We’re only five days into the new year, but 2018 has already seen a Duggar baby announcement and a whole slew of courship speculation.
We now know that Jinger Duggar is expecting her first child, but that’s certainly not the only way in which reality TV’s largest family will be expanding in the months to come.
Joy-Anna Duggar is also expecting, as is Joseph Duggar’s new wife, Kendra Caldwell.
And of course, several single Duggars are set to embark on courtship journeys of their own in the months to come.
Here’s a rundown of who might be next to leave the nest:
Jana Duggar
The perennial fan favorite. Fans have been hoping for a courtship announcement from Jana for years now. And thanks to her increasingly close “friendship” with Caleb Williams, it seems 2018 will finally be her year.
John David Duggar
This is another one that wouldn’t come as much of a surprise. In fact, it’s widely believed that John David is already involved in a secret courtship with a woman from Texas. No word on why he might be keeping things on the down-low.
The Pressure Is On!
Both Jana and John David are no doubt feeling the pressure to announce relationships. The twins will turn 28 this month, and they’re the oldest unmarried Duggars by a considerable margin.
Josiah Duggar
Many fans believe this is the year that Josiah Duggar will once again try his hand at courtship. Josiah is the only member of his family to enter a relationship that did not result in marriage, having pursued an ill-fated romance with Marjorie Jackson in 2016.
A Social Media Loophole
Some fans believe Josiah is the next to go a-courtin’, as in many respects, he’s more modern and mature than many of his siblings. Duggars are typically forbidden to have social media accounts until they enter a formal courtship. However, Josiah has maintained an Instagram page despite the fact that his relationship with Jackson has come to en end, leading many to believe that he’s using it to keep in touch with potential mates.
Jedediah Duggar
Smart money is on Jedediah Duggar announcing a courship in 2018. As many fans have pointed out, he was likely already involved in a romantic relationship that went awry.
A Courtship Controversy
A source close to the family tells THG that Jedediah was the first to be romantically involved with Joseph Duggar’s future wife, Kendra Caldwell. It’s believed that Jim Bob Duggar put a stop to the relationship. It’s also believed that the patriarch is now frantically seeking out a suitable mate for Jed.
Jeremiah Duggar
Jeremiah (left) will turn 20 this year. In the Duggars’ world, that means he’s prime to get married off and start a family. If the announcement doesn’t come this year, you can be sure it’ll happen by the end of 2019.
A Crucial Consideration
It’s important to bear in mind that even if everyone mentioned on this list thus far enters into a courtship this year, that doesn’t mean we’ll hear about it.
The Strategic Release of Information
The Duggars tend to space out their big announcements. It’s a strategy devised by Jim Bob for the purpose of maintaining fans’ interest in the family.
A Flurry of Excitement
Recent weeks have seen a wealth of major Duggar announcements, so it’s a safe bet that a month or more will go by before we hear any more big news.
A Little Vuolo on the Way
2018 kicked off with a major announcement, as Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo announced that they’re expecting their first child. The news was greeted with tremendous excitement by Duggar obsessives, who had been awaiting news of a Jinger pregnancy ever since she and Vuolo got married in 2016. And of course, she’s not the only one with a bundle of joy on the way…
Joy-Anna’s Ready to Burst
It’s widely believed that Joy-Anna Duggar is set to give birth any day now. Of course, if she does, the Duggars may have some explaining to do.
Conception Controversy
The Duggars claim Joy-Anna got pregnant during her honeymoon in June. Counting On viewers are convinced she conceived several weeks earlier than that. They believe the Duggars have gone to great lengths to hide the fact that she engaged in premarital sex, which is strictly forbidden by the family’s religious beliefs.
And That’s Not All
Joseph Duggar and his wife Kendra are also currently expecting their first child. And believe it or not, the Duggar pregnancy news might not end there…
A Third For Jill?!
It’s widely believed that Jill Duggar is pregnant with her third child, but is keeping the news under wraps so as not to overwhelm fans.
A Challenge For Jim Bob
Needless to say, it won’t be easy for Jim Bob to space out all of this information in a way that will keep fans engaged with the family for the entirety of 2018, especially with all of the courtship news coming down the pipe.
So What Do We REALLY Know?
We can say with almost 100% certainty that there will be news of at least two Duggar courtships this year. But there’s only one that casual fans of the family really care about…
The Cinderella Duggar
For years now, Counting On viewers have been clamoring for news about Jana Duggar’s love life. Not only is Jana the oldest unmarried Duggar, many fans feel that she’s unfairly exploited by her parents and forced to prioritize raising her siblings over starting a family of her own. The Duggar family is sure to expand in several ways in the year to come, but if Jana isn’t somehow involved, you can bet there will be widespread disappointment.