<p>^^Agreed.^^</p>
<p>Levi’s fifteen minutes were up…he gets to extend them a bit this way. Also, (and this is my less cynical side speaking) he just might like the girl.</p>
<p>Levi’s mom looks a lot like Bristol might look aged with no make-up and lighter colored hair.</p>
<p>From what I can tell, Bristol is a mature 19 year old. She lives on her own with her son (granted money she got for being famous helped her buy a townhouse) and she gets up every day at 6:00 and feeds and bathes him and drives him to a sitter and goes to work as an office manager in a doctor’s office (I think it’s a doctor’s office.) She is putting away money for her son’s college fund. She speaks in a mature manner. I think the girl deserves some credit for taking good care of her son and for acting like an adult. Levi probably has a lot of maturing to do, but I do hope they can make it work and I think counseling is a mature thing to do. I as a marriage therapist and I am impressed when people come for counseling before they get married. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If it doesn’t work out, they will have tried, they will go the way of many marriages in America and their son might benefit if they part amicably.</p>
<p>I agree with you, Jonri, that some unions that look so unlikely to succeed do make it. I have several of them in our extended family whereas some “good” matches have divorced. In L and B’s case, the age factor is statistically against them. That they may be in the percentage that do make it work is certainly possible, but the odds are right there for all to see. I don’t know what the culture is in Alaska with these early marriages. That might be a wild card that mitigates the bad odds. I know that there are communities where folks do marry early and the marriages do have staying power against the grain of most of the US. This could be such a situation.</p>
<p>I think the culture in Alaska is different. My son’s girlfriend is from Alaska and her mother was nineteen when she married, and they are still happily married with three grown kids. I have a feeling people do get married earlier there but I could be wrong. But, definitely the culture is different – both son’s girlfriend and her parents have told me that.</p>
<p>Well, I think for those who don’t go to college, they do get married younger (no matter what state they live in). There likely is a significant percentage of young people in Alaska who do not go onto higher education. They would be likely to marry younger. Then again, my husband and I have graduate degrees and I was 20 when I got married! Anyway, I think the fact that Bristol and Levi do have a baby together means it makes sense to get married if they desire to. It is not the same as discussing two young people who want to get married who are still childless.</p>
<p>(by the way, I have family in Alaska…but all are educated or are attending college now in the lower 48)</p>
<p>Maybe he can get a gig on a crab boat/reality tv show. He likes fishing. Work 3 months and make $100K.</p>
<p>I have three boys who are over age 20. I cannot conceive of them being married or responsible for others or in a serious commitment. They seem so young to me. Around here, folks tend to marry late. My oldest is just beginning to get wedding invitations from his peers and they are just trickling in. The same with me with invites from friends who have kids that are the ages of my children. Just two so far. And the one young lady was 30 years old.</p>
<p>If they can pull off staying in the limelight,they might be able to score more serious cash for kids without a lot of education. Remember Sarah and Bristol got $100K for the *In Touch *cover alone.</p>
<p>Looks like they have been doing alright so far. She’s got a paid for condo. Levi’s sprung for an engagement set where the setting (not including the 1 carat center diamond) costs over $2,500 from a look alike source.</p>
<p>Someone is putting out $3,500 for a Herrera wedding gown.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It now seems that Bristol’s post-birth, post- Levi break up, rebound [ex] boyfriend Ben Barber (–who was going to be one of Levi’s groomsmen in the first abortive wedding) is wading in with an interview and has been quoting Track’s displeasure with his Sis over her pending nuptials–referring to her with “two four letter pejoratives.” </p>
<p>Rest easy–Barber says that if the rumor that Bristol is pregnant is true, it ain’t his. Perhaps this is what Sherry is referring to when she said they shouldn’t rush to get married unless there were reasons to move quickly.</p>
<p>My 21-year-old daughter said to me once in the past year or so, “I have no idea how you ever married at my age!!” (I married at 20)</p>
<p>Whenever I ponder the legal drinking age, I am amazed that 18 year old can marry without parental consent, but can’t buy a beer.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I married at 21. And I have no idea how at this point. I would be upset if one of my own kids wanted to marry at 21. But it seemed old enough at the time. And I’m still married 30 years later.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>missypie–look to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code for enlightenment!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>All an 18 year old needs to do is marry a 21 year old and the “adult” spouse can get the liquor for both of them. So, you can kinda “buy” liquor at 18, you just don’t get to pay money for it at the liquor store/beer barn/tavern. You “pay up” at home when you get behind closed doors.</p>
<p>There are lots of reasons to get married!</p>
<p>Okay, it is Friday afternoon and the lawyers don’t want to work anymore. I think I’ll go home instead of reading statutes.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Does sound strange, doesn’t it? I guess DWI is a lot more dangerous to the rest of us, while “DWM” is only potentially damaging to themselves.</p>
<p>by the way, when someone upthread said the wedding party would include clothes in camo, I thought that was a particularly snarky thing to say. I apologize! I had no idea that was in fact the design plan. Doesn’t the idea of camo at a weddings rather go against the whole concept of camo? Is the groom attempting to hide from something? Blend in with the great outdoor backdrop? Or just make it harder for in-laws to take aim?</p>
<p>btw, for all of you who are picking out names for the reality show…looks like that’s going to be a “reality”</p>
<p>according to the most recent news, the three of them will be starring in a reality show about family…no release yet on where it will be filmed…</p>
<p>And to think - I was completely kidding when I suggested a reality show was on the horizon - why am I now surprised? I guess if we have “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” - “What’s up Wassila?” would be a nice counterpoint.</p>
<p>as long as there is no talking involved, on levi’s part, i would watch that show. like, if cameras just follow him around all day, no intelligence used…i would tune in.</p>
<p>Well, so-called reality shows always have some sort of device to stir up trouble - fearing that no one would watch without a heavy dose of conflict. With this family there will be no shortage of that. Poor Bristol…</p>
<p>I’m not sure this editorial from the NYTimes ever got in this thread, but I thought it was very funny and worth another copy, in case you missed it. The sub-title to this was “And they hung out happily ever after…”
</a></p>
<p>And I particularly loved this line: “Johnston has proved to be the only person in the world who can make me feel sympathy for Sarah Palin.”</p>