It’s been four months since we first learned that Jill Duggar is pregnant with her second child , and while she’s not quite as tight-lipped about her expanding family as her sister, Jessa Duggar, Jill hasn’t offered fans many updates in recent weeks. Granted, part of the reason for that is the fact that she and her son and husband are currently back in South America performing missionary work, and Internet connections are reportedly hard to come by in their village. Even so, it seems that Jill is occasionally able to login and fill fans in on the status of her forthcoming bundle of joy. Jill posted a lengthy blog post to her family’s official website yesterday, and she ended with a surprising reveal. She started with the sad news that the grandfather of her husband, Derick Dillard, passed away last week. Jill thanked fans for their support and explained that while the Dillards are enduring a difficult time, there’s a good deal of joy on the horizon: “Although the past few days have brought sadness to our hearts, we’ve also had reason to celebrate, since Israel turned 2 years old just a few days ago!” Jill wrote. She went on to offer fans an insight into her pregnancy as she approaches her third trimester: “Little ‘Samuelito’ (as the locals call him) sometimes wakes mommy up at night now with his active kicking,” Jill wrote. “We look forward to returning home soon to prepare for the birth (before we can’t fly anymore!).” The “Samuelito” tidbit has been interpreted by some fans as Jill’s way of revealing that she’s planning on naming her baby Samuel. It’s a tad traditional for a Duggar baby name, but it’s in keeping with Jill and Derick’s habit of choosing names that reflect their faith. Their first child, Israel Dillard , was named in commemoration of of the Christian holy land and the country where Derick performed his earliest missionary work. It may seem like a casual way to make such a big reveal, but Jill isn’t as secretive as other members of her family. Plus, we suppose when you can only access the Internet once a week, you’re not as selective about what you share online. Watch Counting On online for more from the Dillard clan. View Slideshow: Jill Duggar Baby Photos
After weeks of rumors, several media outlets are now confirming the news that Jinger Duggar is pregnant with her first child. Jinger married Jeremy Vuolo back in November, and at the time, the couple told fans that they planned on starting a family as soon as possible. Last week, photos which some fans believe showed Jinger concealing a baby bump further fueled speculation, and now Duggar insiders have reportedly leaked the news. Not surprisingly, sources claim the Duggars are holding back on confirming the reports so that they can make the reveal to fans on a future episode of the family’s reality show, Counting On: “Jinger and Jeremy are keeping the news under wraps to promote the upcoming season of Counting On,” an insider tells In Touch. The source adds that the pregnancy may prompt Jinger and Jeremy to relocate: “No one would be surprised if they moved back to Arkansas to be with her family.” There’s been no official word yet from Jinger or Jeremy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the reports are bogus. In the past, the Duggars have gone to great lengths to conceal pregnancies and other big developments from fans until they felt the time was right. When Jessa Duggar was pregnant with her second child , the family managed to keep the news to themselves until well into her second trimester. No mean feat considering the amount of fan scrutiny on her every social media post. Unfortunately, it may be quite some time before Duggar devotees find out for sure if Jinger is expecting, as Counting On isn’t scheduled to return to TLC until sometime this summer. When asked about her pregnancy plans in a recent interview with People magazine, Jinger spoke only in the vaguest terms: “We are just enjoying our life together,” she told the magazine. “We will see what the Lord does.” Some fans have noted that Jinger didn’t mention being pregnant in a recent update she posted to her family’s official blog. Burt again, that doesn’t mean much. The Duggars have based their empire on controlling when and how information about their personal lives is revealed. You can be certain that if and when Jinger confirms she’s knocked up, she’ll do so on her parents’ timetable. Watch Counting On online to get caught up in time for the season to come. View Slideshow: Jinger Duggar-Jeremy Vuolo Engagement Photos!
