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Tag: Jill Duggar

  • Jill Duggar: ’19 Kids and Counting’ Couple Reminisce

    Jill Duggar (now officially Jill Dillard) and hubby Derick Dillard of the 19 Kids and Counting gang, returned to the place where he popped the question and she said, ‘Yes,’ on Thursday. The now-pregnant couple visited the restaurant where they became officially engaged about six months ago.

    If it sounds like Jill and Derick have packed a lot into the past half-year, you’re right. They became engaged, got married, and now are several weeks into Jill Duggar’s pregnancy. The two are excited at the prospect of becoming parents. What a whirlwind sequence of events.

    Jill Duggar shared a memory of their dinner at Table Mesa–a Latin restaurant in Bentonville, Arkansas–via Instagram. She captioned the shot, “Hadn’t been there since the day we got engaged. Yummy food! #tablemesa #dinnerdate #derickdillard”

    Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard tied the knot on June 21st–less than three months after their engagement dinner. Less than two months after that, the couple announced they were expecting. Unlike many couples, who wait until they have safely navigated their first trimester, the 19 Kids and Counting couple went public with their pregnancy almost immediately.

    “Understanding that the majority of miscarriages happen within the first trimester, and believing that every life is precious no matter how young, we decided to share our joyful news as soon as we could,” Jill said in an interview with The New York Post’s Page Six several weeks ago.

    There is something very intriguing about Jill Duggar and her new life. Fans are no doubt eagerly watching and waiting for her ‘baby bump’ to expand and to learn about all the baby shower fun and plans she and Derick Dillard will make in anticipation of their soon-to-be bundle of joy.

    In the meantime, it’s nice that this young couple can enjoy a lovely dinner out–at the place where it all officially began for the two of them. Fortunately Jill’s all-day morning sickness has allowed her enough of a break to do so.

  • Michelle Duggar of ’19 Kids and Counting’ Turns 48

    Michelle Duggar, matriarch of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting family, turned 48 on Saturday, and likely received birthday love from all nineteen of her children. Us Weekly posed a very interesting question, asking if Michelle Duggar gets nineteen birthday presents–one from each of those children. Somehow that doesn’t seem likely–but what a great thought.

    Daughter Jill Duggar, who married Derick Dillard in June and only recently announced they are expecting a baby, sent her mom a birthday greeting via Twitter.

    Jill’s husband Derick Dillard sent his own wishes to his new mother-in-law–via Instagram. He captioned the message, ‘Happy birthday to my favorite mother-in-law!’ and included a photo of Michelle Duggar with Jill on her wedding day.

    Daughter Jessa Duggar, who is engaged to marry Ben Seewald on November 1st, wished her mom a happy birthday via Instagram, too. She captioned a pretty shot of Michelle Duggar with, ‘Happy birthday, Mom! I love you sooo much! You’re my hero!’

    Fortunately for Michelle Duggar, it’s clear to see that her children both love and respect her immensely. Can you imagine how deflating it might feel–after raising nineteen children–to not have that be the case?

    Back in May, Michelle Duggar and her husband were still considering having a 20th child. During an interview on The Today Show, Michelle divulged that she and Jim Bob Duggar were seeking the advice of a fertility specialist to see if another pregnancy was even in the cards.

    “We are just going to check and see that I’m physically in good condition,” she said at the time. “We would love more children if God saw fit to give us more—I just want to make sure that I’m ready to catch a baby if that would happen.”

    Happy birthday wishes are likely coming in from family members and friends from all over for Michelle Duggar. And whether she ever has that 20th child or not, mothers everywhere likely laud her as saintly–or maybe even crazy. It depends on their whole take on the mothering thing.

  • Jill (Duggar) Dillard Excited About the Start of Her Second Trimester and the End to ‘All-day’ Morning Sickness

    As Jill (Duggar) Dillard heads into the second trimester of her pregnancy, the daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting fame, is looking forward to the end of the morning sickness she calls an “all day” affair.

    The 23-year-old mama-to-be, who announced her pregnancy in August, told People magazine that she is already feeling a bit better from the sickness that seemed to never end.

    “The last couple of days I have had a little bit of a break from the craziness of morning sickness, more like all day sickness, and that has been a blessing,” said Jill.

    Jill said her 47-year-old mom has been a great resource as she navigates her way through the mysteries and trials of pregnancy.

    “I ask my mom a lot questions,” Jill said. “I’ll ask, ‘How do you feel at this point?’ and ‘What did you do at this point?’ Her morning sickness wore off about now, and she started feeling better. She told me she was craving sour stuff and then she didn’t want sour stuff. I am still kind of in the middle.”

    Not only has her mom been a huge help during these trying early months, her 25-year-old husband, Derick Dillard, has been doting on his new wife, making the experience all the more bearable.

    “Derick is so good,” Jill says. “He brought me breakfast in bed yesterday.”

    The start of her second trimester and the end of the morning sickness brings more good news for Jill — a renewed desire to cook again.

    “I made taco soup, tater tot casserole and pumpkin bread,” she said. “The pumpkin bread was something I was craving. It was good. I asked one of my friends to text me her recipe and she did and said, ‘Never stand in the way of a pregnant woman and food.’ It was wonderful to be able to cook again.”

