It’s been years since I’ve seen an episode of 19 Kids & Counting but I still like following the Duggars and seeing what this big family is up to these days.
I was surprised to learn that the family actually has 20 kids that they are raising and not 19 like I had always thought. Was my counting off?
It turns out the Duggars have added a new addition to their family and the story behind it is really heartwarming.
Many of you are probably familiar with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.
The couple rose to fame with the help of their large family. Jim Bob and Michelle are the parents of 19 children… or so we thought.
Their lives were documented through the TLC show “19 Kids & Counting”.
The show captured the growing family’s adventures and day-to-day life. Honestly, we couldn’t get enough of their wholesome take on life and family.
You may actually remember the show’s first titles: ’17 Kids and Counting’ and ’18 Kids and Counting.’
But because the family kept growing, the show had to update its name.
Jim Bob and Michelle have nine girls and ten boys, and their names all start with “J.”
Let’s run through the children’s names, shall we?
Josh is the eldest Duggar child, born in 1988.
Then came twins Jana and John-David a couple years later.
Jill, Jessa, and Jinger were the next female lineup.
Could you tell they were sisters? They all look so similar! It’s hard to believe they arent quintuplets.
Then we have Joseph, Josiah. Joy-Anna, Jedidiah, Jerimiah, Jason, James.
Justin, Jackson, Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn-Grace, and Josie.
Whew. Can you remember them all off by heart?
While the show was often upbeat and heartwarming, it did also capture the family’s darker moments.
Sadly in 2011, Michelle gave birth to a stillborn baby girl named Jubilee. Michelle also revealed that she had miscarried a baby boy named Caleb in 1989.
They were able to get through these difficult times with the help of their faith and family.
Over the years, we have watched the family grow and grow, and they’ve shared many special milestones with fans along the way.
Now their children are sharing their lives with us on “Counting On”.
Eight of their children have grown up and started their own families. As of right now, Jim Bob and Michelle are also the proud grandparents of 12 grandchildren with more on the way!
It seems that this family is always celebrating a new addition.
Well, you can never have enough babies to love, right? Congrats to this growing family!
With the Duggars consistently welcoming new family members, it can be easy to get confused or miss one.
That’s exactly what happened when fans realized that Jim Bob and Michelle quietly welcomed a new member of the family back in 2016.
So really, they are living up to the title of their show — they really are still counting!
Meet Tyler, one of the newest Duggars and Michelle’s grand-nephew.
Michelle and Jim Bob were granted guardianship of Tyler after his mom became unable to care for him.
The family is really treating him like one of their own.
With a big family like their’s, there is no doubt that they know how to welcome new family members with warmth and comfort.
It’s been a few years since Tyler joined the Duggar fam, and he seems to be thriving!
When it comes to the Duggars, they truly take the phrase, “the more, the merrier” to heart. Congrats again on your ever-growing family!
