Recap: A Walk Down Memory Lane

"Josh & Anna: Our Story"...

• Anna grew up in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a family of 10. She shared one bedroom with her four sisters, which she describes as a constant slumber party.
• Josh, as you know, is the oldest of 19. "I was a very mischievous child," he says. "My mom would be right there to say, 'I'm watching you.'"
• As a teenager, Anna says she planned to wait a while for marriage. But that changed when she met Josh at age 18. Several months later, the two began a long-distance courtship. During that time, they spent about an hour each night on conference calls with members of their family listening in. "It was really good for our hearts," says Anna, who believes a long-distance relationship helped develop their communication skills.
• Six months later, Josh asked Anna's dad for permission to marry his daughter. After getting Mr. Keller's blessing, Josh headed down to Florida on Anna's birthday to pop the question.
• During their three-month engagement, Josh and Anna saw each other only once. On the day of the wedding, Jim Bob had a conversation with his oldest son about the "birds and the bees" and gave him some "educational materials."
• The couple saved their first kiss for the altar. Both had seen their parents kiss many times and were confident they could pull it off on the first try. Anna reminded Josh to aim. 
• One of the highlights of the honeymoon, which the couple spent in Myrtle beach, was being chaperone-free for the first time. Upon returning home, they settled into their new home and began their life together.
• Just over a year into their marriage, Josh and Anna welcomed their first child. "There was nothing like seeing Mackynzie and holding her for the first time," says Anna.
• After suffering a miscarriage, Anna took another pregnancy test and got a positive result. She delivered Michael on the toilet after 16 hours of labor. In the summer of 2013, Anna barely made it to the birthing center in time for Marcus' arrival. Soon after welcoming Grand-Duggar #3, Josh and Anna headed off to the nation's capital to start a new life. 
• Having lived in Washington D.C. for three-and-a-half months, Josh and Anna say their little family has grown closer to each other. "I want to be their best friend," says Josh of his children. "I want to be there for them."
• Believe it or not, Josh and Anna didn't set out to give all their children names starting with the letter "M." Like Jim Bob and Michelle, it just sort of happened. They have more names in mind for future children, but of course, that's classified information.
• Although he is 1,200 miles away, Josh is still fulfilling his role of oldest brother: "I have a place in my heart for any guy that wants to court my sisters. It's a very hard place, a very firm place, and it's not easily shaken."

Recap: "Engaging Announcements" & "Duggar Challenges"

19 Kids and Counting "Engaging Announcement"

• On their way home from a speaking engagement, the Duggars stop in Tennessee to visit the Bates. Josiah describes Gil and Kelly Bates and their 19 kids as the Duggars' "southern sidekicks."
• When they arrive, the Duggars get some exciting news...Erin Bates is engaged! She and her fiance, Chad Paine, will tie the knot on November 2nd. According to Jessa, the two are opposites--Erin is bubbly and full of energy, while Chad is "Mr. Steady"--but they balance each other out perfectly. Jim Bob predicts a trend of Duggar and Bates weddings in the near future.
• Michelle and Kelly take their older girls on a ladies-only camping trip two hours away, while Jim Bob and Gil stay home with the rest of the kids. The girls' first task is setting up the tent, which hasn't dried out since the last camping trip and smells of mildew. They end up making other sleeping arrangements; some stretch out on the dock, and others crash in the Duggars' bus.
• Clad in their WholsomeWear bathing suits, the girls spend the afternoon on the lake. "Even if it's just us girls, we still try to maintain a standard of modesty," says Jessa.
• Back at the Bates' house, Gil and the kids prepare dinner. " Where's Jim Bob when you need him?" jokes Gil. Fast asleep on the couch, that's where!
• Gil takes Jim Bob out to his storage shed, which is one-sixth the size of the Duggars', and picks out three items to contribute to the Duggars' upcoming flea market.
• That evening, the ladies gather around the fire for s'mores and girl talk. While Erin shares how she and Chad met and fell in love, Chad tells his version of the story to Jim Bob in the Bates' living room.
• On the day of their engagement, Chad took Erin to Whitestone Country Inn. After a canoe ride, he arranged for a horse-drawn carriage to drop them off at a gazebo. Chad handed Erin a ring box with a letter inside that read, "I finally worked up the courage!" Then he got down on one knee and popped the question. And she said yes!
• Michelle says that her daughters are "ready to be married and to be a wife and a mother." Is it a competition to see who will be first? Nope. The girls say they're just excited to see who God has for each of them.
• The women return from their camping trip to find their kids happy and healthy, although some are in need of a bath. "Daddy did a good job," says three-year-old Josie.

