Preview: Race to the Altar

Jessa and Ben register for gifts, but will they end up with a registry full of toys and candy as Ben gets sidetracked? Later, Jessa and Ben join Joy and Jason to get in shape before the big day. Jill and Jana cook a special Nepali dinner for Derick.

Michelle Duggar on Her Daughters Leaving the Nest

Now that it’s actually happening, there are all of these wonderful mixed emotions. 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. When the right one comes along, it’s so 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. 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.

On the other side is the sadness that everything is changing at home. 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. 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.

I took some time to talk with Jordyn and remind her that when Jessa and Ben get married, we get even more great adventures. Not only will Jessa get married, but we get Ben and the fun of spending time with them together. I reminded her that Josh and Anna got married, too, and how much she loves playing with Mackynzie, Michael and Marcus. We’ll be adding that much more love and that much more fun to our family.

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.

Change can be difficult for all of us, but it is such a good reason to have change. It’s a joyful time.

Trivia questions

1. How long did Derick know Jim Bob before he made his first contract with Jill?

2. How long has Ben and Jessa been courting?

3. How long were Derick and Jill courting before getting engaged?

4. How long has it been since Josh and Anna got engaged?

5. How many years has Jim Bob and Michelle been married?

Don't forget to leave your answers in the comment section and we will be back on Saturday with the answers. Don't forget to check out the wedding blogs that were posted a week ago!

Update on Ben and Jessa!

As of late, the focus has been on Jill and Derick's new adventures that we remember that we haven't updated on this relationship.

Ben and Jessa are focusing on getting to know each other after being in this courtship for almost a year. It's the longest courtship to date!

Going the Distance for Love Preview

While Jill and Jim Bob are in Nepal, visiting with Derick Dillard, who has something important to ask Jim Bob, Michelle decides to spend time with Jessa and talk to her daughter about her courtship with Ben.

Jessa and Ben: Their story

Question from a "19 Kids and Counting" fan on Facebook: How did your daughter Jessa meet Ben?

We met Ben when his family came to visit our church. Afterwards we invited their family over to our home for fellowship, as we often do with guests to our church. I think Ben spotted Jess, but he didn’t go up to her then. We’d met Ben’s parents years ago when we were in the Little Rock area while Jim Bob was serving in the legislature. We visited a church that they attended, so we did know their family in a roundabout way, just a distant friendship.

During fellowship at our home, Ben and Jim Bob would often sit with the guys and talk about doctrine and the Bible. At one point, Jim Bob said to Ben, "You know, you’ve been bringing up a lot of these truths from the scripture. This is a topic that we’ve actually been talking about in our home and Jessa has really been studying this very thing. You guys would probably enjoy talking about it. So why don’t you text her?"

It’s so funny. Jim Bob was the initiator. I don’t know if Jim Bob even knew that Ben was really interested in her, but he had already spotted Jessa. They started texting and talking about these scriptures and things just took off.

A few of our girls have had men come up to them and ask for their phone numbers. And our daughters have always explained to them that if anybody asked for their phone numbers, they would tell them to ask their dad. Then they would give them Jim Bob’s phone number. Sometimes the guy would never call and other times they would, but the girls would quickly let Jim Bob know if there was an interest on their part. Jim Bob is the "no" man.

He doesn’t mind being that guy and he’ll always use these calls as an opportunity to encourage those young men in their walk with Christ. A lot of times that weeds out the young men. Either they’ve got a spiritual focus or they don’t.

Have a burning question for Michelle Duggar? Send it to her and it could appear in an upcoming post! Or catch up with all of Michelle's Blogs.

