The demise of 19 Kids and Counting may have hit the family harder than they let on. A source tells People magazine that the Duggars are "heartbroken" over the cancellation and want to return to television.

The insider who worked closely with the Duggars says the family is "heartbroken now that they've lost that platform" for sharing their evangelical Christian faith. Television was a ministry of sorts for them. "The Duggars want to return to TV because they truly believe it was part of God's plan for them to spread the word about their faith."

How effective had the Duggars been, though? The casual observer might say that the Duggars succeeded in reinforcing the faith of viewers who already shared the same beliefs. More secular viewers followed the family out of curiosity. You could be impressed with Michelle's house-management skills while disregarding her beliefs.

And when the public witnessed some of the more extreme expressions of the Duggars' faith, many were turned off. Remember Michelle's cruel and factually inaccurate (and in retrospect, hypocritical) anti-transgender robo calls?

More from The Stir: Michelle Duggar Under Fire for Robo Calls Against Transgender Rights

I think the Duggars got their opportunity. They took it as far as they could. We learned a lot about their values in the past few years.

The insider tells People that the Duggars were blindsided by the public's response to the scandal. "Their thinking is, they put this behind them ages ago, so why wouldn't the rest of the world?"

Well you'll have to forgive me if it reminds me of the way abusive spouses always want their victims to just get over it and move on after an attack they've apologized for. Maybe the scandal is no longer fresh for the Duggars, but it was a tremendous shock to fans and it's only natural for it to take the public a while to process what it all means.

More from The Stir: Duggar Family Responds to the News that TLC Is Canceling '19 Kids & Counting'

I suspect that the real reason the Duggars want to remain on television is to redeem themselves in the public's eyes. They want that adoration back. They hate leaving in a cloud of shame. And I don't blame them there.

I do wish they could be more honest about that, though, instead of wrapping it all in God talk. Leave God out of it -- you want to end your television career with dignity. That's completely understandable. If only the Duggars had allowed themselves to be more human on television all along, instead of forcing this ministry of perfection, maybe they'd have their TV show still.

Image via duggarfam/Instagram

Remember those rumors that Miranda Lambert cheated on her husband? Well, it sounds like someone was trying to deflect some bad news of their own. Sources tell TMZ that Blake Shelton was the one who cheated on Lambert.

Supposedly Shelton hired a PR agency to smear Lambert ahead of accusations that he cheated with "a famous country singer." Meanwhile Lambert and the famous country singer she supposedly cheated with, Chris Young, are both denying any romantic involvement. And, of course, Shelton denies cheating on his wife because of course he does.

My goodness, things sure got ugly fast!

Want to hear more details about the split? A friend of Lambert tells People that she "wanted to make it work, maybe have more of a separation." A friend of Shelton tells them, "It was very clear that things weren't going to work out. So he decided to end it." Oh, but, "he still loves her very much." Yeah, we can tell from the smear campaign. 

Both sides say the question of starting a family did not play a role in their divorce.

More from The Stir: Blake Shelton Breaks His Twitter Silence With a Pretty Dumb Post-Breakup Tweet

Lambert's friend also says she was disturbed by Shelton's obsession with celebrity. "He liked it, which isn't a negative thing, but it's just polar opposite to what she wants, which was frustrating. She didn't want to be part of that scene." And that actually does sound like a more plausible reason for the split. A difference in values and priorities can drive a wedge between any couple.

But these infidelity accusations are disappointing, aren't they? Why does it have to go there? Why does cheating have to play such an outsized role in a divorce? Why does there have to be a good guy and a bad guy in every split?

Ugh, these two. Maybe they should be a little more mysterious to the tabloids and channel all the dirt into their music instead.

Image via Splash News

Remember a few days ago when we told you that Kate Middleton's famous Issa "Phylis" engagement dress was back for sale at Harvey Nichols? Well, they're gone now. All of them. Kate's engagement dress Version 2.0 sold out immediately.

The Kate Middleton effect lives on, my friends, and it's as strong as ever. Whatever she dons flies off the shelves immediately even if, in the case of the Phylis wrap dress, it's not exactly the same. The duchess's engagement dress was royal blue while the reissue was navy blue. Not that it matters! Fans didn't care about the color change, nor the price tag of nearly $900.

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First seen on the Duchess of Cambridge, @IssaLondon's Phylis dress tops our wish lists: http://t.co/VFWRzBXJLppic.twitter.com/HTFnigqlkO

— Harvey Nichols (@HarveyNichols) July 16, 2015

Womp womp! 

It happens again and again. The duchess shows up in an off-the-rack number, some sleuth reveals the source, and just like that, poof! It's sold out.