19 Kids and Counting "Duggar Challenges"

• In D.C., Anna is still adjusting to life with three kiddos. "It's like, which child needs my attention most, and that's who we'll start with," says the 25-year-old mom. 
• Anna takes her kids to the grocery store to prepare for dinner guests. When they return home, the children nap while mommy works in the kitchen and at the grill. Josh says his wife is an amazing multi-tasker.
• What does Anna do when her kids won't stay in bed? Keeps tucking them back in. She explains her philosophy: "If I have to put them in bed 100 times, I'll put them in bed 100 times."
• Josh helps finish dinner when he returns from work, and at 7:00, the Reed family arrives. Both Scott and Amanda Reed are in the armed forces. They are stationed in D.C. due to Amanda's job with the national guard.
• Back in Arkansas, the Duggars are preparing for their flea market. The girls decorate their ping pong guns, while the boys make $5 off their first gun sale. Who's the lucky buyer? Grandma Duggar. "Nobody better mess with Grandma," says Jim Bob. "She has a knife now."
• Jim Bob plans to auction off the bigger items, so he invites auctioneer John Reddish over as a learning experience for the kids. According to John, the first step is to learn the rhythm of tongue twisters. Maybe one of the Duggars will be an auctioneer someday. "Or maybe not," says Jim Bob. The learning curve turns out to be a little bit steeper than any of them thought.
• It's crunch time for the Duggars as they finish off preparations for their flea market. "We have a few days, and if we don't hurry, it's not going to happen," says the Duggar dad. But Michelle assures him that they can pull it off. "Michelle's a very confident person, and when she sets her mind to something, it usually happens," says Jim Bob.

Stay tuned because one of the Duggar girls has a big announcement to make next week!

Recap: Anniversaries to Remember

Tonight on 19 Kids and Counting...

• Jim Bob is preparing a special 29th anniversary celebration for his bride. After enlisting his kids' help, he instructs his wife to pack an overnight bag with a few unusual items (anti-motion sickness medicine, anti-gas medicine, a jacket, and closed toed shoes).
• "I feel pretty safe being surprised by Jim Bob," says Michelle. The Duggars jump in the car with chauffer Josiah and head to Terra Studios, where they try their hand at glassblowing. For surprise #2, the kids prepare Michelle's favorite dinner (beans and cornmeal) at War Eagle Mill.
• "It made it so much more special having our children there for our anniversary," says the mom of 19. "It's a precious thing to have a mom and dad that really love each other."
• After dinner, Jim Bob takes Michelle to a hotel similar to the one they stayed at on their wedding night. As usual, he tries to haggle. The agent refuses to drop the price, but she gives them a room with a Jacuzzi. "We're really moving up in the world," jokes Jim Bob, who says the Jacuzzi is a step up from the vibrating bed in their honeymoon suite.
• The next morning, Jim Bob gives Michelle one final surprise: a balloon ride! Michelle, whose greatest fear is heights, is a little unsure about the idea but ends up really enjoying the ride.

Meanwhile in D.C.

