Monday, March 9, 2020

Katie and Parents Visit Travis

Travis Clark and Katie Bates
Travis Clark and Katie Bates
 
Over the weekend, Katie traveled to New Jersey with Gil and Kelly to spend time with her boyfriend, Travis. They were able to celebrate Travis' 19th birthday and attend church with his family.

Travis Clark, Gil Bates, Kelly Bates
Travis Clark, Gil Bates, Kelly Bates

If you enjoy this blog, be sure to visit Ellie's other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and DuggarFamilyBlog.com).

Photo courtesy of thebatesfamily.com

57 comments:

  1. These two are too young. I hope they take their time with the next step.

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    1. They are 19. Katie's in college studying cosmetology and wants to study nursing later. That being said, Carlin, Tori, and Michaela were all done with college, or nearly done, when each married.
      Katie's is just in the "getting to know you" stage with this young man and he's been her boyfriend nearly a year. They aren't even courting yet. Trace will be (is already) first. Most young people these days don't even get this far in to knowing someone before they are already pregnant and not married. At least with these young people marriage always comes before pregnancy. If you think people should be 30 before starting their families, that's you but don't discourage this family.

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    2. Really? Most young people get pregnant shortly after meeting someone? This is not true among the young adults I know.

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    3. 2:08 Your statement, "Most young people these days don't even get this far in to knowing someone before they are already pregnant and not married." is a wild exaggeration. Teen birth rates are at record lows, dropping to 18 births per 1000 girls/women between the ages of 15-19. Contrary to your rather bleak commentary, MOST of the young people I know, including my own adult kids, have concentrated on furthering their education and getting good jobs before getting married and having kids.

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    4. 7:42 - Trace broke up with his girlfriend

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    5. Teen birth rate is high where I live.

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    6. 7:42: "this family"?!?! These are two 19 year olds who barely know life... They are not a family!

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    7. To anonymous 8:52 am...
      Birth rates are at record lows because abortion rates are skyrocketing. You’re is a skewed statistic.

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    8. Yes. I agree with everybody. Just in the getting to know you stage. She will take her time and marry when is is ready, after college.

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    9. 6:38- Nope, abortion rates have been declining for years and are at their lowest point since 1973. This is common knowledge. You might want to rethink where you're getting your information.

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    10. To AnonymousMarch 10, 2020 at 6:38 PM "Birth rates are at record lows because abortion rates are skyrocketing" God Bless You!Many girls like me are pressured to have abortions.

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  2. Katie is so beautiful! I love her hair!

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  3. Gosh, He is so young! They both are! They should be thinking about getting a higher education, not boyfriend/girlfriend, married, etc.

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    1. They are both young but are both perfectly old enough to date...which is what they are doing. How many people in college are in a relationship? A lot! As long as they take it slow and are just getting to know each other and spend time together, they aren’t too young. No one had mentioned a courtship yet so maybe that isn’t in the cards for them right now or ever. Look at what happened with Chaney and Trace. They dated but didn’t work out.

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    2. I don't think 19 is too young to have a girlfriend! That's kind of extreme. Too young to be thinking of taking it beyond dating, though, I'd agree with you there.

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    3. They are both in college not just thinking about getting a higher education!

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    4. 9:44, exactly. Probably the op is worried because in this family a relationship means almost always marriage.

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    5. 6:36- Yup, nothing wrong with dating at this age. It's a normal part of life. However, because they've announced a courtship, it's not a stretch to predict that they'll be engaged by summer and married by the time they're 20. The Bates' daughters have all married the first guy they dated. If they're happy, that's what counts.

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  4. He is so young looking. I'd take him for 12. Katie looks like his big sis.

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    1. Actually, she could be his mom. He's a young looking 19-year old. I hear he sings beautifully.

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    2. He doesn’t look as young in person.

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  5. My husband and I met when we were 18 years old-very young. However, we dated for 5 years and married at 23 years of age. By that time we each had our college degrees and good jobs.

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    1. Time 6:36AM Tues 3/10/20
      I dont want to say rude Travis looks like he is 16 not 19.

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    2. And Katie looks like she could be his mother! She looks closer to 30 rather than 19

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  6. I have been happily married to my husband for 40 years and I married two weeks after graduating high school! I don't know why "fans" feel compelled to impose their personal values and opinions on this family. I say they have a perfect track record in the marriage department - on a side note Kelly looks like she is getting younger and younger! She is so beautiful!

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    1. Because this young man is just beginning his education. He has no way to support a family. Katie also has no marketable skills (yet).

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    2. Even if Katie has marketable skills; she will pregnant right after they marry and never use those skills!

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    3. This young couple is different from many of us. They have extra income from a TV show, Internet sites, magazine articles, book sales, etc. They may be young but they have a nice income whereas folks such as my husband and I had to train for and obtain steady employment; very different from the Bates family.

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  7. He’s only 19! Does he have plans for the future that include education or job training?

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    1. Why can't you be in a relationship at 19? Lots of people are at 16 and younger. That doesn't mean they'll get married tomorrow. And Josie and Kelton were married at 19 and I think they are doing great!

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    2. All true; except when the young people are involved are Bates or Duggars it does mean they’l be married tomorrow and parents in a year!