    Jill says another perk about feeling better is she feels more like getting into the preparations for their little arrival this spring.

    “Next week is my second trimester, I am so excited,” Jill told People. “Now that I am feeling better, we are going to start getting things ready for the baby and start thinking of names seriously. Finding out the gender soon will help with that.”

    Unlike many expectant parents these days who prefer to wait until the second trimester to reveal the news about their pregnancy, the Dilliards decided they couldn’t wait to announce the news after praying about the decision.

    “Most people, the reason why they wouldn’t share pregnancy news early, [they] are afraid of miscarriage risks,” she said. “We prayed about it, and the film crew asked us if we wanted to wait. But we knew we would share if we did miscarry. We believe that life is precious no matter how young and you would still want to remember that baby.”

    Jill concedes that miscarriage is always a possibility. In fact, Jill’s mom shared her own heartbreak when she delivered a stillborn baby girl they named Jubilee.

    “So many pregnancies do end in miscarriage,” said Jill, “and there are lots of women who grieve the loss of babies in private and don’t have support.”

    For Jill and Derick, God is in control of their lives, and they prefer to share every aspect of their lives and their faith openly.

  • Jill Duggar Suffers ‘All-Day’ Morning Sickness

    Jill Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting fame is suffering morning sickness as many mothers do during the first trimesters of their pregnancies, however she is suffering from it all day.

    People magazine reports that since Jill is almost at the end of that third trimester, that hopes are high about that all-day sickness lasting a lot longer.

    “The last couple of days I have had a little bit of a break from the craziness of morning sickness, more like all day sickness, and that has been a blessing,” Jill Duggar told the magazine during a recent interview.

    Jill married Derick Dillard back in June, and the couple was beyond thrilled to announce their impending parenthood–which they did exclusively to People.

    Mom Michelle Duggar has been a huge support for Jill. Being the mom of nineteen children (Michelle also lost a baby she and Jim Bob Duggar named Jubilee Shalom Duggar) she certainly has lots of pregnancy wisdom to share.

    “I ask my mom a lot questions,” Jill says. “I’ll ask, ‘How do you feel at this point?’ and ‘What did you do at this point?’ Her morning sickness wore off about now, and she started feeling better. She told me she was craving sour stuff and then she didn’t want sour stuff. I am still kind of in the middle.”

    Jill Duggar is happy that now–for the first time since becoming pregnant–she is ready to try her hand at cooking.

    “I made taco soup, tater tot casserole and pumpkin bread,” she says. “The pumpkin bread was something I was craving. It was good. I asked one of my friends to text me her recipe and she did and said, ‘Never stand in the way of a pregnant woman and food.’ It was wonderful to be able to cook again.”

    Jill Duggar says her new husband is very mindful of her pregnant state.

    “Derick is so good,” Jill says. “He brought me breakfast in bed yesterday.”

    Jill (who technically now goes by her new legal name, Jill Dillard) and Derick will welcome their precious bundle in the spring. They are excited to start planning for their baby.

    “Next week is my second trimester, I am so excited,” Jill says. “Now that I am feeling better, we are going to start getting things ready for the baby and start thinking of names seriously. Finding out the gender soon will help with that.”

    Lots of people likely wondered why Jill Duggar and her husband announced word of their pregnancy so early in the game. Most moms wait until that first trimester has passed successfully before sharing the news with those outside of their close family circle.

    “Most people, the reason why they wouldn’t share pregnancy news early, [they] are afraid of miscarriage risks,” she says. “We prayed about it, and the film crew asked us if we wanted to wait. But we knew we would share if we did miscarry. We believe that life is precious no matter how young and you would still want to remember that baby.”

    It will certainly be fun to stay apprised of Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard’s next few months as they anticipate the birth of their first baby and of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s fourth grandchild. Jill’s older brother Josh Duggar and his wife are the proud parents of three children.

    Do you suppose sister Jessa Duggar will follow in Jill’s footsteps and start her family soon after her marriage? She is marrying Ben Seewald on November 1st. That could mean that yet another grandchild will soon be en route for the 19 Kids and Counting family.

    Now that Jill is almost out of the woods with that all-day morning sickness, she will likely lend some of her own advice to Jessa, should it soon be needed.

  • Jill Duggar Shares Pics To Document Pregnancy

    Jill Duggar and her husband Derick Dillard recently shared the exciting news that they were expecting their first child together, only 60 days after their wedding.

    “We are so grateful to God for this new little blessing!” the couple said at the time. “We appreciate all the well-wishes and are enjoying this new season of life as we look forward to parenthood!”

    Many fans wondered why she would share the news so soon, but Jill explained that they wanted to share the news as soon as they could.

    “Understanding that the majority of miscarriages happen within the first trimester, and believing that every life is precious no matter how young, we decided to share our joyful news as soon as we could,” the 19 Kids and Counting star told The New York Post’s Page Six.

    “We knew that we weren’t going to prevent having children, so when we found out we were expecting within our first month of marriage, we were thrilled!” she added.

    To document her pregnancy, Jill has been sharing pictures of her growing baby bump on her husband’s Instagram account.

    “By the end of next week, all of our baby’s body parts, from tooth buds to toenails, will be developing! #firsttrimesterprogression #babydilly #19kidsandcounting,” Jill captioned the first photo that shows a side-by-side picture of her at five weeks, five days and then at 11 weeks, two days.