Jana Duggar has long been the odd woman out. While her younger sisters marry and start families, the beautiful, maligned eldest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle toils away at their behest. Is that finally, blessedly, about to change?! As long as there have been Duggar courtship rumors, Jana Duggar has been the one who fans would probably most like to see marry. Yet at 27 years old, she remains single. That’s not abnormal in most families, but her sisters Jill, Jessa, Jinger are already married. Joy-Anna is only 19 and she isn’t far behind. One can see why speculation about Jana’s love life has always piqued the interest of Duggar Nation, and why recent reports got us excited. A male counterpart has been whispered about in the past few months, especially after someone sent Jana flowers on Valentine’s Day . There was even talk of Jana being forced into courting by her parents , who were finally releasing her from de facto indentured servitude. Who is the alleged mystery man, though? To those who watch Counting On online , and who have followed the famous family on social media over the years, he may be a familiar face: Lawson Bates. Yes, the one and only. One of the stars of TV’s Bringing Up Bates , Lawson also has 18 siblings and comes from a Christian family well acquainted with hers. A handsome, aspiring country / bluegrass / gospel singer, the 24-year-old Tennessee native has been tight with Jana Duggar for years. As well as with some of her siblings … one of whom he was previously rumored to be in a romantic relationship with. Remember that?! Rumors of Jinger Duggar courting Lawson in secret set the web on fire back in 2015 after they were cozying up at Amy Duggar’s wedding. Obviously, Jinger went on to marry Jeremy Vuolo and not Lawson, but has her sister Jana officially found love with this great catch? According to the Bates Family Blog, which is run by friends of the family, parents Gil and Kathy Jo said that would be news to them. Kelly Jo Bates said, “I think that probably Lawson and Jana would both be shocked by that news, although we have heard that rumor.” “They are very good friends,” Lawson’s mom added, but: “No courtships that either of our families are aware of.” The Duggar family trip to see the Bates last month in Tennessee likely sparked the rumor, as both sides have been sharing many photos. Lawson personally added fuel to the fire when he posted an April Fools’ Day pic of himself wearing a suit and a wedding ring. He captioned the image, “If guys acted like girls.” None other than Jana’s twin brother John David appears to be in that photo (above), so it’s easy to see how this whole thing got started. Alas, Jana is still single , which she admits is hard. “When all the married siblings are getting together and you can’t go along because you’re not part of ‘that’ group,” she recently lamented. “I know how it feels to wait for ‘Prince Charming’ to come along. I’m still waiting,” she said, a hint of real emotion starting to break through. “Waiting is not always easy. Especially in those times.” “But waiting doesn’t mean sitting and literally waiting. My parents have always encouraged each of us to serve those around us.” “Whether you are a young kid waiting to be finished with school, a young person waiting to get married, then once married.” “Waiting to have a child, waiting for your children to go up.” “No, we need to be busy with wherever God has us and being content and joyfully serving Jesus,” Jana told Crown of Beauty magazine. The biggest takeaways there, besides the fact that Crown of Beauty magazine is apparently a thing that exists, are as follows: View Slideshow: Lawson Bates: Jinger (and Jana) Duggar’s Rumored BF Revealed! 1. Jim Bob and Michelle still call the shots; 2. The whole “being content” serving others bit feels like something one tells one’s self when one is not actually content doing it. (Some even felt that young Joy-Anna Duggar’s dating advice implicitly called out this viewpoint for not being proactive enough.) 3. These two are way too hot not to be a thing, and clearly get along well, so as arranged courtships go, what’s the holdup?! With that said, on behalf of all Duggar and Bates fans throughout the Ozarks, Appalachia and beyond … can we just get them together!? Seriously, even if they aren’t courting right this second, there’s got to be a change (dot) org petition we can circulate to make it happen. View Slideshow: Jana Duggar Photos: Beautiful, Maligned “Cinderella” Duggar Through the Years