Recap: A duggar say yes

In this week's episode of 19 kids and counting, Ben and Jessa give us a look inside of their courtship and how their relationship began. Ben and Jessa met at the Duggar family church. Jessa and Ben exchanged phone numbers to get to know each other. Ben decided to get the premission of Jim Bob and Michelle to court their daughter before asking Jessa.
Ben is 18 years old and lives in Hot Springs, Arkansas with his parents and six younger brothers and sisters. He owns his own business which is a windshield repair and is a freshman at National Park Community College. Jessa told us that Ben is tall, dark and handosme which was pretty much what was on her list of what she wanted to marry.
Jim Bob and Michelle along with 17 of their children revealed their sister as an energetic, strong-willed child. They also told us that she likes to tell it how it is, loyal to her family and friends. She tries to keep a good handle on her emtions. John David reveals that his sister is opinionated.
Jim Bob and Michelle make the announcement that their daughter is courting to the rest of the family right after it's becomes offical. Jim Bob and Michelle talk to the new couple that just because they are courting doesn't mean that they have to be maried really fast. Jim Bob joking suggest that they wed about four or five years down the road. He just wants his daughter and Ben to work on building their relationship on trust and God's love.
Later on the show, Jim Bob and the boys want to clean up some yard work and what better way to test Ben's character about taking care of their sister. They have him come out and help.
Meanwhile Jessa and the girls are busy getting ready for dinner. Michelle wants to help encourage Jessa on cooking since Jessa thinks that she is a bad cook. After the boys are finished, it's time for dinner. Jim Bob and Michelle asked Johannah to stand between Jessa and Ben since they just started the courthip and have decided to wait on the physical until they are married.
Jessa and Michelle are heading to Hot Springs to visit Ben's family members so they can get to know the other family. Jessa and the older girls are upstairs packing. They want to spend a lot of time together since they might be soon be leaving if God is wanting that.
Jill and the other girls know that marriage is not going to happen in age order because God works in his own time and not what we want him to work. Jinger and Jessa have always been close since they are 14 months apart. Jinger thinks that it's bittersweet since her sister is in a courtship and might be leaving.
John David filies his mom and sister down to where Ben lives. Ben drives a truck which only has the front seat and that means that Michelle has to sit in the middle to protect the new couple's relationship.
Ben and Jessa are going on a date with Ben's parents and so Michelle watches the kids while they go out so Ben's parents can get to know her daughter. Jessa and Michelle get to meet Ben's extended family when they come over for BBQ and fellowship.
Back home while Jessa and Michelle are away, Jim Bob takes care of the youngest girls. Jim Bob takes the kids to pizza and ask them what they think of Ben which has nothing but good things.
Jim Bob asked his daughter, Jennifer, about if she has plan to married some day and she doesn't have any plans.
Jim Bob thinks that both Jessa and Jill's coursthips will bring more guys forward to seek the older duggar girls and maybe even some of the boys.
* This is the first time that there has not been an opening of all of the family. *

A duggar says yes

When Ben and Jessa's courtship becomes official, the Duggar boys put Ben to the test. Later, the tables are turned on Jessa when she visits Ben's hometown. The whole family reflects on what it means that a Duggar daughter may soon be leaving the nest.

New season starts tomorrow

The duggars are back with brand new episodes. We will get see Jessa and Ben's courtship, check in with Josh and Anna and now see Jill and Derick's courtship. We have been told that there is a surprise for Josh and Anna in store for us. Jim Bob and Michelle find out what's going on with her body since the miscarriage of their daughter.

Season 8 premiere

On April 1, 2014

We are gonna be able to see how Jessa and Ben started their courtship. Ben is going to be tested to make sure that he can take care of Jessa by the Duggar boys. Jessa is going to be heading to meet Ben's family. One of the duggar girls are getting ready to leave home for the first time. Who will it be?

Leave in the comments below on who you think it's going to be?

Jessa and Ben's first Valentine's day!

Jessa and Ben are celebrating their first Valentine's d
ay. We kinda hope to see that their engagement to happen but who knows.

We are not saying that they are engaged right now!

Happy Valentine's day blog

Michelle Duggar on Celebrating Valentine's Day

FAMILY MATTERS on 02.12.14

Michelle Duggar19 Kids and CountingBIO

 

Question from a "19 Kids and Counting" fan on Facebook: How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day in your house? Is it just you and Jim Bob or does the whole family celebrate together?

We often celebrate Valentine’s Day as a family. It’s a really special time with the whole family getting around the table and spending time together. Last year, our older daughter, Jana, decided she was going to do a big Valentine’s banquet for our family. We had a beautiful spread on our table; everything was pink, red and white. We took pictures and made a special event of it. It was our way of expressing our gratefulness and our love for each other and the family, and celebrating how much family means to us. It’s so important to nurture that relationship. It was a day of love and fun and fellowship for the whole family.

Of course a lot of times for Valentine’s Day, Jim Bob and I will go on a date, but one of our favorite things to do as a family is to help throw a banquet for the single moms that we know. We want to bless the single moms; those that are widowed, divorced or abandoned, the women that are often forgotten during Valentine’s time.

My dear friend Debbie Query and her daughters teach our children music -- all the music ability that the kids have in violin is because of them. Debbie is a widow with four children; their father was tragically killed in a car accident. They have been amazing mentors and role models especially for my older girls.

Anyway, their family does an amazing widow’s banquet. They put it on, and our family participates in that. The children set the tables and serve as the waiters. They’ll put on black bowties, white shirts, black pants, and serve the meal. Sometimes we’ll have harpists or other musicians play beautiful music during the banquet. It’s very special.

Have a burning question for Michelle Duggar? Send it to her and it could appear in an upcoming post!

Trivia questions #2

Thank you so much for checking out the first trivia questions of the new year

1. When was the first time that we were introduced to the duggar family?

2. When did Michelle told the world that she was pregnant with Jordyn?

3. How many months older is Mackynzie then Josie?

4. How many months older is Jordyn then Josie?

5. When did the duggars announced that Jessa was courting Ben?

a courtship