    The next picture, which Jill shared on Wednesday, September 10, shows her at 12 weeks, one day. “Had our 12 wk midwife appt yesterday! #babydilly #jillmdillard #derickdillard #blessedparents,” she wrote.

  • ’19 Kids and Counting:’ Jessa Duggar’s Wedding Gift Registry

    19 Kids and Counting daughter Jessa Duggar has the man, the ring, the dress, and the wedding date. Now her fans can check out what’s on Jessa’s wedding gift registry, too. Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald got engaged just a few weeks ago, and plan to marry on November 1st. What do you suppose they’re hoping to receive as wedding gifts from their family members and friends?

    Jessa has set up their gift registry through The Knot-–a very popular wedding site that takes brides and their families through the entire wedding planning process online. Fans can access the 19 Kids and Counting daughter and her prospective husband’s registry themselves.

    It seems in true 19 Kids and Counting style, many of the gifts Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald hope they’ll receive are practical ones–like hand soap, a slow cooker, and a Keurig coffee maker. There are some more extravagant items, too, however. Jessa and Ben have registered for an Apple MacBook Air, which retails for $899.

    Sister Jill Duggar, who married Derick Dillard back in June, and is expecting a baby now, invited more than one thousand wedding guests to her nuptials. If Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald invite only half as many guests, they will likely receive everything (maybe even that computer) they’ve checked off on their list.

    It’s interesting what you can learn about a couple when you view their wedding gift registry. It is quite apparent that the 19 Kids and Counting daughter and her fiance like owls. Lots of kitchen and decorative items are adorned with them. It seems the two have a thing for fake flowers, too. Eeeeww?

    Maybe someone from HGTV could pay a visit on a future episode of 19 Kids and Counting and get those owls and fake flowers under control for Jessa Duggar?

    Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald’s wedding will eventually play out on TLC, just like Jill Duggar’s did. Ben Seewald spoke with People magazine in recent days, and assured everyone that their wedding plans are well underway.

    “When you’re planning a wedding, you can make it complicated or make it simple, and we are trying to make ours simple,” he said. “There are some things that have to be done right before the wedding, but for the most part, we’re ready.”

    Hopefully friends and family members of the couple are ready to go shopping–and that many of them ignore the owls and fake flowers on the registry.

  • Michelle Duggar Talks New Family Changes

    Michelle Duggar Talks New Family Changes

    Michelle Duggar is incredibly proud of her huge family. She has more than a few great reasons to be.

    Much of the nation loves watching the Duggars, and especially Michelle Duggar, just to see how they do it! With 19 kids and a mounting number of grandkids, the lady seems to have it all figured out.

    She is enjoying watching her family change and grow. Jill and Derick Dillard are expecting their first child and Jessa Duggar is engaged to be married to Ben Seewald on November 1st.

    She said in her blog, “You get the joy of watching a loving relationship unfold. Jill and Derick, and Jessa and Ben, are becoming best friends and really getting to know each other in such a sweet way.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BdDSL59_mM

    She said of marriage, “When the right one comes along, it’s so exciting, shocking and surprising all at the same time!”

    New chapters are opening in the lives of the Duggar family lately, and though Michelle seems to have it all together, she admits that not everyone is as calm and collected as she is.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WnyhJMH8-0

    “Jim Bob is so excited, too, for Derick and Jill, and for Ben and Jessa. When he talks about the girls getting married, he gets a little teary-eyed; it’s a big deal for a dad to let go of his girls. He’s handing them over, but he’s handing them over to some really great guys.”

    Even the other kids aren’t immune to some sadness and anxiety over the new changes.

    Michelle Duggar said of one of the younger kids,

    “The other day the Seewald family was visiting, and Ben and Jessa were getting ready to leave with them. As Jessa and Ben were getting in the Seewald car my little Jordyn, who is five, realized what was happening and she just started to cry and cry.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSJqfq-CkGY

    Duggar continued, “She was worried that Jessa was leaving for good. I had to comfort her and reassure her that Jessa wasn’t married yet, just going for a visit.”

    Good luck to Michelle Duggar and the rest of the family in all of the big changes coming their way!

  • Michelle Duggar: Daughter Jessa Duggar to Wed November 1st

    Michelle Duggar watched one daughter–Jill Duggar–tie the knot in June, and now is preparing for daughter Jessa Duggar to take her walk down the aisle on November 1st. Jessa Duggar is marrying Ben Seewald. The young couple just announced their engagement a few weeks ago.

    It must be bittersweet living in the 19 Kids and Counting household right now. Michelle Duggar talked about the emotional roller coaster in her blog post that was published earlier this week–calling all these changes “exciting, shocking and surprising all at the same time!”

    “Our entire lives, we’ve worked toward this, prayed about it, and encouraged our children to really just focus on becoming the person that God wants them to be,” she wrote. “We’ve always urged our children to wait for the one that God has for them, and not to make compromises in their life in any way.”

    Jill Duggar and new hubby Derick Dillard are already expecting a baby. That, too, will add to the changes–and the commotion–in the Duggar grandparents’ household. It also lends itself to the many emotions both Jim Bob and Michelle are feeling.

    “On the other side is the sadness that everything is changing at home,” she said. “It’s good, not bad, yet change is sometimes hard.”