If you’re a Teen Mom 2 fan, then you’re probably aware that Kailyn Lowry is pregnant with her third child . And you probably know that the identity of Kailyn’s baby daddy remains a mystery. Aaaaaand you’ve probably also caught wind of the fact that obsessive fans of the show are fairly certain they’ve already gotten to the bottom of said mystery. Yes, the Internet sleuths who have committed themselves to sorting out the details of Lowry’s love life are convinced that Chris Lopez got Kailyn pregnant . There’s not a ton of proof there, but he does seem to be the most likely candidate, and the fact that Kailyn hasn’t denied that Lopez is the guy is further bolstering the theory that the case is solved. Now, many are interpreting Kailyn’s cryptic comments on last night’s Ask The Mom’s theory as further evidence that Lopez is the guy. Asked about her love life, Kailyn had this to say: “I’m kinda seeing someone. He’s super nice, he’s super hot. He’s like a 12 (out of 10). I don’t want anyone finding him because I don’t need the girls going after him.” It may not seem like a whole lot was revealed there, but here’s what Teen Mom 2 Twitter has unearthed: The interview was filmed back in November. Based on what we know about Kailyn’s due date , she was already pregnant in November. So if she’s speaking in glowing terms about the guy she was dating at the time, it’s almost certainly the father of her child. (Unless some really weird drama went on around that time that we don’t know about.) Kailyn may have had flings with the other two prime suspects (Tyler Hill and J.C. Cueva), but she almost certainly never dated them. By most accounts, she hooked up with Hill while Javi Marroquin was still overseas with the Air Force. As for Cueva, he’s still Kailyn’s producer on Teen Mom 2, so it seems unlikely that they were ever involved in a real relationship. So, based on all that, we’re gonna take Kailyn’s one, vague remark as further proof that Lopez is the baby’s father. We’re putting Maury to shame over here! Watch Teen Mom 2 online to gather your own evidence, and let us know if you find anything compelling. View Slideshow: Kailyn Lowry: Timeline of a Turbulent Teen Mom Life
Back in November, Jinger Duggar got married to Jeremy Vuolo in the sort of massively-attended ceremony that's become a Duggar calling card. (Sources say nearly 1,000 guests watched the couple exchange vows.) But while the wedding was certainly lavish, it was also rooted in generations of tradition, as the Duggars are reminding us in a newly-released clip from the upcoming season of Counting On. Yes, to the chagrin of some fans the Duggars are getting still more mileage out of Jinger's wedding. (We figured that well had pretty much run dry after devoting most of last season to the nuptials.) But at least this time they're letting us in on a family custom that had been heretofore undiscussed: “There’s been a family tradition that whenever one of the girls gets married, they can take a piece of my mom and Grandma Duggar’s dress — they wore the same dress for their weddings,” Jinger tells the camera. “And so, we take a piece of that dress and incorporate it into our dress.” So they chop up Grandma Duggar's wedding dress? At the rate the Duggars get married and breed that thing is gonna be the size of a dish rag by 2025. But hey, at least it's original, and a refreshing change of pace from a family that usually seems allergic to originality. Yesterday, the Duggars offered dating advice to young women, and their tips were predictably old-fashioned and puritanical. By comparison this wedding dress thing is like a teen texting about premarital sex while pulling off a skateboard trick.
Josh Duggar and wife Anna appeared a few times on the Duggar family Facebook page this week as they start to rebuild their media presence. As you can see above, the family made a pilgrimage to Ark Encounter, a Christian fundamentalist theme park in Grant County, Kentucky. If it wasn’t obvious, it features a Noah’s Ark replica. “Visiting the Ark Encounter is a great time the whole family can appreciate,” the Duggar family wrote on their official Facebook page. “Our family looked at the life of Noah and saw how the righteousness and obedience of one man’s life spared all of humanity.” They encouraged their fans to support the Ark’s website, and implicitly to support Josh, 29, as he begins this new phase of life. The inclusion of Josh Duggar in the above photo may not be an endorsement of his righteousness or obedience, but it speaks volumes. With Josh and Anna expecting their fifth child , the family is working the local pariah back into the fold gradually but very much deliberately. Josh’s sordid past aside, by and large, fans of Counting On have been very supportive of the inclusion of Josh and Anna in family life. One follower wrote, “Nice to see josh included in the picture. Beautiful picture. Thanks for sharing,” while another Duggar fan commented: “It is nice to see Josh in the family photos again. We went to see the ark three weeks ago I hate we missed you we would love to meet you.” Yet another supporter remarked, “Love seeing the ENTIRE family together. So good to see Josh and Anna again … I love this family!” He remains a polarizing figure, but with such loving support from their core fans, the Duggars