There was the cream Max Mara coat and the Alice Temperley boat-print dress Middleton wore in Portsmouth back in February. Zoom -- both flew off the racks like a flash. Same deal with a cute polka-dot ASOS maternity wrap dress, and this red Goat dress, and there was that time wearing a Madderson London dress caused their website to crash because they were unprepared for the insane demand.

Basically whenever the duchess makes a public appearance you'll either hear a stampede to the store where her outfit is sold, or you'll hear a chorus of groans when fans learn her frock is custom.

So what are you supposed to do if you love the look of Middleton? Plan ahead, I say. Put aside some cash in your Kate Savings account, set up a web alert for "Kate Middleton dress," and be ready to pounce. Because it sure doesn't look like anyone's getting tired of Kate's style any time soon!

Here's hoping they rerelease that engagement dress ...

Images via HarveyNichols/Twitter; HarveyNichols.com

Here is one woman who did not bother with a pre-wedding diet, and we love her for it. "My Wedding Was Perfect and I Was Fat as Hell the Whole Time" proclaims writer Lindy West in an essay for the Guardian. You've got to see her dress.

West's essay digs deep into the issue of fat women feeling worthy of love -- but not just love, public declarations of love, like proposals and weddings. West had dated men who adored her privately but were afraid of being teased by their friends. She wanted to break the taboo against loving a fat woman, of women like her expecting romance and a partner.

Following a proposal at a bar in front of friends and family (which felt like a political act) West started planning her wedding dress. It wouldn't be your typical "figure-flattering" plus-size dress designed to hide the wearer's body. "I don't hide anymore in my everyday life," West writes, "and I definitely wasn't going to hide at my wedding."

More from The Stir: Plus-Size Vlogger Reveals 'Why Fat Girls Shouldn't Wear Bikinis' 

Instead she collaborated with her designer friend Mark Mitchell on a gown that made her "look like a flower market ate fat Betty Draper and then barfed her up in the middle of a haunted forest." She's being funny. But the "strapless, skintight mermaid gown exploding with silk flowers" (photographed by Jenny Jimenez) is everything a big woman's wedding dress isn't supposed to be -- and yet West looks resplendent and, yeah, really off-her-rocker happy in it.

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FUCK YEAH MY WEDDING Photo by Jenny Jimenez / photojj.com.

A photo posted by Lindy West (@thelindywest) on Jul 13, 2015 at 9:54pm PDT

Seriously, every bride should be this thrilled -- and comfortable with herself. 

You really have to read the entire essay -- and maybe you have already. The response around the Internet has been overwhelmingly positive and everyone's been sharing it on Facebook. We asked West what she thought of this. Here's what she told us via email.

I had a feeling this piece would resonate with people--human bodies, especially women's bodies, are so intensely policed and so aggressively conflated with worth that pretty much any discussion of them brings up intense emotions -- but I didn't expect the response to be quite this huge.

The amount of pain and relief pouring into my Twitter and Facebook and e-mail today are overwhelming. There's so much more body-positive messaging out there now than there was when I was a kid, or even just five years ago, but I think the response to this piece highlights how much more work we have to do.

It breaks my heart that the message 'You deserve to be happy just a you are' has such a profound impact on people. So, so many people have never heard that before, or dared to believe it about themselves. Women spend so much time trying to "fix" our bodies -- spending money, being hungry, doubting ourselves, comparing ourselves to other women -- and I believe it holds us back in significant ways.

And here is the deeply profound, paradigm-shifting way she ended her message to us: "You can't take good care of a thing that you hate."

Wow, can we all just sit with that for a minute? Are there parts of yourself you hate? Do you live with hunger and anxiety because of it? How West came to love herself and claim her right to happiness is no doubt a long story. Just knowing she got there, though, is incredibly inspiring.

Image via Jenny Jimenez 

Just when we thought the dust had settled in the feud between Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift, Katy Perry started it back up again with a very pointed tweet. If we're all attacking Swift this week, she wants in on some of that!

Perry's tweet yesterday didn't mention anyone in particular, but I think we can all tell what she's talking about. 

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Finding it ironic to parade the pit women against other women argument about as one unmeasurably capitalizes on the take down of a woman...

— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) July 22, 2015

So we get it -- Perry is saying it's hypocritical of Swift to accuse Minaj of pitting women against each other when that's what she's doing herself. 

Well, sure. We could play that game all day. I mean, isn't Perry doing the same by criticizing Swift? More "Bad Blood," anyone?

More from The Stir: When Nicki Minaj & Taylor Swift Fight Over Feminism We All Win

There's maybe a smidgen of good intentions there in Perry's tweet, but there's another reason why it's kind of a nonstarter. Perry doesn't seem to get Minaj's point, either.