    “The other day the Seewald family was visiting, and Ben and Jessa were getting ready to leave with them. As Jessa and Ben were getting in the Seewald car my little Jordyn, who is five, realized what was happening and she just started to cry and cry.

    “I reminded her that [oldest son] Josh and Anna got married, too, and how much she loves playing with [their children] Mackynzie, Michael and Marcus. We’ll be adding that much more love and that much more fun to our family,” Michelle Duggar shared in the blog post.

    It’s certainly an exciting time in the Duggar household as the family with nineteen children prepares for yet another wedding in a span of just five months. Michelle Duggar and the rest of the family will likely have lots of help from friends, family members, and members of their church in putting Jessa Duggar’s wedding together–just like they did when Jill Duggar married Derick Dillard just a few short months ago.

  • Michelle Duggar: ’19 Kids and Counting’ Mom Talks Marriage

    Michelle Duggar, the matriarch of the 19 Kids and Counting TV family, spoke recently about marriage. She focused on one little secret that has kept the flames of romance burning for the couple with so many children. Now that one of their daughters–Jill Duggar–is married and expecting a child of her own, and another daughter–Jessa Duggar–has just gotten engaged, she will likely be sharing her advice with them as well. She has no doubt already shared it with eldest son Josh Duggar, who is already married with two children.

    So what are some of the secrets to a good marriage, according to Michelle Duggar?

    “Keep your spouse on your toes,” she said during a recent Facebook chat.

    Date night is her number two secret. Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar have enjoyed a weekly date night since before they had their nineteen kids. She admits, however, that Jim Bob is far more spontaneous than she is about their evenings out.

    “Jim Bob is so much more spontaneous than I am. I like to plan ahead and think about it for days and always have my ducks in a row. But I’ve learned to just jump and go; it’s so much more fun that way,” she recently wrote on the Duggar Family blog.

    “If we’ve got something happening on our regular date night, Jim Bob usually will just call me up on a weekday and ask me out on a date. It’s really sweet, he’ll call up and say, ‘Hey, can I come and steal you away for a date?’ Then he’ll surprise me and take me for lunch between his office work and my work at home,” Michelle Duggar adds.

    So what might the perfect date night be for Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar?

    “When it’s quiet and there are no interruptions.” Michelle says. “We really enjoy that because we’re not around a lot of people then, and we can catch up with each other. Other times, we’ll go out for a coffee or ice cream, which is my favorite weekly sweet treat, or occasionally a nice meal.”

    Michelle Duggar recently blogged about daughter Jill Duggar’s marriage and daughter Jessa Duggar’s upcoming marriage with mixed emotions. She said five-year-old daughter Jordyn is having a hard time with it, especially since Jessa just left for a visit with fiance Ben Seewald’s family.

    “It’s good, not bad, yet change is sometimes hard,” she said, adding that Jordyn was afraid Jessa would soon be leaving for good.

    “I had to comfort her and reassure her that Jessa wasn’t married yet, just going for a visit,” Michelle added.

    Michelle said the notion of yet another Duggar daughter tying the knot affords her and Jim Bob and their family “even more great adventures.”

    “Not only will Jessa get married, but we get Ben and the fun of spending time with them together,” she said in her blog. “We’ll be adding that much more love and that much more fun to our family.”

    Michelle Duggar’s heart is filled with joy–both for the continuing date nights with her husband of thirty years–as well as the growing family they are surrounded by.

    When [Jim Bob] talks about the girls getting married, he gets a little teary-eyed,” Michelle shared. “It’s a big deal for a dad to let go of his girls. He’s handing them over, but he’s handing them over to some really great guys…It’s a joyful time.”

    Do you suppose Jill Duggar, brother Josh Duggar, and soon even Jessa Duggar will all follow Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s example of enjoying weekly date nights?

    It seems to have worked for them.

  • Jill Duggar: Why Short Engagements Are Important

    Jill Duggar Dillard, of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, has had a whirlwind romance with her now husband Derick Dillard.

    The Duggar’s have been very open about their rules for courting; no kissing until marriage, and no holding hands until they are engaged. The couples always have a chaperone on dates, and a side-hug is the only appropriate form of physical contact.

    Jill and Derick met through Jill’s father Jim Bob Duggar a little over a year ago. After a short courtship, and an even shorter engagement, the couple tied the knot in June, and announced that they were expecting their first child just 60 days later.

    During a recent interview with the New York Post, Jill explained why it is important to have a short engagement.

    “We prayed a lot, prepared and really didn’t see any reason to have a long courtship and engagement,” Duggar explained. “Once we knew we wanted to get married, we didn’t want to put off the wedding for a long time and provide a stumbling block for ourselves.”

    “We purposed to save ourselves physically for each other within marriage (even our first kiss for our wedding day!), so we had a short engagement period,” she continued. “We knew that we weren’t going to prevent having children, so when we found out we were expecting within our first month of marriage, we were thrilled!”

    Jill also explained that it can be hard for a couple to stay pure through a long engagement. “You may not wanna push the wedding date out too far, as those natural God-given desires with too much time between engagement and marriage can make it harder to remain pure,’ she said. “If you are financially ready, and things are in place (which should be at the time the question is popped), we believe an engagement should only be long enough to plan a wedding!”

