Josie Bates is a reality star who is known for being a member of the Bates family on the Up TV show, Bringing Up Bates.
Josie seems to be in some occupational works apart from her appearance in a reality show. She is a stylist and the co-owner of Effortless Beauty.
Know more about her below!
Pregnancy And Miscarriage Details Of Josie Bates
Thankfully, Josie Bates gave birth to her baby number two with her husband Kelton Balka, after her previous miscarriage on 14 June 2021.
The couple exclusively told to Us Weekly the next day, “After so many months of dreaming about what it would be like as a family of four and anticipating our baby’s arrival, Kelton and I are absolutely thrilled to welcome our little baby girl, Hazel Sloane Balka, into the world.” They went on talk about their complications of “this pregnancy” due to their “previous miscarriage in August 2020”, and thanked the medical team for helping them in the birth of “our precious baby girl healthy and here in our arms.”
The pair went to tell the outlet that they are “enjoying every second of cuddling and bonding,” saying, “God has answered so many of our prayers throughout this journey, and it was such a tender and emotional experience to finally meet her and hold her.”
Hazel’s arrival comes nearly after a year after Josie suffered a miscarriage. In September 2020, she shared on Instagram,
“Our hearts have been completely broken. I’ve never experienced the type of pain and loss that I’ve had these past weeks. There is an empty spot in our hearts and in our home. Even though we never got to see our baby face to face or hold its tiny hand, we know God has a purpose for its short life. In spite of our grieving, we have peace in knowing that out little baby is in heaven with Kelton’s sweet mom.”
They were quite excited to be welcoming Willow’s sibling in March 2021. But, unfortunately, after some time, the couple received devastating news. They had gone for an ultrasound test only to know that their precious baby was gone.
Later in January 2021, Bates announced that she and Balka are expecting their second child. “Our hearts are filled with gratitude, and we couldn’t feel more blessed and more in live with the thought of being parents again!” Bates wrote, sharing a gallery of pictures from a confetti-filled photoshoot on her Instagram page. She continued that after having a long and hard year in 2020 and also herself facing the tragic loss of suffering a miscarriage, “God” finally blessed her family with comfort and joy.
In February of 2021, the couple revealed the gender of the baby on her Instagram sharing a couple of pictures of Balka, Bates, and their first child, Willow, in joy. The post was captioned, “It’s a GIRL!!! Our hearts are overflowing with joy as we are anxiously waiting to meet our little Hazel Sloane!” Bates continued, “Willow has been running around the house saying ‘Sister, sister, sister’ for the past few weeks, and I can’t stop thinking about the friendship they’re going to create over the years.”
“Growing up with sisters has been one of the sweetest things in life for me, and I’m so excited for Willow and Hazel to experience the special bond that sisters have,” she added. “June can’t come soon enough #21weekspregnant.”
Josie and Kelton are also the parents of daughter Willow, born in the summer of 2019.
Josie Bates Married Life With Husband Kelton Balks
Josie Bates tied the knot with Kelton Balks on 5 October 2018.
Their big day aired on the reality show Bringing Up Bates on 2019’s Valentine’s Day. The documentation presented everything from last-minute preparations to the emotional ceremony on October 5 at East Tennessee’s Cove Lake State Park.
The wedding preparation was going smoothly with both families' aid until the day when they got held up in interstate traffic. The traffic was at a standstill due to the wreck and added 30 minutes to an hour to their travel time. Finally, the wedding party made it to the venue, but the traffic also delayed guests.
The wedding had more than 400 guests, so the family decided to postpone the ceremony for an hour, beginning at 4 p.m. instead. Finally, Josie’s father walked her down the aisle. Josie donned in a gorgeous, boho chic Leanne Marshall gown with a crown of greenery in her hair.
Josie bates with her husband, Kelton Balks, in their wedding (©: Instagram/Josie Bates)
The ceremony was officiated by Mike Fox and Pastor Gil Bates, the bride’s proud father, and was attended by their family and friends. The couple then exchanged the vows and kissed in front of the guests to lock on to be a married couple. Then, they went on to have their honeymoon in Ashville, North Carolina, and Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas.
For the proposal, it was quite fun for Kelton and Josie as Kelton arrived at Josie’s work and sent her on a scavenger hunt that began in Knoxville, TN, and led to Arches National Park, Utah. The final stop included the engagement ring with the proposal. News of the engagement was leaked when photographer Emily Klarer shared engagement photos on her Instagram account before the couple had announced. Kelton proposed on 19 June 2018.
Josie’s mother, Kelly Jo, explained in a confessional that Balka and Josie had known each other for a long time and were friends before they dated. And when Gil, Josie’s father, asked about her thoughts on the relationship between her and Kelton, she said of having put the brakes until she becomes a bit older. But, with the wholesomeness of the childhood romance of their daughter, they were happy enough to give their consent when Kelton asked for a courtship with Josie’s parents.
While the courtship rules forbid them from even sharing a kiss, the couple may have broken those rules. Once in Josie’s Instagram stories, she gave her fans a chance to ask her questions. The question she received reads, “Was your first kiss at your wedding?” To this, both Kelton and Josie shake their heads no. Kelton also said, “Nope,” out loud. Then, Josie makes a face and widens her eyes. Well, no matter the case, the pair has been going quite smoothly as a married couple till now.
Who Is Josie Bates?
Born on 4 August 1999 in Tennesse, USA, as Josie Kellyn Bates, she is the tenth of Gil and Kelly Bates’ nineteen children. She is currently 21 years old.
Josie was homeschooled. She and her siblings were raised as active participants of Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Life Principles. She also graduated with a degree in cosmetology in 2018 from Crown College of the Bible.
Josie currently works as a stylist at R&Co Salon in Knoxville, Tennessee. She has appeared on TV shows, including 19 Kids and Counting, United Bates of America, and Bringing Up Bates.