Minaj is complaining about the way her industry treats black female artists. She's asking, why do we put women like me into into the corner ("Best Hip Hop Video") and refuse to let us play on the big kids' stage ("Video of the Year")?

Minaj's video "Anaconda" was a major cultural phenomenon that got people talking and expanded our idea of what's hot. And Minaj is right to demand credit for that influence. That's what the music video awards are supposed to be about. 

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I'm not always confident. Just tired. Black women influence pop culture so much but are rarely rewarded for it. https://t.co/2xOvJzBXJX

— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) July 21, 2015

When Minaj tells Swift, "I love you as much but you should speak on this" she's not talking about generic, color-blind feminism. She's talking about the intersection between feminism and race. She's asking Swift to use her power and influence to be an ally to women of color. And to do that, you have to get really specific. You have to actually use those words: Women of color, race, black women, curvy, etc. 

And then when Perry jumps in with her vague "pitting women against women" it's kind of weak of her.

Perry kind of addresses race in a later tweet where she drags Rihanna into the fight.

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The real travesty is where is the shine for #BBHMMVideo when VMA eligibility period was 7/7/14-7/1/15 & that gem dropped 7/1... @MTV

— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) July 22, 2015

(Rihanna looks up from the mixing board and goes, "Wait, what??")

Keep going, Perry. Show us how you really feel about black women in music. Otherwise we'll have to assume you're just joining National Taylor Swift Backlash Week.

Image via Splash News

When TLC announced it was cancelling 19 Kids and Counting, they also said they would air a special on child sexual abuse. Now a source tells People magazine that two of Josh Duggar's victims, sisters Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald, will appear in the program.

Is that really such a good idea? From what we know so far, the point of the TLC special is to raise awareness of child sexual abuse and offer resources to families who need help. They're partnering with child protection organizations Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network and Darkness to Light. 

I don't think either of these organizations recommend the "pray it away" approach to child sexual abuse. And they're not all about keeping it a secret to protect your family's reputation, either. Aren't the Duggars kind of an example of exactly what NOT to do? How are they going to deal with that?

To be fair, in the Megyn Kelly interview, Seewald claimed the family did kind of deal with the abuse semi-openly. 

I think all the people in our lives, like our close friends and the people -- the officials -- that helped us, walked alongside the family during this time and walked us through some of our hardest days, they knew about this. It wasn't like a complete secret. People knew. They had walked us through this journey and we felt it was a done deal.

But what kind of officials did they work with? That one state trooper who failed to investigate? She doesn't mention any counselors or therapists, which is troubling. You're not supposed to get therapy from friends. And family members (parents) have a tendency to pressure their kids to keep quiet and just get over it.

Why aren't there plans to talk with Josh Duggar about why he molested five young girls, how he stopped doing that, and what he learned from the whole thing?

Will there be any statement by Jim Bob and Michelle on the program?

And what about what it means to be molested by an older sibling, one who's still a minor but old enough to know better ... that's extremely complicated! That opens up all kinds of sticky family dynamics you know the Duggars are going to want to gloss over.

So what's TLC going to do with that? 

And then there's the million-dollar question, the one making us all squirm: Will the Duggars be paid for this special?

Are Jim Bob and Michelle going to earn money from making their daughters go on television to tell the world how they're so over their sexual abuse at the hands of their brother? Are they exploiting their daughters to clear their family name and milk the cash cow one last time? Somebody please tell me no money will be exchanged over this special, because ... *shudder*

Otherwise I suspect the Duggars' involvement in the TLC special will benefit exactly no one except Jim Bob and Michelle. 

Image via duggarfam/Instagram

I have sinister news for chocolate lovers: BCBGMAXAZRIA stores have created what they're calling "Magnum Belgian Chocolate Wraps" -- brown-colored wrap shawls that smell just like chocolate ice cream bars. Can we please talk about why this is so, so wrong?

As their press release put it, "With its decadent aroma, rich colors, and smooth texture, the BCBGMAXAZRIA for MAGNUM Belgian Chocolate Wrap makes women feel like they are being wrapped in chocolate and experiencing the 'MAGNUM Effect' -- the same sense of pleasure as if they were eating a MAGNUM Ice Cream Bar." Except no it does not. Wearing brown wool and smelling chocolate sounds like a cruel exercise in unrequited desire. 

Do these people not understand how chocolate works? You can't just walk around SMELLING chocolate and not eat it. That's a form a torture.

Ugh. I guess we'd better add this one to the long list of Problems Only Women Who Love Chocolate Understand. 

