John and Abbie in Finland

John-David Duggar and Abbie Burnett Duggar

 

"I love winter wonderland and cold."
-Abbie Duggar

This might just be the most unique Duggar honeymoon yet! Immediately following their November 3rd wedding, John and Abbie Duggar took a beach getaway. Now, they are on a second honeymoon that is drastically different than the first. It's freezing cold, and they are hoping to see the Northern Lights.

Follow the link below to watch John and Abbie's video message from Finland! Can you recall where the other Duggar siblings went on their honeymoons?

John and Abbie Duggar: Honeymoon in Finland

Video Update from the Vuolos

"Felicity's personality is very much like Jinger's. She's pleasant, easygoing, happy all the time, a really sweet personalty, and she just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter."
-Jeremy Vuolo

Last night on Counting On (click here to read our recap), we watched Jinger and Jeremy's first weeks as parents. They were enjoying the new stage but were sleep deprived. Let's see what life is like for them now that Felicity is a few months old. Follow the link below to be redirected to the TLC website to watch a video update from the Vuolos

Felicity Vuolo Update

Photo courtesy TLC

Jessa's 25-Week Baby Bump

Baby Seewald No. 3 is due in the first week of June, which means that Jessa has reached her 25-week mark and will enter her third trimester next month. Before we share a photo of Jessa's baby bump, we want to ask that you would continue to pray for Josiah and Lauren Duggar. Their first child, whom they miscarried, was due on the same day as Jessa and Ben's third baby.

At 25 weeks, Baby Seewald is about 1-1/2 pounds. We thought it would be interesting to post a photo of Jessa's current baby bump (top photo), as well as her past baby bumps (second photo). The picture on the left was taken when she was 25 weeks and 4 days pregnant with Spurgeon in mid 2015, and the picture on the right shows her bump at around the same time during her pregnancy with Henry in late 2016. We also included a snapshot of Jinger at 25 weeks pregnant with Felicity.

 

Jessa Duggar Seewald

1st and 2nd pregnancies

 

Jinger Duggar Vuolo

25 weeks, 1st pregnancy

 

Photos courtesy theseewaldfamily.com, jingerandjeremy.com

'Sleepless in Laredo' Recap

Counting On "Sleepless in Laredo"

• Jana and Duggar family friend Laura, who are in charge of wedding preparations for John and Abbie, show the couple the arbor that Jedidiah and Jeremiah built. "Laure DeMaise is a good friend of ours," says Jana. "We include her as one of our sisters." The boys assemble the altar in the living room, and the girls add flowers and decor. They also set up a few church pews, so John and Abbie can visualize the setup. Lauren has offered to do the wedding flowers, which are fake but look real.
• The wedding theme is "love is in the air," and the reception will be held in an airplane hanger near Abbie's home in Oklahoma. Speaking of Oklahoma, John, Abbie, Jana, Laura, and one of Abbie's sisters also scout out the airplane hanger. They need to decide where the getaway airplane will sit, and they have to figure out bathrooms for their 1,000 guests.
• In Laredo, Jinger and Jeremy are trying to put newborn Felicity to sleep. "I've had so many siblings, you would think I have it all down, but that's just not the case," admits Jinger. "I mean, it is 24/7 responsibility on you." The Vuolos say that Felicity is a pretty chill baby and that she smiles and laughs a lot. 
• "I stopped drinking coffee not for breastfeeding or being pregnant but because it was affecting my health," says Jinger. "But who knows what mom life will end up doing to me. I think I might end up slipping some in here and there." New father Jeremy, on the other hand, is very fond of coffee.
• "Coffee is definitely a very dear friend," says Jeremy. "We've been close for quite some time, but I think this has bonded us on a level because you just don't realize how much you appreciate one another."
• Lauren is pregnant! She took a pregnancy test at 1:30am, and it was positive, so she and Josiah drove to the store to pick up more tests just to be sure. About a day later, they are ready to announce the news to the Duggars, Swansons, and Caldwells. Lauren takes a plain shirt and irons on cursive letters that say "Mama in the Making."
• While Ben takes online classes, he has a part-time job helping Michelle homeschool the younger children. He discusses recipe fractions with Jackson and all the kids under him, and then they head to the store to pick up ingredients to make a North African dish called tagine-style chicken. The kids have to multiply the fractions so they can make 40 servings instead of 4. "Ben is really patient, and he stays calm, and it's been great," says Michelle, who sits beside the kids as Ben tutors them.
• "I like school," says Jordyn. "I don't know why, but I like it." When asked what her favorite subject is, Josie says, "Nothing."
• "My mom was the primary teacher, but there were also occasions when she would bring a friend in to do a science project project with us, or something like that," says Jessa.
• "It did get pretty hectic sometimes," says Jedidiah of homeschooling. "We did get on each other's nerves every now and then, but...it taught us patience, as well."
• "I love being homeschooled," says Jackson. "I think it's way better than any other schooling you could ever do." 
• When the group returns from the store, they are ready to prepare the chicken. They are running on Duggar time, so they have to scramble to finish cooking before everyone arrives.
• "It is really hard to surprise the family members," says Josiah. "Josie and all them will say, 'Are you pregnant?' I mean, they ask all the time. I guess it's a Duggar thing."
• After everyone arrives, Lauren removes her cardigan to reveal her shirt. Lauren's sister notices the writing, and it's not long before everyone in the house has heard the news. They are all thrilled for the young couple. "This is our first grandchild, and I'm on cloud nine right now," says Lana, Lauren's mom, who is nursing her youngest child when she hears the news. "I won't be able to sleep tonight."
• Everyone loves the food.

