Bringing Up Bates "A Dance With Dad & A Wedding to Plan"
- Carlin, Kelly, Erin, Everly, and Whitney are searching for a wedding venue for Carlin and Evan. They are planning for 600-800, with the potential of up to 1,000 guests. They visit Whitestone Inn, which is where Chad proposed to Erin. Carlin loves it and is ready to commit, but after visiting Castleton Farms, she starts imagining having her wedding there. Vineyards, white pillars, and fancy stairs—it’s absolutely beautiful.
- Back at the house, Gil, Zach, Nathan, and some of the kids assemble a doghouse that they purchased for their new dog, JJ (Johnny Jr). The project takes only 35 minutes, and the dog loves his new house.
- Next up is Carlin’s dance lesson with Gil, in preparation for the daddy-daughter dance that she wants to have at her wedding. “So Carlin actually convinced Dad to go to dance lessons,” says Erin. “I do not know how she did that.”
- Carlin jokes that they are going to start with a slow dance and then “crank it up.” Of course that’s not going to happen on Gil’s watch. “With dancing also comes bad chemistry that happens sometimes on the dance floor, so we never did the dance because it came with a lot of baggage, but this is not that kind of dancing,” explains Gil. Did you know that the Bates dad was prom king in high school?
- “In past years, we avoided all dancing,” says Kelly. “Carin has assured us, she just wants this to be a wholesome, very thoughtful type of dance. And the more she talked about it, the more we want her to have her dreams.”
- “Growing up, we did not do dancing,” says Zach. “I think Mom and Dad are really excited for it, and it’s interesting how the family’s evolved.”
- Kelly accompanies Gil and Carlin to their dance lesson at Dance Tonight. Kelly says she is picturing what she calls a flowy “Ginger Rogers” dance. During the lesson, Gil dances with Carlin, while Kelly dances with the instructor. “I’m not a person with a lot of rhythm,” admits Gil. “I don’t’ want to be the double left-footed guy out there.”
- But Gil is determined to get the hang of it. “If it makes her feel that special, it’s worth trying to do it,” says the father of the bride. “I want it to be a special day.”
- Later, Michael and Brandon, along with Gil and Kelly, visit a rental house, owned by a friend and located in the town of Norris. “It’s been a matter of prayer for several months now, the potential of us moving home for me to go back to school,” says Michael.
- The house is a lot smaller than the place they are moving from in Chicago. “It’s definitely a downsize,” says Brandon. “Cute little place, but it’s definitely smaller.” It’s a great area, though. The Keilens are hoping to move by May, which is only a couple months away.
- “My heart is just so full now right now because my little girl is going to be coming home,” says Kelly.