1. Smelling chocolate but not eating it.

2. When the store runs out of your favorite chocolate bar.

3. When there's no chocolate option on the menu.

4. Having only cheap, waxy chocolate when you want the good stuff.

5. Eating the cheap, waxy stuff anyway.

6. Meeting people who say they don't like chocolate.

7. Finding out someone finished off the last of the brownies overnight.

8. When your PMS makes you spend $16 on fancy truffles instead of groceries for dinner.

9. Never being able to wear white because of your priorities.

10. When summer heat and sun demolishes your bar.

11. When you accidentally buy an oatmeal raisin cookie thinking it's an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.

In conclusion:

Image via Africa Studio/shutterstock

If you were excited about learning about your ancestors through the genetic information startup 23andme.com, you may want to hold on to your spit for now. A new program has found a creepy use for your genetic information that could shut you out of some websites.

A program called Genetic Access Control came up with a way to use 23andme's database to allow web developers to open or close their sites to visitors based on their genetics.

This could be used to create safe spaces for certain groups of people. For example, you could create an online community just for women who are victims of abuse. They might feel safer knowing there's a super-tight security system keeping men out. 

But there's a flip side to this technology. What if someone wanted to discriminate against others based on their race, ethnicity -- or even if they were on the autism spectrum? Because of that darker possibility, 23andme shut down the app just two days after they launched it. 

More from The Stir: New Genetic Technology Means Parents Could 'Design' Their Ideal Baby Sooner Than You'd Think

So that's a relief, I guess. But who's to say there aren't other similar apps in development? Maybe there are apps like that in operation right now, but quietly? 

We love so many of the things access to genetics opens up for us. It's a gigantic leap for doctors -- and it's fascinating for individuals who want to understand themselves and their origins better. One of the great challenges of our age is managing that information carefully and making sure we balance our curiosity with solid ethics and responsibility.

Image via Diego Cervo/Shutterstock

This spring trainer Holly Perkins' book, Lift to Get Lean, came across my desk at The Stir. It's all about strength training -- for the ladies. I decided to give her 12-week program a try to see if it would really TRANSFORM!!! my body.

For most of my life I was a knock-kneed, unathletic wimp. Then I started doing yoga. And about three years ago I started doing cardio-type exercises. I had dabbled a bit with weights before, but never on a structured program on a regular basis. I knew it was time, though. With my body losing calcium and muscle mass every day ('cause I'm OLD) I needed to get serious about strength training. 

So here's what happens when you do a 12-week strength training program.

1. You will sleep like the dead. If you're working to your maximum level this will Wear. You. Out. Drop your cardio workout for the first week or two while you get used to it.

2. You will feel sore. Even if you stretch afterwards. But this soreness is mostly for the first few weeks and then it's not so bad. Stay with your program.

3. You will occasionally make embarrassing noises in the gym. If you're pushing yourself beyond your limits you may end up grunting a bit against your will. It's okay. At least you're not that guy in the corner exaggerating his grunts and dropping his weights like a freaking gorilla.

4. Your muscles will shake like they're made of rubber during your last few reps. This is called muscle failure, and it means you're doing it right! Keep going.

5. You may bloat like hell. Just for a little while! This can happen about halfway through your program for about a week and then it goes away. I felt like a walking water balloon and then I woke up one day and it was all gone. Weird.

Oh, but: You will not bulk up. You will not bulk up. You will not bulk up. (Actually, I think all those squats did make my thighs a tad thicker.) But seriously, you will not bulk up. 

More from The Stir: Giving Up the 'Skinny' Dream Is the First Step to Getting Into the Best Shape Ever

6. You will see things you've never seen before. Muscles! On MY body! What??? I saw muscle definition in my arms, shoulders, and back. I never thought I'd see that on my bod.

7. You will get weird compliments. For the first time ever in my entire life someone complimented me on my posture. I've always had terrible posture. Not even yoga and my mother's incessant nagging could cure it. But building up my chest, back, and core muscles, even though I didn't bulk up, made it so much easier to stand up straight.

8. You will change your thutt. Ever heard of a thutt? It's when your butt is so flat it just segues seamlessly into your upper thigh. I used to have one. But now? LO AND BEHOLD! I'm no Nicki Minaj, but I'm finally seeing some honk in my badondadonk.

9. You will fall in love with body parts you never noticed before. I am now obsessed with my shoulders. I never gave them much thought before but now? They are one of my favorite body parts. And I made them that way through my hard work!

10. You may get a little vain. Okay, now I understand why people are constantly posting narcissistic gym photos on Instagram. To be clear, I DO NOT DO THAT. Because I am not gross. But I understand the impulse now. People are proud of their hard-won results. It's kind of like 'gramming that blueberry pie you just baked.

11. Your yoga practice will change. I can hold poses more easily now. I'm not saying this is necessarily good or bad since yoga is about breathing and effort and practice, but that's kind of cool.