Fussy Felicity

"At this newborn stage, it's always a guessing game to figure out why Felicity's crying. I never really know if she's hungry, tired, or if it's something I ate."
-Jinger Vuolo

On tonight's episode, you'll see the first glimpse of Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo in their role as parents. As all parents of newborns know, adjusting to life with less sleep can be difficult. In the video below, the Vuolos invite viewers into their home to watch Felicity's nighttime routine.

Tonight's new episode is available on the TLC website for those who have login credentials from their TV provider. The link is below.

Counting On "Sleepless in Laredo"

Abbie's Unexpected Wedding

"I never imagined having a wedding with a thousand guests. That's two-thirds of my town."
-Abbie Burnett Duggar

Plans for John-David Duggar's wedding are underway! Jana Duggar and Duggar family friend Laura DeMaise are the wedding planners, so they take a trip to the wedding hanger where the reception will be held to start nailing down details. The hanger will certainly be big enough, but they end up running into a significant roadblock (video below).

Monday, February 25, 2019
8pm: Jinger Has a Baby
9pm: Sleepless in Laredo NEW!
Jinger and Jeremy get a dose of reality as they adjust to life as parents. Meanwhile, Ben tutors the Duggar kids, and they must use their math skills to make a meal for 40 people. Later at dinner, one couple makes a special announcement.
60 min

If you enjoy this blog, be sure to visit Ellie's other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and BatesFamilyBlog.com).

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Gideon Turns 1

Happy 1st birthday to Gideon Forsyth!

Gideon Martyn Forsyth

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com/Joy and Austin Forsyth

Modesty in Austria

"As they say in German, Siah looked 'fish.' It means, I think 'hot' in their language."
-Lauren Swanson Duggar

While Josiah and Lauren Duggar are in Austria, they pick out some traditional Austrian outfits. But Lauren quickly discovers that the dresses don't fit her modesty standards. Find out what she does to remedy the situation and see the clothing that she and Josiah end up choosing in the extended scene below. If you missed Monday's new episode of Counting On, check out our recap.

Also, do any of our German-speaking readers know what word Lauren is trying to say?

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Little Duggars at the Park

The weather in Springdale, Arkansas, this week has been mild, so Michelle and Anna Duggar took some of the little Duggar kids to their park to expend their energy.

