Hello there! I’m back from my blogging break. How have you all been? I truly have missed sharing posts with you and interacting via comments and emails over the past three weeks.
For those who didn’t hear, I took a break from blogging to help my wrist pain heal. During that time, we also happened to have an East Coast vacation planned with Mr. Handsome’s family, so that worked out very well.
I also saw a doctor, who ran some tests and determined that my wrists should be able to heal without surgery. He prescribed a gentle anti-inflammatory and referred me to a physical therapist. Thank you to those who prayed and shared advice and encouragement. You all are such a blessing!
We spent most of our trip in Virginia Beach and took day trips to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Colonial Williamsburg. Have any of you visited that region of the United States? While on the Outer Banks, we hiked up a hill to the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk (see above photo) and watched a play, The Lost Colony, on Roanoke Island.
Anonymous
Lived in that VA area for years. Husband was stationed there with the Navy. W-burg was always too toursit-y in the summer for me, but OK other times. Used to go shopping there. Christmas was pretty, with all the houses decorated with lots of greenery and fruits and candles. Been to the NC places you mentioned, too. About 10 years ago, there was a fire that destroyed most of the costumes used in Lost Colony. Some had been made in the 30's and 40's. It took quite an effort to replace them.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I've heard that Williamsburg is beautiful at Christmastime. We might just have to go back. π
That's very sad to hear that all those costumes were destroyed. It was a great play! It really makes you wonder what happened to the Roanoke colonists…
Ellie
James Mason
Welcome back, Ellie. I hope you had a great time vacationing with your Mr. Handsome.
I can't wait to see more Duggar/Bates updates soon!
Thank you for updating all of us fans throughout the years.
Cheers all the way from Ecuador!
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thank you, James! I'm glad to have you as a reader all the way from Ecuador. π Has your family always lived in Ecuador?
Ellie
James Mason
Nope. My family has been living in Ecuador for the past 10 serving as missionaries to the people of La Concordia.
I've been a reader of the Duggar Blog since November 2013, when I first watched "14 & Pregnant Again" on YouTube.
Anonymous
Welcome back, Ellie! I've missed reading your posts! I'm so thrilled to hear of your wonderful time off! π I am praying your wrists are feeling better. You look beautiful in the picture! God bless you. ~Regina
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thank you, Regina! I really appreciate the prayer. π
Ellie
Shela G
Welcome back!! Happy to hear that the docter does not think you need surgery!! Truley missed reading your post!! Have not yet visited that part of the United States.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thanks, Shela! I hadn't been there until our vacation, but it was a beautiful area. On our way home, we drove through the pine forests of western North Carolina. Another beautiful area!
Ellie
Anonymous
I would love to go to Williamsburg. We were thinking about that for vacation this year.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I highly recommend it, especially for families with young children.
Ellie
Anonymous
So good to have you back on the blog! I've sure missed your posts! Hope your wrist is feeling better after your little vacation!
Also, it seems like you & Mr. Handsome just passed your first anniversary? I hope you were able to celebrate in a meaningful way, and that you'll have many more anniversaries together in the future!!!
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thank you! Yep, we just had our one-year wedding anniversary. I'm planing to write a post about it in just a few minutes.
Ellie
Alicia Mae
Glad to see that you are back and that you didn't need surgery for your wrists! I've missed your posts!
Oh, the Outer Banks are just beautiful, and Colonial Williamsburg is so much fun. I remember visiting both places with my family when I was younger. I'd love to go back sometime. You and Mr. Handsome look like you were enjoying yourselves at Kitty Hawk! π
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thank you, Alicia! I've missed sharing posts with you all. We had a blast. Williamsburg was my favorite stop, as I've wanted to visit since I was a young child. Kitty Hawk was also very neat.
Have a blessed day!
Ally
Anonymous
Do you get paid to be a blogger?