12. You will feel more comfortable with your body. When you work out like this you get to know your body better. You're using it, and exploring it, and through that process you begin to bridge that mind-body gap. You and your body become friends because you're working together.

13. You will become more resilient. I've been waking up at 5:30 a.m. to work out in the morning. And when I'm done I know the hardest part of my day is over. I still get mad and frustrated and stressed out, but I feel more capable of handling the challenges of life. I roll with it because I'm used to doing things that feel hard.

14. You will have a strong sense of accomplishment. I stuck with a workout routine for 12 weeks -- three strength-training workouts a week for three months. I didn't know I could do that!

15. You will feel stronger on all levels. Pushing yourself past your limits is an incredible confidence booster. Forget what it does for your physique, you'll be a stronger person inside and out. For that reason alone it's worth doing.

One thing strength training may not do: Make you skinny. I didn't need to lose any weight to begin with, so that was not my goal. After 12 weeks my waist and hips measure exactly the same as they did in the beginning. Haha! But I'm more toned and I'm thoroughly addicted to strength training, so I'm going to keep doing it anyway.

Image via Ollyy/Shutterstock 

Spend a lot of time sitting in traffic or chaffeuring your kids all over town? Planning a road trip for your family vacation? Maybe you should learn a little car yoga. We're not kidding -- there is such a thing as car yoga and it could change your life on and off the road.

Yoga teacher and fitness instructor Chad Dennis created a set of car yoga exercises for a video starring Bar Refaeli as part of Buick's "24-Hours of Happiness Test Drive" content series. And no, you don't perform these exercises while you're driving! Trust us, these are easy and safe to do (as long as your engine is turned off), and they will help you relax behind the wheel.

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Image via Buick/YouTube

The Duggars are not taking the demise of their empire without a fight. Newly released text messages show the Duggars' lawyer threatening an "embarrassing" lawsuit against the city of Springdale, Arkansas, for releasing documents about Josh Duggar's child molestation case.

The exchange from May, obtained by InTouch magazine through the Freedom of Information Act, is between the Duggar family attorney Kevin Crass and Mark Hayes, director of legal services for the Arkansas Municipal League. Crass tells Hayes, "I am a conservative defense lawyer and I don't see a defense of the chief's actions. If there is not a desire to resolve there will be an expensive (and embarrassing) lawsuit."

In another text message exchange, Hayes then tells the Springdale City Attorney Ernest Cate that the family intends to sue. "I suggested to family spokesman that if the family is considering litigation they would be well suited to open discussions with the city behind closed doors in light of there being so much out there prior to our release."

More from The Stir: New Josh Duggar Molestation Victim Makes Us Even More Concerned About Jill & Jessa

Apparently Cate wasn't cowed. In an email to Hayes he scoffed at questions raised by FOX News. "So this is their strategy, that they are victims of some liberal conspiracy???"

(Oh dear, do we not remember where Hillary Clinton's "right-wing conspiracy" theory got her family?) 

But Washington County officials seem like they were scared. The County attorney Steve Zenga told prosecuting attorney Matt Durrett, "I think there's too much money and interest in this for us not to get sued."

And that's pretty much what this all comes down to: Money and interest. Even though InTouch obtained the city's documents legally the Duggars have too much at stake to take the hit gracefully. They're facing a possible lawsuit of their own from Josh's non-family victim, after all. They will find a way to recoup their losses somehow -- that's what lawyers are for, right?

Of course, all these exchanges are from May, just as the scandal was about to break. Are the Duggars still planning to sue? From what a family insider says, it sounds like that's still a possibility.

"The family fortune has taken a massive it," a family insider tells InTouch, "and they're fighting back against everyone." Whether it makes sense or not, and whether it further damages the family's reputation or not. "It smacks of desperation," the insider adds. Um, ya think?

But then, how else would you expect the Duggars to respond?

Image via duggarfam/Instagram

There was a glaring error on all those posters for Amy Schumer's new movie Trainwreck. Did you catch it? Well, never you fear. Someone on Twitter found it and fixed the Trainwreck movie poster for us. Check it out!

The original Trainwreck poster read, "From the guy who brought you Bridesmaids." Um, wait ... the guy? I thought two women, Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, brought us Bridesmaids! And they're not the ones who wrote Trainwreck, so ... huh?

Oh, I get it. They're talking about the producer, Judd Apatow. He was the "guy" who gave both female-driven comedies the Man Seal of Approval to make it easier for women to drag their boyfriends to see those movies with them. It's kind of like men's personal care products -- they don't know to buy that lotion unless it reads MEN'S at the top.