may no longer feel the need to hide Josh. At least not as obviously as they have in the past … View Slideshow: Josh Duggar: Scrubbed From Jinger’s Wedding with Reshoots, Fake Sun Glare, Kid in Front of Face TLC has used sun glare, re-shoots, creative editing and even small children as human shields to protect viewers from the human eyesore. Now that he’s having baby #5 though, social media sightings may increase and writers may give Anna Duggar a bigger role on Counting On . Josh’s molestation scandal and infidelity were the reason his family’s popular reality TV show 19 Kids and Counting was axed in 2015. Two years later, however, the reborn Counting On is chugging along, Anna somehow didn’t divorce him, and all seems right in Arkansas. Well, mostly. Jill and Jessa were radio silent on social media after his pregnancy announcement, which is highly unusual for the duo. But if the silence is deafening, this also says a lot: Michelle Duggar shared this baby picture of Josh, Jana Duggar and John-David Duggar – the inaugural trio of her 19 kids – from 1994. Josh was an innocent little boy once! Who knew! The quiet PR blitz is underway after Josh and Anna Duggar wrote on the family blog earlier this month that their fifth child is en route: “For nearly the last two years, we have quietly worked to save our marriage, focus on our children, and rebuild our lives together as a family.” “Doing so is never easy after a breach of trust. We’ve learned that a life of faith and rebuilding a life together is simply done one day at a time.” “As we continue our journey as a family and rebuild our lives, we are delighted to share with you that we are expecting a new baby boy later this year.” “Beauty comes from ashes and we cannot wait to see and kiss the face of this sweet new boy!” Josh and Anna wrote in their announcement. Of course, he’s not entirely out of the woods yet. Josh is being sued by a photographer whose photo he used as his profile pic on Ashley Madison, the adultery-driven website he used. Matthew McCarthy claims that Josh’s wrongful, “extreme and outrageous” use of his image subjected him to lost work and epic harassment. While it’s dubious that the photographer/DJ is seeking damages, claiming he can’t get work because Josh did this, it still hangs over his head. Doesn’t seem like the family is too worried, in any case, based on how Josh is being treated in their carefully-crafted postings lately. Will fans ever truly accept him again, though? View Slideshow: Duggar Family Photos: Then & Now!
It’s only been two weeks since we first learned that Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth are engaged , but naturally, fans are already clamoring to know when the young couple will say “I do.” Now, the forthcoming nuptials have become an unlikely source of controversy, and surprisingly, the scandal has nothing to do with the fact that Joy-Anna is only 19 years old. That said, Joy-Anna’s age does apparently play a role in all of this. Allow us to explain: Several Duggar-related social media sites reported yesterday that Joy-Anna and Austin will be getting hitched on October 28, 2017, which would be Joy-Anna’s 20th birthday. A flood of congratulations began to pour in from all corners of the web. Some asked for invites, others wondered why Austin and Joy-Anna were signing on for such a long engagement. (3-4 months is the norm in Duggar Land.) The problem is, the sites spreading the news are operated by fans, and no official Duggar outlet has confirmed the date yet. That said, no one in the family has denied that the rumors are true, either. The situation has prompted many to speculate that Austin and Joy-Anna have yet to pick a date. That, in turn, has sparked rumors that they’re taking their time due to Joy-Anna’s youth. Whether they’re revealed publicly or not, Duggar nuptial dates are usually set within a few days of the engagement. (After all, there’s no reason in wasting precious baby-makin’ time once the courtship is over with.) The delay by Joy-Anna and Austin has many wondering if the couple has decided to take it slow so as to avoid another Josiah Duggar-Marjorie Jackson situation. Josiah and Marjorie called it quits after several weeks of courting, and the breakup was followed by rumors of mistreatment from the Duggars and a tell-all memoir from Jackson. Granted, Josiah and Marjorie never made it to the courtship stage, but it’s not hard to see how the situation might have left the family a bit shell-shocked. Of course, the more likely explanation is that Joy-Anna and Austin are simply holding off on releasing any information so that they can save all the big reveals for the next season of Counting On. After all, what’s the point of getting married if you can’t score a ratings boost from it? Watch Counting On online to get caught up in time for Joy-Anna and Austin’s big day. View Slideshow: Joy-Anna Duggar: 13 Things to Know About Me!
