Recap: Duggars Reunited

Tonight on 19 Kids and Counting, "Duggars Reunited"...

• For eight days of every year, Jordyn, Mackynzie, and Josie are all the same age. How does that work? Jordyn was born on December 18th, 2008, and Mackynzie, the first grand-Duggar, arrived on October 8th, 2009. Josie, who was born at 25 weeks, was delivered via emergency C-section on December 10th, 2009.
• To celebrate the girls' birthdays, Michelle and Anna take Johannah, Jennifer, Jorydn, Mackynzie, and Josie to The Sugar Cube to make candy. 
• Everyone has a blast, but it ends up being a messy birthday. "The energy levels were very high," says Anna.
• "It tasted really yummy," says Josie.
• Can you believe it has been four years since Josie was born? The Duggars still remember the months they spent in the Arkansas Children's Hospital NICU, watching Josie fight for her life and praying she would survive.
• "Today, looking at her, you would never know that she started out so tiny," says Michelle. "She's a miracle."
• Are Jim Bob and Michelle hoping to give Josie a younger sibling? Michelle says they are enjoying this season of life but "would welcome another baby if God saw fit..."
• Before Josh's family returns to Arkansas, he takes them skating...on a plastic ice rink. It doesn't take long for the kids to discover that building up speed is a bit of a challenge.
• Josh and Anna admit that living 1,200 miles (18 hours by car) from the rest of the Duggar clan can be lonely, and saying goodbye is always hard. "Jordyn, please stay forever and ever and ever with us!" Mackynzie tells her aunt.  

Due to technology issues, we were unable to recap the first 15 minutes of the episode. To help those who couldn't tune in, feel free to post your own recaps in the comments forum.

Recap: "Graduation & A Surprise"

On tonight's new episode of 19 Kids and Counting, "Graduation & A Surprise"...

• The Duggars are preparing to celebrate Josiah's high school graduation...with 400 guests. "He is such a people person," says Michelle, who admits she is not surprised by the number of friends and family members who are coming to help celebrate. Josiah sent out 300 invitations. According to Jim Bob, it will be the biggest Duggar party ever.
• At age 17, Josiah is the 8th Duggar to graduate from high school.
• What does the rest of the Duggar clan have to say about Josiah?  "He has a really giving spirit," says Jason.
• "I like Josiah because he gives me lots of candy," says James. Jessa agrees. And if you have been a longtime viewer, you know that Josiah is a practical joker.
• In Washington D.C., Anna and the kids head to the grocery store to purchase ingredients for a holiday meal for the entire Duggar family. She is able to feed everyone for under $4 a person.
• When Josh gets home, Anna asks for his help preparing for the family's visit. She hopes to have the basement bedroom cleared out and painted for Josh's parents. Then Anna gets a call from Jim Bob, who says they drove through the night to avoid bad weather and will be arriving in five hours, a day earlier than expected.
• Josh and a friend are hard at work fixing up the basement bedroom, while Anna is scrambling to get the food ready on time. "I can rarely remember my family being early to anything," says Josh, but he admits it usually involves food.
• As the family rings the doorbell, smoke is pouring out of the oven, and the smoke detector is screeching. Watch next week's episode to find out how it all turns out!

"Wedding Bells" Recap

On tonight's new episode of 19 Kids and Counting, "Wedding Bells"...