Michelle Duggar and Meredith Duggar

 

Jordyn Duggar, Mackynzie Duggar, Tyler, Meredith Duggar,

Josie Duggar, Marcus Duggar, Mason Duggar, Michael Duggar

If you enjoy this blog, be sure to visit Ellie's other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and BatesFamilyBlog.com).

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com/Josh and Anna Duggar

Crew Member Felicity

In this rare, behind-the-scenes look, Felicity Vuolo helps the Counting On crew conduct interviews in Laredo. The woman she is sitting with is field producer Laura, whom the Duggars lovingly refer to as Auntie Laura.

Felicity Vuolo with the Counting On crew

Photo courtesy jingerandjeremy.com

'Jinger Has a Baby' Recap

Counting On "Jinger Has a Baby"

• Hoping to avoid the complications that some of her sisters have had, Jinger is being induced at a hospital in San Antonio. The doctor and midwife are starting the process slowly with methods such as the foley bulb.
• Jessa initially turned down Jinger’s invitation to come to the birth, but she has decided that she wants to be there right after the baby arrives, so she and Ben and the boys are headed down to Texas to surprise the Vuolos.
• The following morning, Jinger starts Pitocin, but her labor still progresses slowly. She and her birth team stay entertained by doing a puzzle.
• By the evening, Jinger is exhausted and unable to relax, so she decides to get an epidural. Felicity arrives at 4:37am, weighing 8lbs 3oz, and the Vuolos are overjoyed.
• “It just gives me a greater appreciation for [Jinger], for my mom, for women,” says Jeremy.
• The Seewalds leave their hotel room for the hospital soon after they get the text about Felicity’s arrival. Jinger is thrilled to see Jessa. The Vuolos introduce the baby to Jim Bob and the rest of the kids via video chat. “It seems like we’re having grandchild after grandchild, and we’re so blessed,” says Jim Bob. “We literally have our arms full.”
• “I’ve changed hundreds of diapers in my life, but having my own little baby, it’s just so sweet,” says Jinger. “Everything that you get to do, it’s just the sweetest thing. It’s a joy changing a diaper.”
• Josiah and Lauren are at the airport in Chicago and are on their way to Austria, with a stopover in London. They chose Austria for its scenery and connection to The Sound of Music. “I am a very big fan of The Sound of Music,” says Lauren.
• Since being married, Lauren has noticed that Josiah snores and rolls around in his sleep. Josiah, on the other hand, says that he hasn’t discovered anything negative about Lauren.
• On their second day in Vienna, they take a hotrod tour. A hotrod is a small, one-person vehicle similar to a go-cart.
• Lauren has never been pulled over, but Josiah admits that he has. “I’ve never had a ticket stick on my record,” half joking and half serious.
• After the tour, they order a snack at a café. Neither of the newlyweds are coffee drinkers. In fact, Lauren has never had it. She says the smell gives her a headache, so she doesn’t try any. Josiah thinks it’s pretty good.
• On another day, the couple does a Sound of Music bike tour. It is one of Lauren’s favorite movies, and Josiah watched it many times growing up, as well. “I think we as a family can relate to the Von Trapps and their lives,” he says.
• The tour involves acting out some of the scenes from the movie. Seeing the sites is a dream come true for Lauren, but the acting part is a bit of a stretch for her. “I’m not much of an actress,” admits Lauren. “I kind of feel goofy when I act out stuff.”
• The producer asks some of the Duggars what their favorite movie is.
• Joseph: Sergeant York
• Jeremy: A Beautiful Mind
• Kendra: War Room
• Ben: Woodlawn
• “My family, we had a lot of restrictions growing up,” says Josiah. “We still do today.”
• “We didn’t watch a ton of movies,” says Jessa. “My dad’s like, ‘Aww, we don’t want to stifle your creativity. Let’s go outside and build a fort or something. I liked that. We had lots of great childhood memories that were not just in front of the television.”
• Josiah and Lauren dress up in traditional Austrian clothing and visit a family that lives in the mountains outside Salzburg. They enjoy a delicious meal of food from the farm. “Even though there was a language barrier, we were able to communicate well,” says Lauren.
• That’s a wrap! It’s time for the Duggar newlyweds to return home and start their new life together.

