The won--younger years

As quite a fanatic devotee of the show Jon & Kate Plus 8, upon finding out that the family patriarch and monarch were getting divorced I felt extremely saddened and troubled.

This was a family that not only had I watched every Monday night for the new episodes, but viewed practically every day on TLC.

Upon discovering that they were in fact filed for divorce I couldn’t find it in me to watch any more episodes that I had to. I resorted to Monday nights only. Every time I saw “Jon & Kate Plus Eight” on my TV guide I felt a deep feeling of sadness... how could I watch this new, happy and future-oblivious family playing around and having a joyful time knowing full-well in a few dozen episodes they’d turn sour?

This morning however, upon scrolling through disappointing channels I decided to click upon a repeat episode of Jon and Kate for the first time since June. To my surprise it was the very first episode where the happy family of ten were picking pumpkins from a pumpkin patch, each assigning a pumpkin-look-alike to a member of the family. I couldn’t help but watch the adorable children – the people whom I’ve grown so attached to – at such an adorable younger age. Aiden getting lost in a corn maze, Cara crying about an apple bucket... but what I couldn’t help but notice was the pure and loving marriage it appeared Jon and Kate once comprised.

Holdings hands, laughing together... sitting beside each other on the same couch! Kate even said during the interview, “the fact that we’re still here, pulling for the same cause – our family – really shows we love each other.” Jon even slapped Kate on the leg and enthusiastically exclaimed, “We’re a great team!”

It is disappointing to know that tummy tucks, hair plugs, fake tanning, man-earrings, Hailey-effing-Glassman’s and the inability to stop being celebrity-driven people would soon be the take-down of a beautiful family.