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I do have advertisements, but this blog is a hobby, as the ads barely generate any income. π
Ellie
Anonymous
What week did y'all go to the Outer Banks? We just went June 9th and June 10th. Did y'all visit any of the lighthouses? The beaches weren't that busy when we went.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
What a coincidence. π We were there the week after that. We drove past the Bodie lighthouse and climbed up some sand dunes near there. We would have liked to climb the lighthouse, but we didn't have time. Did you climb any of the lighthouses?
Ellie
Anonymous
We went by the Bodie lighthouse but we only climbed Cape Hatteras lighthouse.
We took my two kids 4 and 6. My 6 year old did ok but my 4 year old was alittle scarred going down the steps.
Anonymous
I live in Virginia!
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Neat! What part?
Ellie
Anonymous
Northern virginia about two and half to three hours from where you were in williamsburg also almost also about four hours from virginia beach.
Anonymous
Welcome back Ellie! I'm glad you don't need surgery for your wrists.
Sounds like you had a nice vacation with Mr.Handsome family.
I have need been out to that area.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thank you! We did have a nice vacation. If you ever get a chance to make it out there, I definitely recommend it.
Ellie
Anonymous
Sorry, this isn't related at all…but I've been wanting to ask. I believe you've mentioned that your brother is engaged??? Am I remembering correctly? When is the wedding?
nashvillewife@gmail.com
You sure have a good memory! Yep, he's engaged, and the wedding will be in October. Both Mr. Handsome and I will be in the wedding party. I'll post pics.
Ellie
Anonymous
Oh, that's so exciting for both of you! I'll look forward to pictures! π
Anonymous
So your brother AND your brother-in-law are both engaged?? π
Anonymous
Welcome back!!! Missed your posts
Alexis
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thank you, Alexis. It's good to be back. π
Ellie
Anonymous
Welcome back, you were truly missed. Glad to here no surgery is needed. Love hearing from you via your blogs.
Kim
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thank you, Kim. I'm blessed to have you as a reader.
Ellie
Anonymous
Are you expecting?
Anonymous
Probably "expecting" questions like this all the time. Don't you think that's personal and her news to share if and when she wants to? Would you walk up to strangers on the street and ask the same question?
Anonymous
I am shocked! What a personal question to ask in such a public forum.
Anonymous
I was wondering the same thing when I saw her picture.
Anonymous
What on earth would make anyone wonder that when they saw the picture? She's not standing there knitting booties or anything…
Anonymous
@Anonymous 2:33 I was wondering the same thing, but did not want to ask.
Anonymous
Ellie certainly doesn't look pregnant to me! Just fit and lovely! She'll let us know when she wants us to know when God blesses her and Mr. Handsome with their first little blessing. Some people like to wait a little before they tell people. Ellie is sweet to post all of these comments, but in reality, it might be as draining for her as it was for me when people would ask if I was pregnant with my second yet… It is personal, and I think we should let Ellie tell us these more personal things on her own accord. π ~Regina
Sarah
I agree with Regina.
And I also understand innocent curiosity. In the picture she posted I think the way she is standing, the way the light is hitting her and the way her clothing is draping, it could appear to some that she has a very mildly distended abdomen. But I think if you look close, it's just her skinny self with a very mildly arched back.
Anyway, my thought is, despite curiosity, to consider the possible outcomes of asking such a question. Here are a few I can think of:
#1. She's offended because of the personal nature of the question.
#2. She doesn't give it a second thought and is not offended at all and answers your question.
#3. She's pregnant but not ready to announce it and now feels awkward, annoyed, offended or anxious because people are noticing but she's not ready to talk about it. Or her feelings aren't hurt at all and but she's still not ready to talk about it. Hence there's an awkward lack of response.
#4. She's NOT pregnant and now feels bad about herself because someone thought she LOOKED pregnant (in some cultures this is not a big deal but pretty much to an American girl, it's a BIG deal).
#5. She's struggling to get pregnant and now feels depressed because you brought up a very sensitive subject.
#6. She was pregnant and just miscarried and now she's going to go cry for hours and eat a gallon of ice cream because of the sorrows she felt upon being reminded of her new situation.