Giving Apatow credit for Trainwreck is but a small price to pay for the aspiring lady screenwriter. Am I right? I'm sure Schumer was TOTALLY okay with this poster copy.

But since many of us are NOT okay with a guy getting the glory for the blockbuster comedy of the summer, Twitter user Taylor Griffin came up with the correct version of the poster. 

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Hey @UniversalPics I fixed the poster your marketing team messed up for @amyschumer's amazing @TrainwreckMovie. pic.twitter.com/PccnSsOJSy

— taylor Griffin (@taylor_griffin) July 22, 2015

Ah, I feel so much better now, like balance has been restored in the universe. 

Image via Universal Pictures

Is your man a total mama's boy? Or has he finally declared independence from those apron strings? Find out how independent your guy really is.

Is your man a total mama's boy? Or has he finally declared independence from those apron strings? Find out how independent your guy really is.

Another heartbreak for the Brown family: On Sunday, July 26 Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown's daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown passed away in hospice in Duluth, Georgia. She was 22 years old.

"She is finally at peace in the arms of God. We want to again thank everyone for their tremendous amount of love and support during these last few months," the Houston family said in statement to ET. The Whitney Houston Facebook page, managed by the Houston family, posted a loving tribute with a photo of Whitney with baby Bobbi.

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People all over the world are mourning the passing of Bobbi with this heart-melting video of her mother, Whitney, singing to her baby girl onstage (she runs out to her mama at the 1:50 mark). It will probably undo you. What a gorgeous way to remember this mother and daughter, a snapshot of one of their best life moments.

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

We began to lose Bobbi Kristina in late January of this year, when she was found unconscious in a tub in her Roswell, Georgia, home by her partner Nick Gordon and a friend. She was rushed to the hospital but remained unconscious. She was placed in a medically induced coma, then moved to a rehabilitation center. When her family placed her in hospice on June 24 it seemed clear that it was just a matter of time before this young woman left this world behind.

More from The Stir: Whitney Houston's Daughter Bobbi Kristina Found Unconscious in Bathtub

Following a funeral service this week in Atlanta Georgia, Bobbi Kristina's body will be flown to New Jersey where she will be laid to rest alongside her mother. The two were very close and Houston's death is said to have hit her daughter extremely hard -- as would the sudden and untimely death of anyone's parent. But a turbulent life seems to have drawn these two especially close.

It is a double tragedy for their family.

More from The Stir: Whitney Houston's Death Is a Massive Shock for All Who Loved Her

Bobbi Kristina and Whitney will be reunited in the earth. Meanwhile, for millions of fans everywhere, they will live on together forever in this moment onstage, Whitney singing lovingly to her daughter.

"Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi my baby. My little girl. Mommy loves you, girl. You don’t have to worry about a thing, because I’m standing right by your side."

Image via Splash News

How stable is your marriage? That may depend on your standpoint -- literally, whether or not you're standing on one leg or two. It sounds crazy, but wait until you hear how the way people stand can change the way they see their relationship.

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Waterloo in Canada wanted to learn more about something called embodied cognition, the connection between our physical condition and our emotions. So they tested how physical turbulence and romantic turbulence might be related.

People who had been in relationships for at least a year responded to a questionnaire. Some were seated at a normal chair and desk, and others sat at wobbly, unstable workstations. The surveys included questions about how satisfied they were with their partner and whether they thought their relationship would last.

The people at the wobbly workstations were much more likely to notice the instability in their relationships.

More from The Stir: 10 Things Happy Couples Never Do in Their Relationships

The researchers tried a similar experiment on a larger sample of people who were in relationships. Each person had to answer questions while standing in front of a computer screen. Some stood on both feet, while others had to balance on one leg. Then they wrote their significant other a note telling them how they felt at that exact moment -- while still standing either on both feet or one foot. 

Lo and behold, people who were balancing on one foot were more likely to describe their relationship as less stable and less likely to last than people standing on both feet. And those notes they wrote their partners? They tended to be complaints about not doing household chores rather than love notes.

So the important thing to keep in mind here is that standing on one foot won't make your relationship unstable, obviously. But it sure does have an effect on how you perceive your relationship. And that makes us wonder, should you wait to reflect on the state of your romance until a moment when you are in a safe, warm, stable environment? Should you try to think about your relationship when your body is in a state that reflects the kind of partnership you want?

As wacky as it sounds, our perception can often turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your marriage could be warm and supportive because that's how you already see it -- so you behave like it is, and if your spouse is perceptive, he'll respond to that as well.

It's worth a try, I think!

Image via Erlo Brown/shutterstock

Bobbi Kristina Brown died surrounded by family, but one important person was missing -- her boyfriend. Nick Gordon is reportedly devastated over Brown's death, and friends say they're worried he may harm himself out of grief.