• Josh calls up Jana and Joy-Anna and asks them to fly out to help him prepare a 5th anniversary celebration for Anna. When the girls arrive, they are greeted with hugs from their brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephews.
• While Jana and Joy take Anna out for some girl time in Old Town Alexandria, Josh prepares surprise #1 for his wife. The girls enjoy a professional manicure (Anna's first), while Josh does a photo shoot with his kids in their backyard. It takes a while, but Josh ends up getting a few great shots. "It's really hard to sit still," says Mackynzie.
• "I'm sure Josh is going to be just fine with the kids, but I'm a little nervous leaving him," says Anna. This is the longest Josh has been alone with all three Grand-Duggars.
• That evening, Jana and Joy watch the kids while Josh takes Anna out for a date night and presents her with the finished product from his photo shoot.

Random Facts:

1. What is one habit Anna wants to break Josh of? 

Talking too loudly

2. How many cans of hairspray does Jim Bob go through in a month? 

Three

3. Where was Anna when she first told Josh she loved him? 

On her parents' couch

4. Where is the craziest place Jim Bob and Michelle have had Bible study?

 In the bathtub (with Jim Bob's waterproof Bible)

5. How long did Jim Bob and Michelle date before getting engaged?

Seven months

Recap: "A Big Idea" & "Flea Market Challenge"

On tonight's episodes of 19 Kids and Counting... 

"A Big Idea"

• Anna's parents and youngest brothers, Nathan and David, drive 12 hours from their home in Florida to visit. Grandma and Grandpa Keller are thrilled to meet their newest grandson and tour Josh and Anna's spacious home.
• Anna jumps in her Lincoln sedan and ventures into D.C. solo for the first time. The drive takes 20 minutes, and the mom of 3 finishes it off with a solid parallel parking job on a busy city street.
• Fun fact: Josh saves $50 a week by packing his lunch.
• Back in Arkansas, Michelle and Jana take Josie to visit Arkansas Children's Hospital, where the youngest of the 19 Duggar children--born at 1 pound 6 ounces--spent the first several months of her life. Josie greets Dr. Arrington and the nurses with hugs. 
• While Jana and Josie hang out in the playroom, Michelle visits and prays with parents of preemies, including the mom whose son is in the same isolette as Josie.
• "I know it took many people for [Josie] to be here and to be thriving," says Michelle. "We are extremely grateful...because we know it could have been so different. "
• At home, Josie has an accident. Jim Bob, whose experience with potty training is more limited than Michelle's, carries her upstairs, where Jinger and Joy volunteer to help clean her up. The older girls say that Michelle is the primary potty-trainer, while they are on clean-up duty.
• Jim Bob has put the Duggar Family Farm on hold but has another big idea. How about a Duggar Family Flea Market? He shows his wife a storage shed filled with items collected throughout their 29 years of marriage, including furniture, toys, clothes, tools, mattresses, and...Michelle's long-lost salad spinner.

"Flea Market Challenge"

• Michelle is on-board with the flea market idea, as long as they donate the proceeds to families with infants in the Arkansas Children's Hospital NICU. Jim Bob pitches the idea to his kids, and the family heads out to the warehouse to start sorting. "I absolutely love organizing things," says Jessa. "This is going to be exciting. Let's just say my dad likes to collect things...a lot of things."
• The Duggars stop at a local flea market to get some ideas for theirs. For an educational experience, Jim Bob and Michelle split the family in half (boys versus girls) and give each team $50 to see if they can turn it into $100 at the Duggar Flea Market. Jim Bob says he encourages his adult children to develop their own ideas but admits that he is still getting used to dealing with opinions that conflict his.
• The girls end up spending their $50 on hair bows and wooden ping pong guns, while the boys invest in a bucket of knives.
• Michelle and Joy sort through baby clothes to sell at the flea market. "This is the first time in 24 years that we don't have a baby in diapers, and that is a big change," says the mom of 19. "Jim Bob and I have been praying about adoption." Michelle says she is learning how to welcome this new season of life.
• In D.C., Anna takes her kiddos to a mommy-and-me playgroup...on the subway.  "I have never taken the Subway by myself, or by myself with kids, so I'm a little nervous," she admits.
• Mackynzie has a blast right off the bat, but it takes a little while for Michael to realize that mommy isn't leaving. Anna enjoys talking with other moms and hopes to attend playgroup more often.