• All the Duggars agree that Jessa isn't as focused on household tasks as she used to be, now that she's in a courtship. Jinger has been promoted to head packer and runs around getting the clothes organized for the family's trip to Erin Bates' wedding.
• The Duggar girls put together a gag gift for Erin. To play off the joke that Erin can't cook, the girls compile a book of easy recipes and takeout menus and purchase a smoke alarm and a fire extinguisher.
• Ben Seewald and his mom join the Duggars for the drive to Tennessee, which will be Ben's first trip with Jessa's family. "I'm going to try to do whatever I can to make myself useful," says Ben.
• Jim Bob's has employed a new strategy to get everyone out the door on time: "Last one out owes me $5."
• When the Duggars arrive at the Bates' house, Jessa is eager to introduce everyone to Ben, and Erin is eager to show her dress to the Duggar girls. She found it on the clearance rack at a local bridal shop and had it altered to fit her modesty standards.
• Chad and Erin take Ben and Jessa to their new house, a cottage located five miles from where the rest of the Bates live. The room that stands out the most is the master bedroom, which Chad allowed his fiancé to decorate. "It's...pink," says Jessa. "I was kind of surprised."
• Wedding prep is a bittersweet event for Erin and her sisters. Since getting engaged, Erin has had many tear-filled nights, realizing she won't be able to have late-night talks with her sisters after she gets married. Gil assures her she can come sleepover anytime. "I don't think Chad will like it if I just come over without him," replies Erin.
• "Chad is definitely a very romantic guy that adds special touches here and there," says Jana. "They're perfect for each other."
• On the morning of the wedding, a member of the film crew asks Erin if she has thought about her first kiss. "That's why I'm brushing my teeth!" she says.
• Erin is very nervous to walk down the aisle and asks Jana and Jill to pray with her before the ceremony starts.
• "Somehow I got selected to be the head car-trasher," says John-David, "And so I took the job very seriously." He and the other boys even go so far as to put sardines and mothballs under the seats.
• And of course, Chad and Erin have saved their first kiss for the altar. After the wedding, Chad cuts the plastic wrap off the getaway car, removes the sardines and mothballs, and he and Erin take off for their honeymoon.

Recap: Double Dating Duggars & Another Courtship?

19 Kids and Counting "Double Dating Duggars"

• Jessa, who has been in a courtship with Ben Seewald for a few weeks, curls her hair (click here to watch our Duggar hair tutorial) for a double-date with Ben and her parents.
• "We've noticed that her head is kind of in the clouds," says Michelle of Jessa.
• While playing mini-golf, Jim Bob asks the new couple about the boundaries they have set for their courtship and possible engagement. They have decided to give each other side hugs to say hello and goodbye and while posing for pictures.
• Ben and Jessa plan to wait a while before they start holding hands. Like Josh and Anna, they have decided to save their first kiss for their wedding day.
• Jessa rocks the mini-golf course, but Ben doesn't do as well.  "Let's just say I don't think Ben has played much mini-golf in his life," says Jessa. Team Jim Bob/Michelle ends up beating Team Ben/Jessa.
• Jim Bob says it's important for his kids to see how much Mom and Dad love each other. "Michelle and I love to kiss. We love to hug. And we do that in front of our kids."
• Meanwhile, Jill takes her buddy team (Joy-Anna, James, and Jennifer) to Harps to buy ingredients for homemade dill pickles, a Duggar family favorite.
• Michelle says Jill does an excellent job at bringing together the different personalities of those on her buddy team. "You've got Joy who has blossomed into this young lady," says Michelle. "She's always looking out for other people," adds Jill. "My Jenny, she's very serious," says Michelle. "Plus she's a deep thinker." And then there's James, who puts all his energy into everything he does.
• "Our buddy groups kind of grew out of a need," says Michelle. She and Jim Bob found it challenging to get everyone out the door, so they created groups of four or five kids and appointed an older child as the leader.
• In Washington D.C., Anna and the kids take on the challenge of assembling a playhouse.
• "Michael is two, and he is full of energy," says Anna. "Mackynzie is my big helper. She knows that she is the firstborn and that her little brothers are looking up to her."

