'From Friends to Fiancés' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "From Friends to Fiancés"

• The show opens as Bobby is making his first visit to the Bates home to celebrate I Love You Day (aka Valentine’s Day) 2016. “Daddy told Tori, he gave her a warning,” says Kelly. “He said, ‘Whatever you do, Tori, don’t dive in too soon.’ And Tori said, ‘It’s too late.’”
• Ashley, Nathan’s then-girlfriend, is also there. (Update: Nathan and Ashley have remained good friends, but they are not in a relationship.)
• Two months later, the Bates meet Bobby’s parents and siblings (two sisters) while in Florida for Allie’s first birthday.
• “When we were courting, [Tori] was our chaperone a lot,” says Alyssa. “Well, for a little bit, and then I requested a different chaperone. Tori is real strict. She was like, ‘That’s too close. You need to move. You are too close.’ And now, she’s all [cuddly with Bobby].”
• In October 2016, Bobby pops the courtship question during a family vacation in Pensacola, Florida. “I know this is one step along the way, but are you ready to go with me?” he asks her at sunset on the beach. They enjoy a special dinner together in the sand.
• In March 2017, Bobby visits Tennessee to search for a place to live after graduation. A friend from the fire department offers up her camper.
• In May 2017, Tori and the family celebrate Bobby’s college graduation at a party at his home in Florida. The event is also the first time we are introduced to Kelton Balka, Josie’s “special friend.”
• While the entire family (minus Josie and the Websters) is vacationing in West Virginia in June 2017, Bobby pulls Gil aside to ask for his blessing to propose to Tori. “They really are a perfect match,” Gil says after granting permission. 

Bobby proposed to Tori at a picturesque lookout point in North Carolina. Click here to see photos. 

'Uncharted Waters' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "Uncharted Waters"

• The show opens on Evan and Carlin’s courtship conversation with Gil and Kelly. “Of course, Dad always likes to throw in his little nuggets,” says Carlin, annoyed. “If you ever get married, if this ever keeps going, we’ll see, let’s take it slow.”
• Gil and Kelly pray with the couple and then give them the green light to start an official courtship.
• Later, those over 90 pounds and age 10 head to the zip line course. Kelly takes the “middle kids” to the pool.
• Some of the zip lines are short and low, but one is about 90 feet off the ground. “It’s nothing like the little one we have in the backyard,” says Jackson.
• The next day, the plan is to go whitewater rafting. It ends up raining, but that doesn’t stop the Bates. They hire the daughter of a local pastor to babysit the little ones and head out. Because of the weather, they end up having to go on a more difficult course with class four rapids. Even the boys are apprehensive.
• All the married couples get into one boat. “Just think, Mom, if this boat wrecks, you’ve got Lawson and Nathan to raise all the kids from all three of our families,” says Zach.
• The ride is exhilarating, and the ladies scream the whole way, but they all enjoy themselves.
• Later, while everyone else is showering, Bobby pulls Gil aside to chat. “Yesterday it’s Evan, today it’s Bobby,” says Gil. “I’m getting hit from everywhere. Who knows what’s going to be next?”
• “…Before I start planning anything and before I take this next step, what I really want to do is just have your full blessing and be able to ask your permission to marry Tori,” says Bobby.
• “You’re a good guy, Bobby," says Gil, patting Bobby on the back. “I’m glad you finished school, but nope.”
• Bobby’s lip starts quivering, and a look of anguish washes over his face. “I always have a hard time telling when people are joking, and I was thinking, there’s like a one percent chance that he’s serious right now, but what if he is?” says Bobby.
• There is a long pause, and then Gil says, “You’ve got my blessing.” Bobby is extremely relieved and admits that he was about to throw up.
• “I think you and Tori have been good for each other,” says Gil. “But it’s hard to say yah, you know? Because I’m losing these girls one after another.”
• “Now that I have Mr. Bates’ permission to be able to propose, Tori seems to have a theory that October is the magic month because we met in October and we started courting in October, but we’ll just have to see about that,” says Bobby.
• After everyone finishes getting ready, the Bates snap a family photo and then head to dinner.

'Courtship, Kiddos and Future Sons-In-Law' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "Courtship, Kiddos and Future Sons-In-Law?"

• The Bates are packing for a four-day trip to Adventures on the Gorge in West Virginia. The Websters won’t be able to make it, and neither will Josie, who is finishing up summer school. “Carlin is really excited about Evan coming,” says Callie.
• As far as Tori knows, Bobby is not able to make it, as he had something come up at work.
• “You know, when the kids were little and there was only one mom and one dad and one car…it was a lot easier,” says Gil. “Now, we’ve got kids everywhere, and we’ve gotta take two cars at two different times because of everybody’s responsibilities.”
• When Evan arrives, Carlin has to fight her dad and the little kids to get the first hug.  Evan’s sister Kailyn comes along, as well.
• When Kelly and the first batch of Bates arrives at the resort, Kelly, Tori, and a few others walk into the lobby to check in. “Tori was a little bit mopey,” says Jackson. “She was probably sad that Bobby wasn’t going to be there.” But Tori's mood is about to change...
• As they enter the lobby, a man at the front desk turns around to help them, and it’s Bobby! Tori is elated and incredibly surprised. “It totally blew her away,” says Kelly. “I knew about it, and I was still impressed.”
• After arriving at their cabins, Kelly and the kids enjoy an outdoor picnic lunch, complete with ice cream. “All of them brought their boyfriends, so I brought mine,” Katie tells Kelly, holding two containers of ice cream.
• The following day, Tori and Bobby volunteer to babysit Judson, energetic Jeb, and the grandkids, while everyone else heads to the ropes course. “If it had been Jeb first, it would have been a one-child family,” says Zach.
• “I’ve been excited about proposing to Tori for a long time,” says Bobby. While babysitting, he and Tori enjoy talking about their future (and the kids that they expect to have sooner rather than later).
• Kelly is quite nervous about the ropes course. “The problem was, I had just enough pride in me that even if I was scared to death, I knew I had to try,” says the mom of 19.
• During the time at the ropes course, Evan pulls Gil, Kelly, and Carlin aside for a courtship conversation. “I’m pretty nervous about talking to Mr. and Mrs. Bates about the courtship because I don’t know what they’re going to say,” admits Evan.
• After they sit down, Evan asks for permission to start making plans to enter an official courtship some time over the summer. Gil and Kelly start by discussing the primary purposes of courtship (keeping God at the center and maintaining purity). “If it doesn’t work out, I want to make sure that both of you can still be friends [and] can leave the relationship with no guilt,” says Gil. “Whoever you’re going to marry is probably out there somewhere. If it’s Carlin, that’s great, but it may not be.”
• “I do like Evan,” Gil tells viewers, “I think he’s a great guy, but I don’t know that Carlin’s grown up enough yet.”