the bates feel it's up to god to handle family planning. wife kellyave birth to all 19 kids. ♪ as the world >> reporter: from 23-year-old zach to 6-month-old jeb. at 45 years old, kelly says she could easily have more. you now have 19. are there more kids down the pipe, so to speak? are we looking at more bates kids in the future? >> whatever the lord gives us, we'd be grateful. >> reporter: we've been following the bates for nearly two years, through courtships, two pregnancies and even one of several miscarriages. a few years ago, kelly began taking hormones to help make her pregnancies viable. if you don't feel right taking birth control to stop a pregnancy, why is it okay to take medicine to help a pregnancy? >> well, for us, that would be like -- that baby is already alive. it is a life. >> reporter: the only way gil and kelly bates can afford to raise so many kids is by pinching pennies. while gil runs a modest tree-cutting business with the help of his older sons, kelly bates has home-schooled all their kids. >> we have something fun for today.

. >> reporter: while gill bates runs a tree cutting business with the help of his sons, kelly bates homeschoolsr one roof in knoxville, tennessee. there's no internet surfing, no video games and no tv. just old-school amusement. >> hurry. >> long time no see. >> reporter: and like their friends, the duggars, their story is about to be showcased in a new series. "the united bates of america." that's why they have come to "good morning america." where subway rides can be nerve-racking. >> i heard stories that the doors close quickly. i picture in my mind somebody getting left behind. >> and menus can be sticker shocking. >> i think it must be very good. >> reporter: for a family who dresses modestly, the manhattan sun worshipers were downright shocking. what did you make of the male sunbathers? >> there were a few guys laying in the park. and they forgot most of their clothes. >> reporter: did you notice the women? >>> we're so happy to have the bates family with us. we built special seating to accommodate all of them. they're seated according to age, starting with mom and dad, kelly jo and jill.

bates family is here. you made it here. we kick off your series at 9:00 o'clock monday night. and of course, you, mom and dad made this all possible. you, kelly> brian: tell me about the series. they come up to you and say, we'd like to put your family on a tv series. you don't even have a television in your house! why did you say yes? >> well, actually we sed away from if attainers. after we were on the dugger show a couple of times with their family. >> brian: they're a family of how many? >> they have 19 children also. and they've been friends of ours for ten or 15 years. after being on their show, we got so much response on our web site and from other families that we thought if somehow we could encourage other people to make godly choices with their life, to love god, to love their spouse, to love kids, and to pour their life into something that's more valuable than the things of the world. >> brian: we can't mic up everyone. but we have decided to talk to aaron. you're the old at 21, right? >> i'm number three. >> brian: you're mature for your anal. let's go. first off, the first show, what are we going to be seeing that you're looking