"Nick is very upset," a source tells People magazine. "You can say whatever you want about him and Bobbi Kristina, but he really did love her very much, and is devastated that she is gone."

A friend tells Us magazine that Gordon found out about Bobbi Kristina's death "just like everyone else did, from the Internet." Worse, Gordon will not be allowed to attend her funeral.

Bobbi Kristina and Nick Gordon were close childhood friends who became romantically involved shortly after Whitney Houston's death three years ago. He claims they were married, and the couple did refer to each other via social media as husband and wife even though Brown's family says they were never married.

More from The Stir: Fans Mourn Bobbi Kristina Brown With Heartbreaking Footage of Whitney Houston Singing to Her Baby 

So then why wasn't Gordon by his beloved's side at her death? The young man appears to have a troubled history with her family. Gordon was raised like a son by the late Whitney Houston, but two years after he and Brown became involved, her maternal aunt, Pat Houston, took out a restraining order against him.

Now Bobbi Kristina's family is suing Gordon, alleging he physically abused her before her hospitalization. They also claim he stole $11,000 from Brown while she was in her coma. Bobbi Kristina's father, Bobby Brown, banned Gordon from the hospital where she was staying.

Meanwhile, a friend of Gordon's tells Hollywood Life that Nick is on suicide watch. "He is out of control with regret and sadness. He keeps saying if only [Bobbi Kristina] had heard his voice, things would have been different. She may have lived." But Gordon's unofficial stepfather Jack Walker Jr. tells Access Hollywood that while the young man is certainly "distraught" over Bobbi Kristina's death, he's not suicidal.

More from The Stir: Whitney Houston's Fanpage's Heartfelt Tribute to Bobbi Kristina Is Gut-Wrenching

But some would say he's actually the one responsible for her death in the first place. Fulton County, Florida District Attorney Paul L. Howard Jr. told People his office is reviewing the incident that lead to Brown's collapse. We won't know what really happened until after that investigation, and even that may not clarify Gordon's alleged role. He has not been charged with anything.

It's not uncommon for an abuser to mourn the death of a significant other. So it's completely believable that Gordon is devastated over Brown's death, even if it turns out he's responsible for it. But if it turns out he's innocent, it's all the more tragic that he never got to say good-bye.

Image via Photo Image Press / Splash News

Just when you thought there wasn't room for yet another Human Barbie, a new one has arrived on the scene. But this one is different -- the newest, "Russian Barbie" is way more fun than the others. Meet Tatyana Tuzova.

Unlike her Ukrainian competitor Valeria Lukyanova, this Moscow singer and model is all about living la vida Barbie, as you can see from her Instagram account. She makes public appearances and poses for photos as the doll. But it's more than that -- it's a lifestyle. "It's got to the point where I can't tell the difference between Tatyana and Barbie anymore," she tells the Daily Mail.

More from The Stir: 'Human Barbie' Makeup-Free Pics Show What She's REALLY Like

For example, she drives a bright pink Barbie car.

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She wears the kinds of clothes Barbie dolls wear -- like this sparkly sequin heart T-shirt. 

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Hello, these shoes?!? So. Barbie.

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Tuzova looks every bit the part -- and yet, she also manages to still look somewhat human. Ish? The 28-year-old has dieted and exercised herself to Barbie-like proportions, she tells the Daily Mail. But she swears she's never had plastic surgery.

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A photo posted by ТаÑ�Ñ�Ñ�на ТÑ�зова (@tuzova.tatyana) on Nov 19, 2014 at 12:18pm PST

A lot of her Barbie magic comes down to the outfits which ... holy roses! Is this a custom gown, or can this be purchased off-the-rack? I'm asking for a friend.

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A photo posted by ТаÑ�Ñ�Ñ�на ТÑ�зова (@tuzova.tatyana) on Nov 19, 2014 at 12:21pm PST

We're not even sure what's happening here, but it sure looks happy. 1001 Arabian Nights of Barbie? I Dream of Barbie genie?

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A photo posted by ТаÑ�Ñ�Ñ�на ТÑ�зова (@tuzova.tatyana) on Nov 19, 2014 at 12:20pm PST

Tuzova draws the line when it comes to her taste in men. "I don't like Ken, though," she says. "He doesn't look like a man at all. He's way too feminine." She prefers men who are "big, strong, and un-pampered." Oh well, sorry Human Ken!

So, there are limits to how far Tuzova's love of all things Barbie goes. But that's okay -- we still love her style.

Image via tuzova.tatyana/Instagram

Conjure up the image of a U.S. military veteran amputee and what do you see? Someone strong, someone sexy? If photographer Michael Stokes' Kickstarter for his photo book, Always Loyal, succeeds that is exactly how we'll see amputee vets from now on.

