Thursday, February 26, 2015

Recap: "Michaella and Brandon"


Bringing Up Bates, "Michaella and Brandon"
  • Brandon comes to Rocky Top, Tennessee, for a two-week visit with the Bates family. His relationship with Michaella has been long-distance since the two started courting on December 30th, 2013, so Gil and Kelly suggested he come for an extended stay to bond with the rest of the family.
  • "I have been counting down the days since I first found out he was coming," says Michaella. "I have been so excited about having this time to spend with him and seeing him interact with my siblings."
  • When he arrives, Brandon surprises the kids with candy. "It was the bestest!" says Judson. "He's my favorite."
  • "Brandon was smart to bring candy in one way, but he would have been smarter to bring earplugs," jokes Zach, who admits he is enjoying the quietness of married life with only one kid.
  • As the third youngest of ten kids, Brandon's upbringing was busy, but definitely not as chaotic as Michaella's. "It's kind of overwhelming at times, but it's also kind of fun, just to be able to be in the atmosphere," he says, smiling. "They are all very loving people."
  • Michaella and Brandon met at a homeschool conference about five years ago. "The more I get to know her, the more I realize how honored I am to be in this relationship with her," says Brandon.
  • Gil and Kelly share one rule with the couple: they cannot be alone in a room together.
  • While Michaella works her day job as a nanny, Brandon, born and raised in Michigan, accompanies Gil and the boys on a tree job. "He might be a Yankee, but he works," says Tori.
  • The future Bates son-in-law is cautious at first, but by the end of the day, he is pulling his own weight. "Brandon was working so hard that he was making me start to look bad," says Trace.
  • Later, Gil and Kelly take the courting couple on a walk in the woods. They give Michaella and Brandon some privacy by stepping back and allowing their daughter and her boyfriend to go on ahead. 
  • "When you have chaperones, sometimes it's awkward to carry on really in-depth conversations together," explains Kelly. "So we like for all the courting couples to have opportunity to have all the conversations they need to have..."
  • Gil and Kelly pray with Michaella and Brandon and give them a book, which is also used by the Duggar family. The "Getting Ready for Marriage Workbook is available on the Store page of the Duggar Family Blog.
  • Michaella and Tori take the little kids to an indoor bounce house, and Brandon comes along. Tori tries to force Brandon to go bouncing and go down the slides with her. At one point, she grabs his arm, and Michaella, in fun, shouts, "Tori, hands off!"
  • "If I'm not going to touch him, then she can't either," says Michaella, laughing. Tori shares her side of the story: "It wasn't like I was trying to hug the guy for crying out loud. I was just trying to get him to come have fun with me."
  • Next, Brandon goes bowling with the Bates boys. "When do you think you're going to get engaged, man?" asks Nathan. "It's hard to say," responds Brandon, who admits that he is thinking about proposing but that he wants to keep the details a secret.
  • At the end of the evening, Michaella's brothers put their stamp of approval on Brandon.
  • To get a feel for Michaella's style, Brandon takes Tori, Carlin, and Josie ring shopping. Each sister has a slightly different idea about which ring Michaella would like best. In the end, everyone knows that Brandon will make the final decision.
  • "Brandon handled all the connections with the kids in a great way, and I think he's really a star player," says Gil sincerely.

19 comments:

  1. Brandon seems like such a Godly sweet guy. I am so happy for Michaella! I would love for Gil and Kelly to share more advice and tips on how they help their kids prepare more marriage. I liked the book activity they provided.

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  2. Do you know if up tv will put the episodes on itunes to purchase? Thanks

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    1. UP is looking for a way to make the show available online. We will let you know when/if they come up with a solution.

      Hope you are having a relaxing weekend. :)
      Lily and Ellie

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  3. The Bates girls sure know how to find winners. Branden ia a very impressive and good young man.
    I'm happy for Michaella and wish them the best.

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  4. Great show! Gil and Kelly have done a wonderful job with their children. They seem to have set reasonable courting expectations allowing for ways for the couples to get some quiet " talk time" without a chaperone breathing down their collars. I also admire the two married daughters waiting to get married until their boyfriends had finished their educations and secured jobs. It looks like Michaela is waiting too. It shows maturity on all of their parts. I am going to miss this show when the season is over dor them.

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  5. These Bates girls get amazing guys it sounds like!! :) I love how the Kelly and Gil had only one hard set rule, and a good one at that, and let them set the other boundaries.

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  6. Brandon was such a diplomat wiith all that came at him, especially with the bossy sister and the interrogation by the brothers. He's definately a keeper! God bless he and Michaella..

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  7. Michael meant it when she said Hands Off! It makes me wonder about th dynamics between the sisters and the way their subculture over sexualizes interactions between young women and men.

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    1. I wondered about that, too -- whether their way of limiting contact with the opposite gender actually over-sexualizes interactions between young men and women. All she was doing was touching his arm.

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  8. See,when u live a pure Godly life you get rewarded with the good guys/gals.Im so happy for both families and all the blessings that are still coming their way.

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    1. I knew what you meant, but this comment could be taken as very anti-gospel. None of us get what we deserve, and we earn nothing. Every blessing comes from the Lords hand and is unmerited. That's what makes the gospel so stunningly beautiful! Blessings to you.

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    2. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7

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  9. Will the episode be put in YouTube??

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    1. Some of the episodes are posted to YouTube but are usually taken down quickly because of copyright claims.

      Blessings,
      Lily and Ellie

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  10. I love how Tori trys to get Brandon to play. they include him right into the family, I would like that if it were me.

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  11. Well thanks alot Tori! Im a Yankee to!:) LOL

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  12. Has it been mentioned where in Michigan Brandon is from because I have no way of watching the show and I was just wondering because in a recent clip posted to this blog someone mentioned that his parents live about three hours away from chicago, which is basically the same distance from my hometown to the city. In was just really curious.

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  13. where can I watch them on the internet please help?

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  14. Hi Donna,

    Seasons one and two are available on iTunes and gMovies.com. The first episode of season three is not yet available, but we will make an announcement when it is. :)

    Thanks for reading!
    Lily and Ellie

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