Tour Austria with the Duggars

“We didn’t watch a ton of movies [growing up]. My dad’s like, ‘Aww, we don’t want to stifle your creativity. Let’s go outside and build a fort or something. I liked that. We had lots of great childhood memories that were not just in front of the television.”
-Jessa Duggar Seewald

 
Counting On "Jinger Has a Baby" premieres in three hours, although you can watch it now on the TLC website using the link we posted earlier today. In addition to Felicity Vuolo's birth, the episode includes lots of never-before-seen footage from Josiah and Lauren Duggar's Austrian honeymoon (see preview video below)

The Duggar family avoids a lot of mainstream entertainment, but one movie they have seen many times is The Sound of Music. That's why Josiah and Lauren's trip to Vienna and Salzburg was so special.


Photo/video courtesy TLC

Watch Tonight's Episode

Josiah and Lauren Duggar

 

The Duggars have another new episode of Counting On in store for fans tonight at 9pm ET/8pm CT on TLC. If you're so eager to see it that you can't wait, the network has uploaded the show to the website, although it is only available to viewers who can sign in with credentials provided by a television provider. The link is below, as are the full TV listings.

Last week on "Love is in the Air," we witnessed John-David Duggar's proposal to Abbie Burnett, we saw Jana Duggar and Jessa Seewald set up Felicity Vuolo's nursery, and we watched Jinger Vuolo be admitted to the hospital for induction. Tonight, Jinger and Jeremy welcome their baby, and newlyweds Josiah and Lauren Duggar embark on their honeymoon,

Full Episode Link: Counting On "Jinger Has a Baby"

Monday, February 18, 2019
8pm: Love is in the Air
9pm: Jinger Has a Baby NEW!
The hills are alive for Josiah and Lauren as they go on their Austrian honeymoon. While there, they reenact scenes from The Sound of Music and visit with a local family. Meanwhile, Jinger worries that she won't have the smooth labor she was hoping for.
60 min

Tuesday, February 19, 2019
12am: Love is in the Air
1am: Jinger Has a Baby

Josiah and Lauren's House

Previously, Josiah and Lauren Duggar were planning to live in the 9,000-square-foot Baylor House while Jim Bob Duggar fixed it up to sell. But the Duggars have been busy with other projects and weren't able to make the house livable by the time Josiah and Lauren got married, so the newlyweds moved into a different house.

Get a glimpse of that house in the video below. Another new episode of Counting On is coming your way on Monday. It will feature Josiah and Lauren's honeymoon and more footage from Jinger Vuolo's birth.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Felicity and Gideon

Some of the Duggars--including the Forsyths, Jim Bob and Michelle, Jana, and the Seewalds--traveled down to Laredo, Texas, to visit Jinger and Jermey Vuolo. (In case you haven't heard, the Vuolos had their first service at their new church location on Sunday.)

Take a look at this adorable photo of cousins Felicity and Gideon. Do you see the resemblance? The two are five months apart. Gideon turns one in 10 days, while Felicity's birthday is in July.

Felicity Vuolo and Gideon Forsyth

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com/Joy and Austin Forsyth

Watch 'Love is in the Air'

Missed last night's season premiere episode of Counting On? It has been uploaded to the TLC website (link below). Due to geographical restrictions put in place by the network, some readers will be unable to watch. Depending on your internet/TV provider, you may or may not have to sign in with the login credentials given by your provider. To read our written recap, visit our post from yesterday evening.

