahN]

It's not David, it's JOHN-David

[RebekahN]

and Jinger (pronounced Ginger) is a girl