Josh And Anna Duggar To Welcome Baby Number 5, A Boy
After facing intense speculation in the last two years suggesting she is pregnant, Anna Duggar has revealed she is expecting a child with husband Josh later this year.
The couple took to the Duggar family’s blog on Friday to make the announcement, which comes nearly two years after Josh Duggar earned infamy for allegedly molesting minors, including his sisters.
“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. Doing so is never easy after a breach of trust. We’ve learned that a life of faith and rebuilding a life together is simply done one day at a time. 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. Beauty comes from ashes and we cannot wait to see and kiss the face of this sweet new boy! – Josh & Anna”
After accusations of sexually molesting underage girls, Josh Duggar’s addiction to adult material and subscription to Ashley Madison shook the couple’s marriage. However, Anna Duggar stood by him as he entered a faith-based rehab. Josh was away from public glare ever since he made headlines for all the wrong reasons. His family also ensured he was not seen on its TLC show Counting On to avoid advertiser trouble and criticism from viewers.
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Rumors of Anna Duggar’s pregnancy were around for a while and resurfaced recently when the family posted a picture of Josh and Anna Duggar along with their kids to mark his birthday. Some wondered why the Duggars posted a six-month-old photo, suggesting it was done to hide Anna’s pregnancy.
The couple have four children – Michael James Duggar, Marcus Anthony Duggar, Mackynzie Renée Duggar and Meredith Grace Duggar, born in 2015 just a couple of months after Josh Duggar made headlines for sexually misbehaving with minors in his teenage.
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Reportage of the allegations forced TLC to take the family’s popular show 19 Kids & Counting off air. The Duggars were also forced to keep Josh away from being seen with them in the public at family gatherings and outings. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, Josh’s parents, were criticized for not bringing their son’s acts to law enforcement immediately following the alleged incidents. Ever since, news of Josh’s comeback to television in the past two years have been accompanied by concerns from advertisers that it may hurt ratings.
Reactions to Anna Duggar’s Pregnancy
Reactions to news of Anna Duggar’s pregnancy were mixed, with fans lauding Josh for turning over a new leaf. Others however wondered if that was indeed the case.
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“Many things can be forgiven but when someone is that way inclined, I would never be able to ever trust them again, especially with my children,” reads one comment on the news of pregnancy.
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Immediately after Josh Duggar confessed to molesting minors in 2015, fans of the family urged Anna Duggar to divorce him. Though it was reported Anna had moved out of the Duggar’s home and into her family, divorce was not an option for her given the conservative social circles of her living. However, rumors of an impending split continued to do the rounds, more recently during Jinger Duggar’s wedding, which may have now been put to rest with news of the pregnancy.
Will Anna and Josh Duggar Finally Be Featured on Counting On?
Jessa Duggar Seewald and Jill Duggar Dillard were identified as two of Josh’s victims. The ordeal of both sisters and their lives triggered the first episodes of Counting On. Jessa delivered her second child with husband Ben Seewald last month while Jill Duggar is pregnant with husband Derick Dillard’s second child. The birth of firstborns of both sisters have been featured in TLC’s show, which begs the question if TLC will feature the birth of Josh and Anna Duggar’s fifth child in the show, paving the way for the first Duggar child to return to television.
Featured Image by Josh & Anna Duggar/Facebook]