Counting On "Love is in the Air"

Photo courtesy TLC

'Love is in the Air' Recap

Counting On "Love is in the Air"

• Jinger’s due date is almost here, and she hopes to have Felicity soon so she can avoid having an especially large baby like some of her sisters. Jeremy cooks a spicy Indian dish to try to get things going. The spice is so strong that Jinger, Jeremy, and all the cameramen start coughing and sputtering.
• Back in Arkansas, the other siblings try to stomach different levels of hot sauce. Jason wins the challenge.
• John and Abbie have been courting for a couple months, and they are ready to take their relationship to the next level. “Within the first week, it was like we had already known each other forever,” says John, who introduced Abbie to the family as his “girlfriend” within two weeks of knowing her.
• During their courtship, John has visited Abbie every weekend. “He’s very steady,” Abbie says of John. “Nothing much riles him. He likes to have fun.”
• “The more I get to know Abbie, the more I love her,” says John.
• Now it’s time for John to plan the proposal! He has enlisted the help of a photographer, Lori Blythe, who works near the Fredericksburg, Texas, airport, which is where John will propose.
• On proposal day, John and Jana fly to Ada, Oklahoma. “Jana’s been my wing woman for years,” says John. “She’s been a great blessing to me.” 
•  Meanwhile, Abbie and her twin sisters, Maggie and Carinna, are at home making peach salsa. “John is very romantic,” Abbie says of John. “He buys me flowers. He paints my nails.”
• While Abbie is in the kitchen cooking, John walks up behind her and surprises her. John tells her to pack a bag so they can go on a journey.
• While the group flies to Fredericksburg, photographer Lori is at the airplane hanger setting up for the proposal.
• When they started their relationship, John and Abbie sat down to decide on their courtship standards. Their courtship is different than John’s siblings because they are allowing themselves to share more side hugs and show more affection than the others have. "Mine and Abbie's courtship standards have been slightly different than some of my siblings, although we all get to make the decision on what our standards are,” says John. 
• When John, Abbie, Maggie, and Jana arrive at the Fredericksburg airport, they eat dinner at the Airport Diner, and then they walk over to the hanger, where everything is set up for the proposal. Jana and Maggie hang back, and John leads Abbie to a pile of rose pedals in the shape of a heart.
• John and Abbie are both smiling and giggling as John shares a few words: "Life's been wonderful since about, May 6th. I wanted to know if you wanted to keep flying with me. I'm kind of wondering, wanting to know, do you have anything going for the next, say, rest of your life? Cause if you don't really have any big plans, I'd love for you to spend the rest of your life with me. Will you marry me?" 
• “I would be honored to marry you," replies Abbie. The couple shares a few frontal hugs as they rejoice over what has just happened. John is giddy with excitement as he recounts the engagement. 
  Right after the big moment, the photographer does a photo session. “I think the world must have stopped at that moment cause I don't remember much except for John being there," says Abbie. 
• During Jinger’s 38^th week, the Seewalds, Jana, and friend Laura arrive in Laredo to help the Vuolos set up the nursery. The first order of business is to remove the bed and move Jeremy’s soccer jerseys to the garage. The Vuolos have four bedrooms—a master, office, guest room, and now nursery.
• “I wasn’t actually prepared for the jerseys to be removed…” says Jeremy. “I think I had flashbacks of my precious books being locked in a closet.”
• When asked by the producer if she feels bad for Jeremy, Jana says: “No. He’s getting a girl added to his life. He’s getting his first daughter. That’s way more precious than your soccer jerseys.”
• “I really don’t have a vision,” admits Jinger. “So that’s why I leave it to the girls.” The nursery theme will be Southwestern.
• Later, Jinger and Jeremy travel to San Antonio for a visit with their midwife.
• Jinger’s birth team will consist of Jeremy, Michelle, Jana, Laura, and Jeremy’s mom. Jeremy’s dad will be at the hospital but not in the room.
• “I really wanted my mom there because she’s been through this countless times, and I think that would be one of the biggest comforts for me,” says Jinger.
• Three days before Jinger’s due date, she heads to the hospital to be induced. “I am not nervous and anxious for her,” says Jeremy. “If anything, I’m anxious for myself. I hope I can…be the strength I need to be for her.”