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    3. He’s been traveling the US and singing since he was a young boy. He has many cds and has quite a following. He’s not destitute.

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    4. He's not destitute but he just turned 19. He looks and sounds far too young to be a husband and father!

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  8. How old should a person be?

    My husband and I dated as 16-17 year olds, and we got married as 21-22 year olds. I would’ve married him sooner, but we both wanted to finish college first. So, that’s what we did.

    Happy Birthday, Travis! You seem like a fine young man with your head on your shoulders and your foundation in life built on Christ.

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    1. How in the world can you tell that from a picture?

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  9. Happy Birthday Travis! What a lovely couple! I do hope people would stop judging them simply because of age. They're both adults capable of decision making and should be respected as such. Everyone's life path will look different, and that's ok. I don't mean any offense to anyone. :)

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  10. Hope they had a good time.

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  11. Not sure why 19 is considered young and jana duggar is considered old. Can someone explain? My sister married at 19 and still is married to her sweetheart. I married at 34 and am still married at 49. What difference does it make when someone finds their perfect match?

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    1. I don't think of Jana as being old at all. I do consider any 19 year old to be in need of further maturing, I don't care who it is. The divorce rate among young adults is the highest of all age groups. That doesn't mean they are all doomed to failure- obviously, individual circumstances play a role. However, what I told my own kids was that if it's true love, it can be patient and wait a few years until secondary education is finished and careers are in place. If I had married the first boyfriend I ever had, I know for certain it would not have worked out. My priorities changed and evolved over the years and I didn't get married until I was 35. It's now thirty years later and we're happily still together.

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    2. Thank you! Totally agree!!!

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    3. Thank you! I completely agree! As long as they are adults, age shouldn’t matter. I was 19 when I married, and we have almost been married thirty years.

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  12. Travis is very handsome in his dark suit and white shirt, as is Gil. I love that look. Travis seems very sweet and kind and well-rounded. They seem like a well matched couple. I don't think they will rush anything.

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  13. Happy birthday Travis, he looks like he could be a child of Gil and Kelly,he looks a bit like both.

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  14. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRAVIS
    Marilyn,Joan and Marion

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  15. MO- I'm not sure if age matters... My husband and I were out of college, employed, and 27 when we got married. I have a good friend who got married at 18 and I think she has a better marriage than mine. Haha! The one thing I have noticed is how Kelly says she doesn't "push" things, but in my opinion, I think they do push relationships they approve of. (based on the courtships of their other children)

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  16. My husband and I dated at 14 & 17 and married at 19 & 22 been married for 18 yrs and now 37 and 40 !

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  17. I think a couple is mature enough to marry if they can support themselves financially without the help of mommy and daddy. Since Travis is only 19 and Katie is still in school they obviously cannot. I hope they take their time, a married couple should never rely on mommy and daddy to support them unless unforeseen circumstances come up.

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    1. Financial security is the only criteria for marriage? Far from it. You need way more than a good job.

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    2. @ 7:42, it is not the only criteria but it is a very important one. When a couple gets married they are becoming their own family unit separate from their parents and siblings. At least one of them needs to be financially secure in order to support them and their future children. Sure most parents will chip in money to pay for the wedding or a house but they should not be the primary source of income. Why get married if one or both of you can’t make a living without mom and dad’s income? It defeats the purpose entirely.

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    3. 7:42 Statistics show that the #1 reason for divorce is financial matters. While it's not the only criteria for a successful marriage, it is critically important.

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    4. You need far more than financial stability. You need emotional stability as well, and maturity. You can have money and still fail at marriage. Marriage is about much more than money!

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    5. Young couples usually don't earn much money. Then there is stress. It takes maturity, patience and discipline to deal with financial stress. You need to be mature enough not to buy that outfit, or disciplined enough to save. That's what causes the divorces, the immaturity of younger couples, not the smaller income. Older, seasoned married couples deal with the reduced income in retirement just fine. You rarely seen couples divorcing at 70.

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  18. My parents were 19 and 21 when they got married. They are about to celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary. Different people are ready at different ages. Unless you actually personally know Travis and Katie, it's not your place to decide if they are ready for marriage. And if you do know them personally, you should talk to them in person, rather than state your opinion on a blog. Just be happy for this young couple who look so happy in their pictures!

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    1. My parents were married at 20 at the height of WWII, just before Dad was shipped overseas. Times being what they were, young couples rushed into marriage thinking that they'd never see each other again. My mom said that if the circumstances had been different, she never would've gotten married so young. I know they were not always happy, but they somehow made it work and stayed together until Dad passed away at the age of 70. I just always appreciated her perspective on marriage and that sometimes we do things because of our naivity, we're under pressure, or out of just plain fear.

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    2. The difference between people marrying in the 1940s and today is that many people didn't go on to higher education and could still make a decent living for their families. Today, higher education is essential. I'm not saying everyone has to go to a 4 year university. But everyone needs some sort of training whether it be a university degree and a technical certificate. Travis has just started his higher education and needs to be able to finish it without having to think about supporting a family while in school. It they are happy together, that is great. They simply need to wait before taking it to the next level.

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  19. Wow...thats only like 20 minutes from me where he lives lol

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  20. I think all the guys the Bates girls married or courting they all have alot of similarities...they are all good looking guys and the women are beautiful...I just love the show.

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