I know there are many more possible outcomes. But in this case, it really seems to me that there are MORE negative possible outcomes than positive ones. So, even if one doesn't consider average U.S. etiquette, it seems to me that it would be a lot kinder to Ellie, to keep the burning curiosity under wraps and NOT ask her questions like that.
She's a blogger. If and when she has news to share with us, she will share it! At least that's my guess. She's always shared fun news with us before. π
P.S. I'm glad your blogging break is over Ellie! I love reading all your blogs.
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I'm not pregnant yet, but I will definitely make an announcement when the time comes. Thank you for all the encouraging comments. π
Ellie
Anonymous
I find these eternal pregnancy questions really atrocious. If and when Ellie wants to share she will.
Also, isn't a woman allowed to have a tummy just because she likes cake, or burgers, or whatever?
Anonymous
Ellie, you don't look pregnant in your picture.
And congrats on your 1 yr anniversary!
I know you and your husband are enjoying the time with just the two of you. Sorry people keep on asking if your expecting yet. I don't have a blog ,but I never had anyone ask me when I got married if I was pregnant yet. We waited 2 years and are very happy with the two years we got with just us because now we rarely even get one date night out together.
But when you are expecting I know fans on the blog will be so excited.
Anonymous
I love your points, Sarah!! Wow, I am thankful that you wrote what you did! You hit the nail on the head with the 6 possible outcomes. LOL I LOVED your comment about the ice cream π I know people don't always mean to be rude and are just genuinely curious, but it can get very draining and hurtful. I have no doubt at all that Ellie takes all of this with great grace and patience (as you wrote in point #2), but still, you're right in saying that in general it's a lot kinder "to keep the burning questions under wraps." Thanks for chiming in here, Sarah! We need more people like you out there in our world. God bless! ~Regina
Anonymous
I have a feeling it's the same person asking over & over, to get a reaction.
Knitting booties, LOL!
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I laughed at that one too. Maybe I should be spending my days learning how to knit so I can make some booties when the time comes. LOL
Ellie
Anonymous
I was born in Ahoskie, N.C. which is a hop, skip, and a jump from Va. Been to Va. beach and Williamsburg. Glad your wrist is healing. Try adding some tumeric to your foods: it is a spice that helps with pain and inflamation. Ellie, did your family try any N.C. barbeque while on vacation? It, in my opinion, is the best!
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thanks for the tip! We didn't try any NC BBQ, but I'll keep that in mind for next time. Is it much different than Southern BBQ?
Ellie
Anonymous
Well I hate to be that person, but if there is a post on the Duggar blog literally called "Is Jill Dillard Pregnant Yet" (no), that is encouraging people to speculate on Jill's current status, how is that ok, but it isn't ok for people to comment here asking about a pregnancy? In these circles, a lot of emphasis is placed on pregnancy, so it makes sense that people would be wondering. And if you don't want speculation about pregnancy, then perhaps don't encourage speculation about pregnancy in other families.
Kell
Glad to hear that surgery is not necessary- hopefully you will experience some relief from physical therapy. And happy anniversary to you and Mr. Handsome! To many years of love and happiness!
Kell
Glad to hear that surgery is not necessary- hopefully you will experience some relief from physical therapy. And happy anniversary to you and Mr. Handsome! To many years of love and happiness!
nashvillewife@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Kell! I'm blessed to have you as a reader. π
Ellie
Anonymous
Why is your husband wearing a sleeveless shirt, and you're not allowed to?
nashvillewife@gmail.com
I'm an adult, so I'm definitely "allowed" to wear sleeveless shirts. π
Ellie
Anonymous
Hi, I came across this blog post series on this blog: http://aidylewoh.blogspot.co.uk/ dealing with how write properly, so as not to have wrist/neck pain. I immediately thought of you and your pain, and just thought I'd pass it on, just to see if any of it could be helpful. I hope the pain is receding a lot!
Hannah M.