  • ’19 Kids and Counting’ #SoGratefultoGod, New Season

    19 Kids and Counting is set to kick off a new season tonight, Tuesday, September 2nd, and lots of good things are in store for the Duggar family and their fans. Fans will get to witness Jill Duggar’s marriage to Derick Dillard and learn that they are #SoGratefultoGod. That’s the hashtag the happy couple used when they shared with the world that the Duggar family would be gaining a new member in about seven months. This will be the fourth grandchild for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.

    Jill and Derick wed in June, and it was only a couple of weeks ago that they shared their exciting baby news with the media. Jill shared the following on her Instagram account.

    “We’re expecting!!! So grateful to God for this new little blessing!!! #babydilly #firsttimeparents #sogratefultoGod #derickdillard #jillmdillard,” she captioned the photo.

    #GratefultoGod will no doubt be the underlying theme of this new season of 19 Kids and Counting, as it appears that with daughter Jessa Duggar’s recent engagement to Ben Seeward, that the family has even more to be grateful for. Fans might have more to be grateful for, too, as rumor has it Jessa and Ben will marry either this coming fall or this coming winter, meaning by next season a new wedding should be available via TLC for fans to enjoy.

    Ben Seewald already made mention that his wedding to Jessa Duggar will be filmed by the network that produces 19 Kids and Counting. He didn’t seem dismayed by the presence of the cameras at all.

    Will you be tuning in either tonight or on subsequent Tuesday nights to check out this new season of 19 Kids and Counting? Do you expect that #GratefultoGod will become a constant in this new season of the show?

  • ’19 Kids and Counting:’ Jessa Duggar Wedding Plans Underway

    The 19 Kids and Counting family is already planning for daughter Jessa Duggar’s wedding. Jessa and Ben Seewald just announced their engagement but the Duggar family planning for the happy couple’s big day is underway.

    Sister Jill Duggar just tied the knot in June, and like her sister, Jessa Duggar is excited about that first kiss with her groom.

    “We’re really looking forward to the first kiss!” she said during an interview with ABC News. “We’re talking about it — what if we miss or mess up? We’re gonna have to plan this out or something!”

    The Christian Post reports that Ben Seewald recently moved into a guest cottage located on Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s property. This has fans thinking the wedding isn’t far off.

    “The guest list is pretty big, but not as big as my sister’s,” Jessa Duggar shared with the media. “My list is a little smaller [than Jill’s was], but then Ben’s guest list is bigger than Derick’s. It will be another Duggar-sized wedding!”

    It is expected that Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald will get married either some time this fall or winter. And like Jill Duggar’s wedding to Derick Dillard, they will rely on friends and family members to help make it an exciting day.

    “We want to have a nice wedding that everyone will enjoy but at the same time, we’d like to push our budget more toward our honeymoon because that’s our time together,” Ben Seewald added. “That’s our first few weeks together.”

    Sister Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard have already announced that they are expecting a baby. Do you expect Jessa and Ben will soon follow suit?

    In typical 19 Kids and Counting fashion, Jessa and Ben–just like Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard–courted rather than dated before becoming engaged and subsequently married. They engaged in hand holding and some hugs, but kisses are reserved for the wedding day.

    One thing that Jessa’s wedding will have in common with sister Jill’s, in addition to the guest list and maybe even the decorations, is that TLC will film the special day for airing on a future episode of 19 Kids and Colunting. Ben also noted that the company will be filming part of the honeymoon, but added there will be plenty of private time for the newlyweds.

    19 Kids and Counting starts a new season on TLC on September 2nd. Will you be tuning in?

  • Jill Duggar & Derick Dillard Expecting First Child

    Jill Duggar, of TLC’s reality show 19 Kids and Counting, is expecting her first child with her husband Derick Dillard.

    After a whirlwind courtship and engagement, Jill and Derick shared their first kiss at their wedding in front of nearly 1,000 of their friends and family members on June 21. The highly-anticipated wedding footage will be shared on the television show when the new season premieres on September 2.

    Now, just two months later, Jill and Derick have revealed that they are having a baby. “We’re having a baby!” Jill told People. “We are so excited.”

    Jill took several tests at her and Derick’s home, but always received negative results. It wasn’t until the couple was visiting Jill’s parents that they received the exciting news. One of Jill’s sisters persuaded her to take one of their mother’s tests.

    “My sisters were asking if I was pregnant and I’m like ‘nooo’ and they’re like ‘Well, mom has pregnancy tests upstairs and you could be pregnant so you should take one!’” Jill recalled . Although a bit hesitant, Jill took the test which showed what she had been hoping for all along … a positive result!

    “It was surreal,” Derick said. “We were shocked. Both of us are so excited.”

    Jill and Derick gathered their family to share the news. “About 30 days after Jill and Derick got married they gathered everyone in the living room and shared the news,” Jim Bob, Jill’s father, said. “Everyone was clapping and cheering, and we were in shock, too.”

    The couple’s bundle of joy is due in March 2015.

  • ’19 Kids and Counting:’ Teens Don’t Date, They Court

    The 19 Kids and Counting kids learned early on that when they became teenagers they couldn’t date. Instead they could court a close friend of the opposite sex–with the intention of that courtship leading to marriage.

