You might think you've heard everything there is to know about the kids — and grandkids
— from the show 19 Kids and Counting.
But even the most hard-core Duggar family watchers will be shocked to discover some
of this stuff...
Baby news
Although a Duggar baby is hardly news, after Josh Duggar and his wife Anna endured sex
abuse and cheating scandals, the announcement of a new baby takes on added meaning.
On March 17, 2017, the couple posted on the family website: "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...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."
On their spin-off show, Anna shared:
"God's grace can give you the strength to love Josh when others would say he doesn't
deserve it."
Catfisher
In March 2017, Life & Style broke the story that Josh will be "questioned under oath"
about his Ashley Madison and OKCupid cheating scandal of 2015.
His brother said:
"I don't think there's any way any of us would've known that our brother's been living such
a secret life."
In Touch reported that a lawsuit was brought against Josh by Matt McCarthy, an "LA-based
DJ and photographer who claims Josh stole his image and used it as his own on the cheating
site."
According to Life & Style, the plaintiff's lawyer, quote, "will be asking questions about
his activity on both Ashley Madison and OKCupid" in an attempt to, quote, "know the extent
of the fraudulent conduct."
So...Duggar will be forced to give up the names and details of all the women he spoke
to, or met with, during his dalliances, and wife Anna will have to endure it all.
No first kiss
According to Us Weekly, at Duggar daughter Jessa's wedding to Ben Seewald on November
1st, 2014, the two passed on their first kiss after they were named husband and wife.
An unnamed source said the pair had been waiting their whole lives to kiss someone, opting
for a private moment, away from their "nearly 1,000 guests."
On the show, Jessa recounted how she and Ben made their escape after being pronounced husband
and wife:
"And then right about then people started to realize, 'wait a second.
Something that usually happens didn't happen at the end of a wedding ceremony."
Don't worry, they did kiss eventually.
Original scandal
Brace yourselves: Jim Bob and mom Michelle Duggar stole at least one smooch before they
were officially allowed to lock lips after they were married in 1984.
Michelle explained:
"We did not save our first kiss for our wedding day.
And we really regret that we didn't."
The Duggar patriarch and matriarch also regret having used the birth control pill when they
were first married.
What's really shocking about that is that there could have been more Duggar children.
Spy kids
If a Duggar kid is in an official courting situation, they're allowed to go out with
their crush, but only with company.
As Today reported, "Their daughters are committed to always having a chaperone with them, whether
it's Jim Bob and Michelle, or any of their siblings."
Why?
Jim Bob says, "Having that accountability really keeps things from going in the wrong
direction."
The surprising thing is that when one of the Duggar sisters goes out on a "courting date,"
any of her brothers can chaperone.
Even a younger one.
As Michelle told Today, "The brothers can see how [the dates] treat mom and dad, or
see whether they show the sisters respect."
Group text
Mom and Pop Duggar told Today that since daughter Jessa, and her then-beau Ben Seewald lived
four hours apart from each other before they were married, they were allowed to text.
But Jessa was only allowed to text her fiancé if she included both Mom and Dad at the same
time.
No "goodnite selfies" on a family group chat...
The wedding dress
Not everything the Duggars do is wrapped up in scandal, as TLC's spinoff Counting On proves
in a featurette on Grandma Duggar's wedding dress tradition.
Jim Bob's mom, Grandma Duggar, first gave Michelle her own dress to wear for Michelle's
wedding to Jim Bob.
These days, Michelle says:
"Now, the tradition has been that we've given a snippet of grandma's and my dress to our
girls…for my girls..to ma'mas girls… for them to use in their wedding."
According to People, Jill had a clipping of the dress put into a handkerchief and "stuffed
in [her] bouquet" as she walked down the aisle, and Jessa had her clipping made into a "little
rosette."
For Jinger, the dress designer cut a heart-shaped piece from the dress, and sewed it onto the
chest of her new wedding gown.
Pretty sweet Duggar family moment!
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