Happy 24th birthday to Alyssa (Bates) Webster! As the sixth oldest of Gil and Kelly Bates' 19 children, she is known for being well organized and always put together. She and John married in 2014 and have three daughters.
In the past, they have stated that they like the idea of having six children, but last Thanksgiving during a conversation with Mama Jane, Alyssa mentioned that if she ends up with four girls, she definitely plans to stop. "It’s the drama," she told her grandma. "I can’t handle it." It will certainly be fun to watch and see if any of the Bates follow in their parents' footsteps and have a "super-sized" family.
Photos courtesy of thebatesfamily.com, Alyssa and John Webster
In the past, they have stated that they like the idea of having six children, but last Thanksgiving during a conversation with Mama Jane, Alyssa mentioned that if she ends up with four girls, she definitely plans to stop. "It’s the drama," she told her grandma. "I can’t handle it." It will certainly be fun to watch and see if any of the Bates follow in their parents' footsteps and have a "super-sized" family.
Alyssa and John Webster
Valentine's Day (aka I Love You Day) 2016
Alyssa and John Webster
Bahamas cruise, fall 2017
John Webster, Zoey Webster, Lexi Webster, Alyssa Webster, Allie Webster
September 2018
I love that you wish everyone a Birthday or Anniversary. I just have one question that I may have missed you stating. Why do you say, Happy Birthday # instead of just saying their name in the heading?
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Alyssa!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Alyssa!
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY ALYSSA Wishing you a day of joy and a blessed year.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn,Joan and Marion
I always love seeing the throwback photos! Maybe you can add one of Alyssa when she was courting John and some of her as a kid!
ReplyDeleteShe.Looks.Great. Alyssa dressed beautifully and there is nothing immodest about any of her clothing choices. Good for her, I say.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, as mentioned in the write up here, she plans to 'stop' after perhaps 4 girls in a row. How will she do this? The family has stated that they believe any and all forms of birth control or family planning is a sin. Will she have her own bedroom? I wish they would stop making statements publicly that they do not explain.
Their parents beliefs have changed quite a bit and their children do not adhere to their parents beliefs.
DeleteMaybe the second generation doesn’t necessarily share all the same beliefs as their parents. Family planning may be one of them.
DeleteWe just have to assume they'll use birth control, and they don't have to explain anything to us...good grief. Alyssa wears pants, has pierced her ears, she works outside the home, so what if she makes sure she stops at 4 daughters. God would not be upset with any of these things.
DeleteI never heard them state that it was a sin. I believe that was their own decision to do so and I know they respect other peoples' different opinions on this.
DeleteI never read that they thought it was a sin. I just always thought it was a personal conviction of the parents.
DeleteNatural Family Planning is always an option. My question is if Alyssa can’t handle the drama then why not be done with 3 daughters? No reason to chance an unwanted 4th girl. I would be sad for that baby knowing her Mother was really just going for a boy.
DeleteDid Alyssa or John publically state they don’t believe in birth control? They are their own family and can make their own choices. Even if you don’t believe in taking the pill or some other kind of birth control, you can still make a permanent choice not to have any more kids (tubal or vasectomy). The permanent choice won’t cause just keeps you from having more children. It doesn’t end a child’s life.
DeleteI don't remember Alyssa ever saying what her stand on birth control is. You're thinking of her parents' decision.
DeleteAnon@6:17- I don't know if I've ever heard any of the family say contraception or family planning is a sin. They do talk about leaving the number of children up to God. It's already evident that some of the adult married Bates do not do everything the same waya as their parents. Certainly, not every woman desires to have a huge family.
DeleteAnonymous 7:28 if they do have a fourth child then I'm sure they aren't trying for a specific gender. She is just saying she doesn't want to try again after a 4th girl not that it would be unwanted. As someone who had a son first I would get mad when people ask me when am I trying for my girl next or oh well maybe next time you will have a girl. They made it sound like my son was unwanted, when I cried tears of joy, and jumped up and down after the ultrasound that I was having a boy 1st, I wanted a boy 1st but would have been just as excited if I would have had a girl. Now that I'm pregnant with baby number two I get upset when people say oh here's your chance for a girl or I bet your hoping it's a girl this time. No I'm not I'm hoping the baby is healthy and has all their body parts and stays safe. My son calls the baby his baby sister because I asked him what he wanted and he said a baby sister, but I tell him it could be a baby brother and he says no baby sister (he is 2.5) so when I talk about the baby I tell him baby sister but I wouldn't mind one bit if it's another boy. What I'm getting at is don't assume that a 4th girl would be unwanted
DeleteThere's always vasectomy or having tubes tied if you're sure you don't want any more children.
DeleteHappy Hatch Day!!! Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteTo anonymous, Alyssa doesn't have to explain anything! Whether or not she chooses to use contraception now or in the future is her and John's business and no one else's. Even if her family made those statements in the past it doesn't mean she can't develop her own beliefs and live by her own convictions. She can make public what she wants and make private what she wants as well.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Alyssa!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous November 9 @ 6:17pm.
ReplyDeleteThe Bates never said they didn't use birth control. I thing you got them mixes up with the Duggars
The parents said they didn't. They said they trusted everything to God abs decided to also leave their family planning to him. The children haven't made any statements as far I know.
DeleteI thought that was Josie in the first picture!
ReplyDeleteI believe her parents stated that is their opinion which they have followed. She and John may make a different choice, perhaps natural family planning or something else. They don’t have to do everything exactly like their parents. She also wears pants. Once you’re an adult you get to decide what’s best for you.
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BELATED BDAY
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday Alyssa!
ReplyDeleteThe Bates did say that birth control interferes with God's plan and that we should be open to as many as God 'sends', taking no real responsibility for their own actions, which, is what 'sends children'. Obviously, these families take no precautions. Interfering with God's plan for us is believed to be a sin, why should it not be sinful for their children to use any type of family planning? A sin is a sin; for all or not. They are hard to follow IMO, as there are contradictions. Alyssa should have stated if she and her husband believe this or not. That would have cleared up her statement. I also don't believe that any child they would have is not wanted once on the way.
ReplyDeleteTaking no responsibility?? Being open to have an unknowable number of children is signing up for potentially a lot of responsibility, which they have been fulfilling ever since. It's no easy task to raise children, you know. I also don't think they've ever called using bc a "sin," and they made it clear that they made this choice because God was leading them to do it. God calls different people to do different things. I also don't think Alyssa should be required to disclose such a personal decision. It's no one else's business, unless and until they choose to share of their own will.
Delete8:34- I think 5:50 meant that they take no responsibilty for using birth control or family planning. There was no statement that implied raising children wasn't a responsibility.
DeleteHappy Birthday Alyssa!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful family!
You can still get pregnant using birth control. I got pregnant using birth control.
ReplyDeleteBirth control is for stopping your period from going heavy and it stopped you from having long periods.
Before I started on birth control my period would last 7 days know it's last 3 days.
Some contraceptive methods are more effective than others, if used correctly. Hormonal bc is used to treat menstrual irregularities.
DeleteHappy Birthday Alyssa
ReplyDelete