It’s only been two weeks since we first learned that Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth are engaged , but naturally, fans are already clamoring to know when the young couple will say “I do.” Now, the forthcoming nuptials have become an unlikely source of controversy, and surprisingly, the scandal has nothing to do with the fact that Joy-Anna is only 19 years old. That said, Joy-Anna’s age does apparently play a role in all of this. Allow us to explain: Several Duggar-related social media sites reported yesterday that Joy-Anna and Austin will be getting hitched on October 28, 2017, which would be Joy-Anna’s 20th birthday. A flood of congratulations began to pour in from all corners of the web. Some asked for invites, others wondered why Austin and Joy-Anna were signing on for such a long engagement. (3-4 months is the norm in Duggar Land.) The problem is, the sites spreading the news are operated by fans, and no official Duggar outlet has confirmed the date yet. That said, no one in the family has denied that the rumors are true, either. The situation has prompted many to speculate that Austin and Joy-Anna have yet to pick a date. That, in turn, has sparked rumors that they’re taking their time due to Joy-Anna’s youth. Whether they’re revealed publicly or not, Duggar nuptial dates are usually set within a few days of the engagement. (After all, there’s no reason in wasting precious baby-makin’ time once the courtship is over with.) The delay by Joy-Anna and Austin has many wondering if the couple has decided to take it slow so as to avoid another Josiah Duggar-Marjorie Jackson situation. Josiah and Marjorie called it quits after several weeks of courting, and the breakup was followed by rumors of mistreatment from the Duggars and a tell-all memoir from Jackson. Granted, Josiah and Marjorie never made it to the courtship stage, but it’s not hard to see how the situation might have left the family a bit shell-shocked. Of course, the more likely explanation is that Joy-Anna and Austin are simply holding off on releasing any information so that they can save all the big reveals for the next season of Counting On. After all, what’s the point of getting married if you can’t score a ratings boost from it? Watch Counting On online to get caught up in time for Joy-Anna and Austin’s big day. View Slideshow: Joy-Anna Duggar: 13 Things to Know About Me!
Joy-Anna Duggar is engaged to be married! The fifth oldest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle will be walking down the aisle with Austin Forsyth after a VERY short courtship, she confirms. “We just got engaged!” Joy-Anna, 19, announced. “I’m so excited to be engaged to my best friend.” “Austin made it so romantic, it’s amazing.” Forsyth tells Us that he is looking forward to their engagement , their marriage and all the big relationship milestones that lie ahead. “I’m just overwhelmed with emotion,” he says. “I’m so excited to be engaged because that means the next step is marriage, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for us!” The near future, apparently. We predicted earlier this week that Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth were on the fast track, but this?! Duggar and family friend Forsyth, who have known each other for 15 years, announced on November 15 that they had started courting. Once Austin got the green light from Jim Bob , which you saw if you watch Counting On online , he was prepared to pop the question. The courtship question, that is. Not the marriage one, which he put off a solid couple of months (no word yet on where he proposed). If his previous romantic gestures are any indication, though … Austin chose a spot in a wooded area to ask Joy-Anna to enter into the courtship – a pre-engagement of sorts, in Duggar family parlance. “It’s a place that I’ve come many times to just get away and spend time with the Lord,” he said at that time about the special location. “I just knew that this was the place that I wanted to ask her.” Asking her dad if he could court Joy, Austin gushed: “Over the years, I’ve been watching, and I really admire her heart for the Lord and her character. She’s such a diligent worker.” “She gets all the younger siblings working. She’s a good delegator,” he said, awkwardly, when asked by Jim Bob why he’s into Joy. “And, of course, her beauty.” Of course . While reports of Austin and Joy having sex are most likely exaggerated, we’re also sure they’re past the side hug stage. Like Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo before them, there’s been talk of this duo breaking the courtship rules and racing to the altar from day one. So when’s the wedding? View Slideshow: Joy-Anna Duggar Photos: The New Face of a Famous Family! It’s unclear, but just days ago, Joy-Anna opened up to People magazine about the possibility of saying “I do” in the near future. “I’m not sure when the next step will come,” Joy said. “You would have to ask Austin what he’s thinking and my dad, but I’m excited to see what God has in store for us in the next year.” Clearly she had a handle on her romantic future. At 19, Joy-Anna will be the youngest bride in her generation of Duggars, but it seems she has zero qualms will taking the leap. “For Austin and Joy it probably won’t be super long just because they’ve known each other for forever,” her sister Jessa Duggar said. “There’s kind of a get-to-know you phase, [but] at the same time, we know so much about Austin and his family and we know that he’s a great guy.” View Slideshow: 13 Disturbing Things BANNED By the Duggar Family So, there you have it, folks. Once again, these Duggar folks move at a breakneck pace once they find someone, and perhaps that’s not altogether (or at all) surprising. Each seems to move faster and faster, either by coincidence or because the notion of long-term side hugs and chaperones is unmoving. As for the two new Duggar courtships we’ve been hearing whispers about – regarding the guys, for a change – still no word on those. Congrats to Joy-Anna!!