    Three of the 19 Kids and Counting crew have found those rules of courtship to work perfectly for them. Josh Duggar, the oldest of the nineteen offspring of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, met his wife that way. They’ve been married for a few years now and have a family of their own. Jill Duggar, who was courted by Derick Dillard, got married this past June. And daughter Jessa Duggar just announced her engagement–yes, following a courtship–with beau Ben Seewald.

    “Courting is getting to know each other in a group setting, both families spending time together and the couple setting goals together to determine if they are meant to marry. With dating, a couple will often pair off alone and that sometimes leads to a more physical relationship,” Jim Bob Duggar explains.

    Jim Bob also believes that all of the physical aspects of a relationship should be saved for marriage. Jill was and Jessa is allowed what he called ‘side hugs’ with her special man, however. Jim Bob also encourages weekly dates and asking lots and lots of questions–both the courting couple and their families involved, of course.

    People may balk at this, but it’s how most Amish communities have conducted ‘dating’ for centuries. Ben Seewald doesn’t seem to have a problem with it–and he just asked Jessa Duggar for her hand in marriage.

    “The Duggar family gets asked a lot of questions. A lot of times we take it as a lesson, and we ask other people who are older and wiser than us to share wisdom with us about relationships. It’s an important thing,” he said recently.

    Courtship worked for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar before they tied the knot. They have been married for thirty years.

    What do you suppose would happen if teens everywhere–and adults, too–starting courting rather than dating? Might it lower the rate of divorce in this country? It would certainly be an interesting notion on which to conduct an experiment–don’t you think?

    The new season of 19 Kids and Counting starts on September 2nd. It will be interesting to see, in light of Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald’s engagement, if there might be a second wedding in the Duggar household before the end of 2014. What’s your best guess?

    Image via Instagram

  • Jessa Duggar: 19 Kids and Counting Daughter Engaged

    Jessa Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting fame is engaged. She and Ben Seewald officially confirmed their engagement on Friday, August 15th. This means Jessa could be the second of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s nineteen children to tie the knot in 2014, although no wedding date has been announced. Sister Jill Duggar married Derick Dillard on June 21st.

    Like sister Jill, Jessa Duggar has adhered to her family’s strict guidelines for courtship, and is saving her first kiss for her wedding day.

    Ben Seewald sounds like quite the romantic guy, so it seems like Jessa has found a wonderful young man to spend her life with. Yesterday–the date of their 11-month courtship anniversary–he presented her with a pearl bracelet and a personal note.

    “What good are such beautiful pearls if not to have the grace of being worn by one so elegant and majestic as yourself?” the note read. “These pearls were lonely…just like I am when we’re apart; but not anymore! I love you my precious princess!”

    Sounds like he’s a definite keeper.

    “We are so blessed to be engaged!” Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald said in a statement. “God has written an amazing story through our courtship, and another chapter has just begun! We are thrilled to see what the future holds — especially the wedding bells!”

    Jim Bob Duggar and wife Michelle must be thrilled that yet another of their beautiful daughters has found love with a man who shares their strong Christian faith and beliefs about courtship.

    Fans–and the media–are certainly excited.

    With the marriage of Jessa Duggar, that will mean only sixteen unmarried children will remain in the 19 Kids and Counting household. Son Josh Duggar has been married for a few years now, and is the father of three.

    Congratulations to Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald. Fans of the show are no doubt eagerly awaiting word of when the wedding will take place.

    Image via Instagram

  • ’19 Kids and Counting:’ An Assault Rifle and A Trip to Central America?

    19 Kids and Counting’s family, the Duggar family, aren’t the kind of people who cause controversy, but that’s what eldest son Josh Duggar inadvertently did when he and his wife, along with their children, posed for a picture that included an assault rifle. Worse still–in some critics’ eyes anyway–their two young boys were touching the gun.

    Now don’t jump to conclusions. The 19 Kids and Counting family, including their married offspring, haven’t armed themselves in order to protect their large brood. Josh Duggar and his family simply attended a performance by the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and the United States Army Band, after which they met and posed in a photo with a soldier who was part of the honor guard.

    Duggar looked at the event as a fun family adventure.

    He seemed genuinely honored that a soldier took the time to pose with him and his family for the photo.

    The story of the photo with the assault rifle quickly made the rounds on the internet, with people chiming in with their opinions.

    “Chill! Nobody is handling an assault riffle. Josh is holding it. The babies are touching it. Nobody has their hand near the trigger or finger anywhere close. The barrel is not pointing to anybody. It is pointing to the grass. The soldier is right there in case anything happens. People that do not know anything about guns and/or never fire one, are the ones that criticize the most,” said one commenter on one of the articles.

    “As a responsible female gun owner and mother I disagree the best thing you can do is teach children that guns are not toys and if they find one not to touch it. Get a parent or other responsible adult to check it out. My child actually found a black plastic gun in some bushes and came to get mom just like he had been taught. Guns are for adults not for kids. Shame on Josh Duggar for not teaching his kids gun safety,” responded another.

    Josh Duggar seems to be trying to squelch the controversy by not mentioning it on his Twitter account. He posted the picture and it is still there. He hasn’t made any comments about it since it was posted.

    In other 19 Kids and Counting news, several of the Duggar family members traveled to Central America recently on a mission trip, including Jessa Duggar and her courtship partner (a.k.a. her boyfriend) Ben Seewald.