Stokes didn't start off as a military photographer. His background is in fitness and erotic photography -- and it shows in these electrifying portraits. Far from gratuitous they reveal the energy and vitality of these young men who have their whole lives ahead of them.

Image courtesy of Michael Stokes Photography 

In an groundbreaking announcement yesterday the Boy Scouts of America ended their ban on gay leaders. This is great news especially for the growing numbers of married gay dads who want to participate with their kids.

"On Monday, July 27, the National Executive Board ratified a resolution that removes the national restriction on openly gay adult leaders and employees," the BSA said of their adult leadership policy yesterday. In a video address, National President Dr. Robert M. Gates said that given the "social, political, and legal changes taking place in our country and in our movement I did not believe our adult leadership could be sustained." 

Whatever their motivations, it's a relief that the ban has been lifted. As a parent I hesitated enrolling my son in his local troop because of the BSA's discriminating policy. My son's father is gay, so this would have meant never having his own dad as a troop leader.

But it's not just about sons of gay fathers. As of 2012, only 110,000 children in the U.S. live with same-sex parents -- and they're not all joining the Boy Scouts. This is about the message of inclusion this sends to all of our sons, whether they end up having gay leaders or not. It tells all of our kids, "We don't discriminate against gay people anymore."

More from The Stir: While Boy Scouts Decide the Future of Gay Members, Parents Have a Decision to Make Too

That is, unless you're affiliated with a religious organization. The BSA took pains to point out an important exception: "Chartered organizations will continue to select their adult leaders and religious chartered organizations may continue to use religious beliefs as criteria for selecting adult leaders, including matters of sexuality." In other words, church-sponsored troops can continue to discriminate against gay leaders.

I can see how that could be a smart concession to make. It gives people some choice in the matter. If you're opposed to the BSA's policy you can join a church-sponsored troop.

So then why is the Mormon Church leadership threatening to take their toys and go home? In a statement yesterday the church leadership responded to the policy change.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is deeply troubled by today’s vote. ... When the leadership of the church resumes its regular schedule of meetings in August, the century-long association with scouting will need to be examined.

The church has always welcomed all boys to its scouting units regardless of sexual orientation. However, the admission of openly gay leaders is inconsistent with the doctrines of the church and what have traditionally been the values of the Boy Scouts of America.

Just to reiterate, the lifting of the ban on gay adult leaders doesn't affect Mormon Church–run scout troops. They can go on banning openly gay leaders all they want. So why make such a fuss?

As one gay former-Mormon Eagle Scout friend of mine said today on Facebook, "'We won't belong to a club unless we keep THOSE PEOPLE out of it.' Classy."

I suppose this could occasion an important conversation with our kids about hypocrisy among church leaders. I mean, how "welcoming" is your organization to gay boys, really, if you're discriminating against gay leaders? What kind of B.S. doublespeak is that? And how is discrimination a value, exactly?

I'm disappointed by the Mormon Church's stance, though not at all surprised. But hey, I kind of get it. After all, I officially left the Mormon Church years ago when their involvement in anti-gay politics became a matter of public record. I didn't want to be associated in any way with an organization that didn't reflect my values.

Wow, though. I do not envy my active Mormon friends who want to teach their kids the Christian values of love, inclusion, and acceptance. This just made their jobs harder.

Image via a katz/shutterstock

Botox and injections sure can get expensive. How are you supposed to keep up with the Kardashians? Not by going overseas for your procedures, that's for sure. A fake plastic surgeon has been caught performing on dozens of patients. Yikes!

A court in Germany sentenced a 31-year-old man to four years and three months in prison for "grievous bodily harm and fraud." Geez, why does "grievous" bodily harm only get you four years? Worse, they're not releasing his name for "privacy reasons." So I guess we'll see you back in practice in about a few years, then, Dr. Faux?

The sentence was light partly because the guy confessed and because he has some sort of mental illness. Otherwise they would have nailed his butt! With a five year sentence. So ... Yeah.

Meanwhile, many of the over 50 people the fake doctor injected with Botox and fillers complained of painful swelling and numbness following the procedures. They probably would have been better off administering the Botox on themselves.

More from The Stir: Biggest Celebrity Plastic Surgery Disasters

Anyway, I know sometimes people go abroad for cheaper medical procedures. This is a darn good reason not to. I mean, the same thing could happen here, too, I suppose. But here at least it's easier to check a doctor's credentials. When you're in a different country those things become a little more difficult to navigate. 

Then again, if you're trying to fake youthfulness do you really have the right to demand a real doctor? Kidding, you guys. Just kidding.

Image via Alexander Trinitatov/shutterstock