The Duggar family has been front and center in the media for a while now. It hasn’t all been bad, however. Even though the Josh Duggar sexual molestation scandal cast a most unfavorable light upon the 19 Kids and Counting clan, there are still some positives to report.
Jill Duggar Dillard and her husband Derick–along with their baby boy Israel–departed a little more than a week ago to serve as missionaries overseas. Derick has served as a missionary before. It was while serving in Nepal that he met Jim Bob Duggar and later met Jill. The couple celebrated their first anniversary in June.
Jessa Duggar Seewald’s pregnancy is proceeding in a normal, healthy manner. She and Ben Seewald’s baby is due in November–on the 1st, which is also the couple’s first wedding anniversary.
Jill & Derick Dillard reportedly going to El Salvador for mission work! See the family’s tearful goodbye! http://t.co/fi9CdZ7lDj
— Radar Online (@radar_online) July 8, 2015
Anna Duggar–Josh Duggar’s wife–hasn’t had the couple’s fourth child yet. As of Sunday she was considered overdue. Her first three babies came early, so this is something new for Anna.
2 bumps and counting! Pregnant Anna Duggar and Jessa Seewald compare baby bellies http://t.co/BCwd2eluRJ pic.twitter.com/I8yrwCS2e3
— People magazine (@people) July 13, 2015
While those are indeed positives for the Duggar family, there are still some things that could darken the days to come in the 19 Kids and Counting household.
TLC has yet to announce whether or not they’ll continue producing 19 Kids and Counting, and with Jill Duggar away, it’s uncertain if a spinoff of the Duggar family reality show is a consideration. The speculated spinoff was to have starred both Jill and Derick Dillard along with Jessa Duggar Seewald and her husband Ben.
How has TLC still not canceled "19 Kids and Counting"?! http://t.co/62URAfCeoA
— HuffPostEnt (@HuffPostEnt) July 4, 2015
Another small-scale scandal has touched the Duggar family. Jim Bob Duggar’s brother-in-law allegedly passed along genital herpes during unprotected sex with a woman several years back, and that has since resurfaced. The resurfacing not doubt comes as a result of media outlets trying to dig up dirt on the Duggar family and cause them even more shame. Many people don’t realize that Christians–even conservative Christians like the Duggar family–don’t claim to be perfect people. In fact they readily admit that they are sinners.
Jim Bob Duggar’s brother-in-law–the genital herpes spreader–is Amy Duggar’s father.
And in one last happy note for the Duggar family, Amy announced her engagement this weekend to Dillon King.
Get ready for another Duggar wedding — Amy Duggar, Jim Bob and Michelle's niece, is engaged http://t.co/y11acaCedO pic.twitter.com/gFRemklZkN
— People magazine (@people) July 14, 2015
Life is certainly abuzz in the 19 Kids and Counting household–for better or for worse.
The Duggar family appear to be survivors, however. They’ll no doubt make their way through all of these events, too–the good as well as the not so good.