19 Kids and Counting "Another Courtship?"

• Jill calls her parents down to the living room so she can Skype with Derick Dillard, who is in Nepal doing mission work.  "Jill talks about Derick quite often," says Jana. "He comes up in about every conversation."
• In D.C., Anna shows viewers what it's like to homeschool four-year-old Mackynzie while keeping track of two-year-old Michael and infant Marcus. "Sometimes you just have to breathe and step back," says Anna.
• "This isn't even fun," complains Mackynzie while drawing the letter "E." Mackynzie enjoys learning but is a perfectionist and gets upset when she can't figure things out.
• Jeremiah, the Duggar family chess champ, teaches his mom how to play. Michelle enjoys her time with her son but has trouble remembering the rules. "Who made up this game?" jokes Michelle. "I guarantee you a man made this game up."
• "We had a lot of fun together," says Jeremiah.
• While Jim Bob and Michelle are gone, the kids plan a surprise for their parents as a final hurrah before the older ones start going their separate ways. Joy-Anna suggests a dinner theater, and everyone else agrees.
• Joy takes the little ones up to the girls' room and tries to teach them a song, but getting them to cooperate isn't easy. She threatens to call Jana.
• Jill heads to her parent' room for a serious conversation. "I think I'm in love with someone I've never met," she tells them. Jill asks her mom and dad if she can visit him in Katmandu, Nepal. Jim Bob agrees and starts to make plans for he and Jill to fly across the world.

Recap: "A Duggar Says Yes"

Did you enjoy the season 8 premiere of 19 Kids and Counting? Here's the recap for those of you who weren't able to watch the episode live:

• How did Ben and Jessa meet? Ben and his family showed up at the Duggars' church last spring, and Ben and Jessa started getting to know each other via texting. In September, Ben sought Jim Bob and Michelle's blessing to being a courtship. Jessa said yes.
• Meet Ben: Ben Seewald is 18 years old and lives three-and-a-half hours south of the Duggars in the town of Hot Springs, Arkansas. The oldest of seven, he has four sisters and two brothers. He owns a windshield repair business and is a freshman at National Park Community College. Jessa describes Ben as "tall, dark, and handsome."
• More about Jessa: According to the rest of the Duggars, Jessa was an energetic, strong-willed child. At age 20, she "tells it like it is," is loyal to her family and friends, and keeps a good handle on her emotions. When asked to describe his sister in one word, John-David chooses "opinionated."
• After the couple breaks the courtship news to the Duggar family, Jim Bob reminds them that entering a courtship does not mean they should get married right away. Maybe four or five years down the road, he jokes. For now, he encourages Ben and Jessa to focus on building their relationship.
• Jim Bob and the Duggar boys test Ben's character and strength by taking him outside for some back-breaking yard work.
• While the guys work outside, the women prepare a meal. Jessa considers herself a bad cook and says she has warned Ben. Michelle, on the other hand, has full confidence in her daughter's abilities and encourages Jessa to start helping with dinner to build on her skills. 
• When the boys come in to eat, Jim Bob puts Ben on the spot and asks him to pray over the meal.
• Later on, Jessa's four oldest sisters help her pack to visit Ben. "We really need to treasure these moments together and make the most of them," says Jessa. According to Jill, the Duggar girls understand that marriage is not necessarily going to happen in age order, and they are okay with that.
• "Jessa and I have always been really, really close," says Jinger, who is only 14 months younger. "It is kind of bittersweet seeing that Jessa is now in a courtship." 
• John-David, a pilot in training, flies Michelle and Jessa down to Hot Springs. Ben meets them at the airport, and Michelle squeezes between the new couple in the front seat of Ben's truck.
• Michelle babysits Ben's younger siblings while Ben's parents take Ben and Jessa on a double-date. While eating, the Seewalds ask Jessa questions about herself and how she feels about the courtship.   
• "When it was all said and done, I'd say that dinner was very, very good," says Jessa.
• Michelle and Jessa are also introduced to Ben's extended family. "The weekend was amazing, lots of wonderful opportunities for us to communicate and talk," says Jessa.
• Back at the Duggars', Jim Bob tries to be Mr. Mom. He attempts to fix Josie's hair, but it doesn't quite turn out the way Mom and the older girls do it. Dad takes the clan out for pizza at a "kids eat free" restaurant and asks them what they think of Ben. The responses are positive.
• Jim Bob also asks six-year-old Jennifer if she plans to get married someday. "Jenny is dead set against getting married right now, and I think that's fine," says the dad of 19. But he is pretty sure she will change her mind eventually.
• Jim Bob predicts that Jessa's courtship (and now Jill's) will cause more guys to express interest in his other daughters. "It's open season," he jokes.