    Ben captioned this photo, “Headed out for a Central American missions trip! 12 days, 3 countries. Please pray for our team!” That team included Jim Bob Duggar as well as Duggar siblings Jessa, Jedidiah, Jeremiah, Jason, James, Justin, and Jackson.

    And finally, the last tidbit of 19 Kids and Counting news worth mentioning is the upcoming one-year courtship anniversary for Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald. Rumor has it Jessa might be the second Duggar daughter to tie the knot before the end of 2014. Sister Jill Duggar married Derick Dillard in June.

    Before long there will likely be even more Duggar grandchildren joining the fold. Hopefully they don’t all play with assault rifles.

    Image via Twitter

  • Jill Duggar Weds Derick Dillard In Front Of 1,000

    Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard shared their first kiss ever in front of 1,000 friends and family as they became man and wife on Saturday. The couple, featured on the show 19 Kids & Counting, will honeymoon at an undisclosed location for obvious reasons.

    Jill Duggar has been courted by Derick Dillard for a long time. Courting is a practice long held dear by the Duggar family for their children and has been more and more embraced by the general public who are inspired by the family.

    Generally, there are only group dates and family visits until engagement. Then, the couple may choose to hold hands and hug. Their first kiss is on their wedding day.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7PHypYkDmA

    This practice has also been made popular by the higher-than-normal moral standards of the Duggar girls, who are looked up to by many in this generation of teenagers and preteens as a new option in the pit of over-indulgence and careless living standards of many of today’s youth.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3jd7T2-j18

    It takes courage to live like that, and a new generation is taking notice.

    However, the long practice of courting for Jill Duggar and her beau didn’t make it any easier on Jill’s dad, Jim Bob Duggar. He was actually enduring the loss of his first daughter to get married quite bravely, but it still hits hard.

    “It really hit me that Jill was leaving as she was packing her bag the other night,” he said. “We all realized she was really leaving. We are so glad that Derick is an answer to her prayers. It’s an emotional time, but a joyful time.”

    Jill Duggar holds her family in a very special and very high place, and it showed at Saturday’s ceremony.

    Five of the older Duggar sisters were bridesmaids and two Duggar brothers were groomsmen. Five of her other brothers were ushers, and her sisters and a niece were flower girls. Another brother and her nephew shared the duty of ring-bearer.

    Congratulations to Jill Duggar on becoming Mrs. Derick Dillard!

    Image via YouTube

  • Jill Duggar Says ‘I Do’ To Derick Dillard

    Jill Duggar Says ‘I Do’ To Derick Dillard

    Jill Duggar is officially a married woman and can kiss her husband anytime she wants.

    The couple tied the knot on Saturday, June 21, at the Cross Church in Springdale, Arkansas. Because Jill and Derick both adhere to strict religious traditions, they shared their first kiss while standing at the altar.

    Jim Bob Duggar, Jill’s father, introduced the newlyweds last year while Derick was doing missionary work in Nepal. The couple started talking through Skype and text messaging, and later decided to enter into a courtship (a stricter form of dating). On March 29, with Jim Bob’s permission, Derick decided to ask Jill to marry him, and she of course said yes.

    On the couple’s wedding website, Derick detailed how he met his bride.

    “The answer to my prayer came in August 2013, just before I left Nepal for a two week trip to Japan,” he wrote. “During a conversation with Jim Bob, he mentioned how he thought Jill and I might get along well, having similar personalities and direction in life. He gave me Jill’s phone number and we began texting, then emailing, then skyping/ talking on the phone. Over the next few months we became very grateful for modern technology as we continued to get to know each other better. Most of our conversations were centered around our values and life goals.”

    Post by 19 Kids and Counting.

    “At the end of November, Jill and her dad got to come to Nepal for a couple weeks,” he added. “I had no idea what to expect, but I was excited and prayed that God would give clear direction during this time. By the end of the trip I felt the Lord directing me to ask Jill to officially begin a courtship relationship. She agreed and we continued getting to know one another. It would still be two months before I completed my two year term and would move back home to Arkansas. Upon my arrival home (January 2014), I was met by the Duggar clan; this was my first time to meet Jill’s family in person. Over the next few months, I enjoyed spending time getting to know Jill and her family better.”

    Their relationship continued to grow, and Derick explained that he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Jill. “I shared how much I loved her, how I couldn’t imagine life without her, and I asked her, ‘Will you marry me?’” Derick recalled about the proposal.

    More than 1,000 guests attended the wedding including at least 100 immediate family members and numerous guests from over 30 states, and with the help of many volunteers, the couple’s wedding went flawlessly. “I’m so grateful to all the volunteers who helped put everything together for the wedding,” Michelle Duggar, the matriarch of the family, said during an interview with PEOPLE. “Everyone has worked hard and done an amazing job.” Putting everything together included preparing 600 cupcakes, 3,000 chocolate chip cookies and 3,000 root-beer floats for the wedding reception.

    So, what did Jill think about her first kiss? She revealed that it was definitely worth the wait!

    Congratulations to the happy couple!

    Image via theknot.com

  • Jill Duggar of ’19 Kids & Counting’ Gets Married

    Jill Duggar of 19 Kids & Counting fame married Derick Dillard this weekend in front of more than 1000 family members and friends in Springdale, Arkansas. The crowd included more than 100 immediate family members as well as guests from at least 30 states.

