Recap: "A Toast to Love"

On tonight's episode of 19 Kids and Counting, "A Toast to Love"...

• Derick is finally returning home to Northwest Arkansas after spending two years doing humanitarian work in Nepal. Jill enlists her army of siblings to design posters and blow up balloons to prepare to meet Derick and his mom at the airport.
• "I've never seen Jill so excited about anything," says Jim Bob.
• Jim Bob and Jill are the only Duggars who have met Derick. "I feel like I know him because Jill talks about him all the time," says Michelle. "Of course Jill has explained more than I would ever need to know about Derick and what a great guy he is."
• When the Duggar welcome crew arrives at the airport, Jill lines everyone up and grabs a heart sign that reads "I've waited 60 days for this moment." Derick's brother and stepfather are also there.
• When Derick comes into view, he and Jill run to meet each other and engage in a full-on hug.
• "I think the intentions were to do a side hug, but I think they both were caught off guard," says Michelle, smiling. "Needless to say, they probably won't let that happen again."
• Derick, who says the experience was "a bit overwhelming," gives side hugs to the rest of Jill's family. Four-year-old Josie asks him if he is going to marry Jill.
• Jim Bob and Michelle take Jill and Jessa and their boyfriends out for a triple date. "Tonight I have planned a special triple date for all of the Duggar couples to get to know on another better," says Michelle.
• Jim Bob, Michelle, Jill, and Jessa Duggar, Derick Dillard, and Ben Seewald enjoy a meal and an etiquette class at the beautiful home of a local family and their dog, George W. During dinner, Ben makes "a toast to love."
• Later, while Jim Bob and Michelle are out of the house, the Duggar kids prepare a dinner theater for their parents. Jana is in charge of the operation.
• Joy-Anna's job is to teach "Jesus Loves Me" to the five youngest, and she brings in cousin Amy Duggar to help.
• Joseph, Derick, and Ben construct the stage, while Jessa and Jinger make dinner (steak, sweet potato fries, salad, rolls, and asparagus) and the rest of the kids clean the house.
• When Jim Bob and Michelle arrive home, they are pleasantly surprised by all the work the kids have put into the Duggar Dinner Theater. While Mom and Dad enjoy their dinner, the kids perform music and skits, and Jeremiah recites a touching poem thanking his parents for investing in their kids' lives.

Tune in next week for the season finale, and watch Derick pop the question!

Recap: "Something New" and "Couples' Weekend"

19 Kids and Counting "Something New"

• The Duggar children are accomplished musicians, but Jim Bob and Michelle admit they are not as musical. To kick off the show, Joy-Anna gives Michelle a violin lesson.
• The kids hold a secret meeting to plan a dinner theater for Mom and Dad. Jana heads the operation and delegates tasks to her siblings.
• "We still have some things to figure out...but with a few weeks left, hopefully we will be able to pull off something great," says Jana.
• Jessa and Jinger head down to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for a cooking lesson with Ben Seewald's sisters, Jessica and Danielle. The girls prepare one of Ben's favorite meals, Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and apple pie with ice cream.
• Should Ben expect Jessa to prepare a home cooked meal every night? According to Michelle, "expectations ruin relationships."
• "There may be some TV dinners," says Jim Bob.
• While cooking, Jessa learns that Ben is "very methodical and systematic" and that he snores. Jessica and Danielle ask Jessa if they should be expecting any "exciting news." Jessa's response? "Ask Ben!"
• When Ben comes home and tries the meal, he approves.
• Meanwhile, Jana and Joseph spend time with Josh and Anna in Washington D.C. The crew heads to the mountains to go downhill skiing.
• Josh and Joseph hit the slopes, while Anna takes Mackynzie and Michael for a ski lesson. Anna forgets to put on her snow gear, so she ends up skiing in a skirt for a couple hours before changing. Later, Josh and Anna head out on a ski date.

19 Kids and Counting "Couples' Weekend"

• Jana, Jill, and Jessa attend a birth. Jill acts as the primary midwife under supervision, Jana assists, and Jessa snaps pictures for the couple.
• Jim Bob and Michelle visit a specialist to evaluate Michelle health and her ability to have more children. Michelle says she is content not having any more children, but if it is God's will to bless her with another child, she wants to know how her body will react.
• Michelle takes a blood test to determine if her body is going through menopause. Find out the results in next week's episode.
• Ben and Jessa fly out to Washington D.C., and Jinger goes along as their chaperone.
• Josh takes Ben to the gym to work out and drills him with questions. "Yah, I'm not going to go easy on him," admits Josh.
• Later, the crew takes a trolley ride to show Ben the city. "The trip was so much fun," says Jessa. "We really had a great time together."

Recap: "Going the Distance for Love"

On tonight's episode of 19 Kids and Counting, "Going the Distance for Love"...

• Before Jim Bob and Jill head out for the airport, Jill receives a romantic, handwritten letter from Derick.
• Derick grew up 45 minutes from the Duggars in Rogers, Arkansas, earned an accounting degree at Oklahoma State University, and then spent two years doing humanitarian work in Nepal. Update: he is now in Seminary.
• How did Derick and Jill become friends? Jim Bob set them up! After getting to know Derick as a prayer partner, Jim Bob gave him Jill's number and encouraged him to give her a call.
• Jill texted and video chatted with Derick for three months before traveling 8,000 miles to meet him in person. "Even for a Duggar, this is pretty weird," says Jana.
• After traveling 36 hours, Jim Bob and Jill finally arrive in Katmandu, Nepal. "My anticipation is through the roof," says Jill, who is trying not to get her hopes up but admits she would be very sad if things didn't work out with Derick.
• When Derick comes into view, Jill runs to give him a side hug, and he gives her a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
• "I couldn't believe it," says Derick. "I thought I was still dreaming. I've never been that excited before."
• The next day, Derick takes Jim Bob and Jill sightseeing. "I'm excited to explore this area with Derick, mostly because I get to spend time with him," says Jill.
• "I really felt like a third wheel," admits Jim Bob. He stays 20 feet behind the couple, so as not to "disrupt their relationship." Jim Bob wants to get to know his potential son-in-law but also wants Jill to be able to spend time talking with Derick one-on-one.
• "Jill is ultimately the one in charge of the relationship, but I know she values my input," says Jim Bob.
• Back at home, Josie has a meltdown, and Michelle has to remind her that "the world does not revolve around Josie."
• Michelle takes Jessa out to Mama Carmen's coffee shop to talk about Ben. "It's been good," says Jessa. "I'm missing him though. I haven't seen him for about five days." Although Ben lives three-and-a-half hours south, he and Jessa see each other twice a month.
• Jessa values the time she gets to spend with her mom. "She's not just my mom, but she's also one of my best, closest friends."
• At the end of the show, Derick pulls Jim Bob aside and seeks his blessing to ask Jill to begin a courtship.
• "I know Jill really likes you," Jim Bob tells Derick. "I wish Michelle was here, too, so I could talk to her." But he ends up granting Derick permission. "I really feel that if Jill is fine with this, then Mom and I will be fine with it," Jim Bob adds, giving Derick a quick side hug. 
• Here's Jill's take on the situation: "At this point, I'm really enjoying getting to know him. But if Derick asked me to court him, I don't know, actually. I'm still praying a lot."

Tune in next week to hear the rest of the story!