Joy-Anna Duggar is engaged to be married! The fifth oldest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle will be walking down the aisle with Austin Forsyth after a VERY short courtship, she confirms. “We just got engaged!” Joy-Anna, 19, announced. “I’m so excited to be engaged to my best friend.” “Austin made it so romantic, it’s amazing.” Forsyth tells Us that he is looking forward to their engagement , their marriage and all the big relationship milestones that lie ahead. “I’m just overwhelmed with emotion,” he says. “I’m so excited to be engaged because that means the next step is marriage, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for us!” The near future, apparently. We predicted earlier this week that Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth were on the fast track, but this?! Duggar and family friend Forsyth, who have known each other for 15 years, announced on November 15 that they had started courting. Once Austin got the green light from Jim Bob , which you saw if you watch Counting On online , he was prepared to pop the question. The courtship question, that is. Not the marriage one, which he put off a solid couple of months (no word yet on where he proposed). If his previous romantic gestures are any indication, though … Austin chose a spot in a wooded area to ask Joy-Anna to enter into the courtship – a pre-engagement of sorts, in Duggar family parlance. “It’s a place that I’ve come many times to just get away and spend time with the Lord,” he said at that time about the special location. “I just knew that this was the place that I wanted to ask her.” Asking her dad if he could court Joy, Austin gushed: “Over the years, I’ve been watching, and I really admire her heart for the Lord and her character. She’s such a diligent worker.” “She gets all the younger siblings working. She’s a good delegator,” he said, awkwardly, when asked by Jim Bob why he’s into Joy. “And, of course, her beauty.” Of course . While reports of Austin and Joy having sex are most likely exaggerated, we’re also sure they’re past the side hug stage. Like Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo before them, there’s been talk of this duo breaking the courtship rules and racing to the altar from day one. So when’s the wedding? View Slideshow: Joy-Anna Duggar Photos: The New Face of a Famous Family! It’s unclear, but just days ago, Joy-Anna opened up to People magazine about the possibility of saying “I do” in the near future. “I’m not sure when the next step will come,” Joy said. “You would have to ask Austin what he’s thinking and my dad, but I’m excited to see what God has in store for us in the next year.” Clearly she had a handle on her romantic future. At 19, Joy-Anna will be the youngest bride in her generation of Duggars, but it seems she has zero qualms will taking the leap. “For Austin and Joy it probably won’t be super long just because they’ve known each other for forever,” her sister Jessa Duggar said. “There’s kind of a get-to-know you phase, [but] at the same time, we know so much about Austin and his family and we know that he’s a great guy.” View Slideshow: 13 Disturbing Things BANNED By the Duggar Family So, there you have it, folks. Once again, these Duggar folks move at a breakneck pace once they find someone, and perhaps that’s not altogether (or at all) surprising. Each seems to move faster and faster, either by coincidence or because the notion of long-term side hugs and chaperones is unmoving. As for the two new Duggar courtships we’ve been hearing whispers about – regarding the guys, for a change – still no word on those. Congrats to Joy-Anna!!