    Matriarch Michelle Duggar said the slew of volunteers who both greeted and fed ‘the masses’ saw to it that everything went like clockwork. That clockwork included the preparing of 600 cupcakes, 3,000 chocolate chip cookies and 3,000 root beer floats to be shared with guests following the nuptials.

    “I’m so grateful to all the volunteers who helped put everything together for the wedding,” she said during an interview with PEOPLE. “Everyone has worked hard and done an amazing job.

    Post by 19 Kids and Counting.

    In Duggar fashion, Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard courted rather than dated prior to their wedding. According to family rules, the two could hug and hold hands but saved that first kiss for their wedding day.

    “It was worth the wait,” Jill said, holding hands with her new husband following the ceremony.

    Many of the Duggar children were involved in the preparation of Jill Duggar’s wedding in the days before the ceremony.

    “I think we should have done more pranks at the wedding,” 15-year-old Jeremiah Duggar said. “But, they did a good job. Derek is my brother-in-law. He’s a good guy. I’m stuck with him now, so good thing.”

    In keeping with strong family values and traditions, Michelle Duggar’s wedding gown hung against a wooden backdrop at the wedding reception as did Derick Dillard’s late father Rick’s police uniform. Derick’s mom Cathy is fighting cancer and came to the wedding directly from her hospital bed.

    “We want to think about the importance of marriage,” Jill explained of the representations from both families. “And what it means to be married.”

    Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar will celebrate 30 years of marriage later this summer.

    Jill Duggar–the new Mrs. Jill Dillard– and her husband left their wedding celebration in a vintage pickup truck filled with balloons and decorated with a sign reading ‘Just Married’ across the back window. As they left the crowd cheered, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

    The new couple happily obliged.

    Image via Facebook

  • Amy Duggar Starred in Own TV Special

    Amy Duggar Starred in Own TV Special

    Amy Duggar got her own TV special on TLC, the same network that produces 19 Kids & Counting, the show that features Amy’s uncle and aunt–Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar–as well as her nineteen cousins. Amy aimed to show what life in another Duggar household is like–or rather what it’s like to leave it instead as she packed up, along with her mother and grandmother, and headed to Nashville. Amy Duggar wants to be a country music star.

    A Duggar Leaves Home highlighted Amy’s fears and excitement as well as life in Nashville. The one-episode special aired Tuesday evening.

    “I love country music,” Amy said prior to the show. “That is something that I have always had a passion for and, you know, I might as well try. Might as well go for it. Everybody’s got a dream.”

    “She’s gonna make it,” Amy’s mom Deanna Duggar-Jordan said before the special aired. “I just feel that in my heart. She’s gonna do it.”

    Today, however, Amy Duggar’s Twitter posts are all about her cousin Jill Duggar, who is getting married to Derick Dillard. She shared several pictures of the soon-to-be husband and wife via Instagram.

    Did you catch Amy Duggar’s TLC special on Tuesday night?

    Some wonder if this is the beginning of a new spinoff of 19 Kids & Counting. Might Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar be getting ready to throw in the towel on reality TV? That doesn’t seem likely. Practically every move the family has made has been documented for the past few years. Certainly there’s room for more Duggar action on TV–right? It will likely come in the form of Amy Duggar and her Nashville adventures and she plots the course toward a career in country music.

    Image via Twitter

  • Michelle Duggar of ’19 Kids & Counting’ Sees High Risk Pregnancy Doctor

    Michelle Duggar of 19 Kids & Counting fame visited a high risk pregnancy doctor recently and talked about having a 20th child with husband Jim Bob Duggar–at the age of 47. She wanted to make sure she was in good enough physical condition to carry yet another baby should she wind up pregnant again.

    “We are just going to see that I am physically in good condition, and we would love more children if God saw fit to give us more,” Michelle Duggar says in a preview of a new episode of their TLC reality show that aired this week.

    “I just want to make sure I’m ready to catch a baby if that would happen,” the mom of 19 and grandmother of 3 says.

    Daughter Josie Duggar, who is now three years old, was born three months early and suffered many physical ailments as a result. Michelle Duggar lost a baby the couple named Jubilee Shalom Duggar to miscarriage following her pregnancy with Josie.

    “I just want to make sure that if I am in that season of life where we’re not able to have any more, I’m fine with that. I’m happy with that,” Michelle tells the doctor, Dr. Paul Wendel at the UAMS Medical Center’s University Women’s Health Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. “But if there’s things physically that I need to know that I need to do, health-wise, just to be ready to catch a baby if God saw fit to give us one.”

    Dr. Wendel told the Duggars that Michelle stands only about a five percent change of conceiving another baby naturally because of her age.

    There’s lots of excitement besides an impending pregnancy in the 19 Kids & Counting family. Daughter Jill Duggar, who is 23, is engaged to Derick Dillard and is said to be tying the knot in June. Daughter Jessa Duggar, who is 21, is being courted now. Her boyfriend’s name is Ben Seewald.

    Do you find it a bit unfathomable that Michelle Duggar wants a 20th child at 47? Shouldn’t she perhaps be grateful for her 19 blessings and leave the pregnancies to her daughters when they get married?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons