Tour the Dillards' House

 

The Dillards have been in their new house for almost three months. Moving and unpacking is a huge ordeal, especially with young kids, and Jill and Derick admit that they still have work to do to finish organizing. In the meantime, however, they have been gracious enough to film a short video tour for fans. Click here to watch the video on their YouTube account.

Their house has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. One of the bedrooms is a master, one is the boys' room, one is Derick's office, and the fourth is a guest room/storage room.


Photos are property of dillardfamily.com and may not be used without written permission. Additional house photos can be found on the Dillards' website.

Dillard Update

Derick Dillard, Israel Dillard, Samuel Dillard

 

Samuel Dillard

The Dillards are two months into Derick's law school education, and life has been busy. Between long days in class and late nights studying, Derick has been forced to spend more time away from his family than in past seasons of life.

To stay connected, Jill and Derick make regular date nights a priority, and they take advantage of opportunities to bond as a family whenever Derick's schedule allows. Sometimes that means bringing homemade food to the law school cafeteria so Jill and the boys can eat dinner with Papa during his study break.

Last month, Derick's brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Deena Dillard, welcomed a baby boy. Needless to say, Jill and Derick are thrilled for Israel and Samuel to have their first cousin on the Dillard side. 


Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com

Dress Day with the Duggars Part 4

Here it is, the final installment of Ellie's behind-the-scenes account of the day Joy-Anna Duggar chose her wedding dress. Being a part of the process was a blast! (Below are links to the first three segments.)

Dress Day with the Duggars Part 1
Dress Day with the Duggars Part 2
Dress Day with the Duggars, Part 3

It's no secret that Joy-Anna isn't a big shopper, but with help from dress designer Renee Miller and the other Duggar women and girls, Joy was eventually able to find a gown that she loved.

Both Michelle Duggar and Roxanne Forsyth (Joy's mother-in-law) had given Joy swatches from their wedding dresses so Renee could find a way to incorporate them into the gown. Michelle wore Grandma Duggar's dress, which gave her swatch even more meaning. (For those who didn't know, Joy's wedding was on Grandma's birthday.)

The Duggar sisters are familiar with many fashion terms, especially Jana and Jessa, who were very active in asking questions and searching different styles on their iPhones to help Joy figure out what she wanted.

Whenever anyone mentioned Austin's name, Joy beamed. She was wearing the heart necklace that he gave her, so Renee said she would try to use the double heart design to incorporate the swatches into Joy's gown.

The Duggars looped Jill Dillard in via video chat, and Jana sent her lots of pictures throughout the day. (It was early May, so the Dillards were still in Central America.) The call dropped when Jill's WiFi stick overheated, and she had to put it in her freezer to cool it off.

Here is the breakdown of the dresses that Joy tried on:

Dress #1: Fitted with white lace over tan fabric. Not Joy's style, but everyone agreed that it looked lovely.

Dress #2: Flowy, pure white with polka dots. It was the right cut (A-line), but Joy was not a fan of the polka dots (although she does like polka dots and had told Renee that).

Dress #3: Similar fit to dress #2 but with sleeves and all-over lace. (Austin likes lace.) Joy liked the 3/4 length sleeves. 

Dress #4: The same fit as dress #3 but more full. Less lace and lots of tulle and satin.

Joy knew just by looking at dress #5 (a shorter, calf-length gown) and dress #6 (a mermaid-style gown) that they weren't her style.

Renee ended up piecing together a dress using pieces from various gowns. Joy tried it on and immediately fell in love with it. In the few weeks before the wedding, she added 3/4 length sleeves, adjusted the neckline, and made a few other changes.

Joy tried on veils and found one that she liked. Towards the end, Jill called back and was able to see the finished look. Derick joined for a moment and told Joy that she looked beautiful. Mama Michelle was genuinely thrilled to see her daughter in a dress that made her look and feel gorgeous (see photo above).

Photo courtesy Carrie Wilson Photography 

Visit TLC.com, Carrie Wilson's Facebook page, and the Renee's Bridal KY Facebook page to see more photos from Joy's dress day.

Dillards Fundraise for Missions

Cross Church College worship event at University of Arkansas
Attended by the Dillards, August 23rd

We have continued to keep you updated as the Dillards begin new ventures in ministry. Two weeks ago, we shared that Jill and Derick had become involved in leadership with the college group at Cross Church, and just a few days ago we announced Derick's enrollment in the Cross Church School of Ministry.

Derick just set up a fundraising page through a site called Pure Charity, with a donations goal of $6,500.  He says the money will enable him to fulfill his call to ministry during the upcoming year, as he is involved in the School of Ministry residency.

Derick plans to take trips for "Gospel advancement and humanitarian work in Northwest Arkansas, North America, and abroad."

Photo courtesy dillardfamily.com

Tonight: 'A Boy or Girl for Jill?'

It's Monday, and you know what that means...

A new episode of Counting On airs tonight at 9pm ET/8pm CT! We are on a short blogging break, so our recap will be a day or two late, but we will post it as soon as we can.

Monday, July 3
9pm: A Boy or Girl For Jill? (NEW)
The Seewalds are adjusting to being a family of four. In Laredo, Jinger and Jeremy learn Spanish and test their skills at a local restaurant. Meanwhile, Joy enjoys dinner with Austin's family. Then the Dillards reveal the gender of Baby #2.
11pm: A Boy or Girl For Jill? (NEW)

Photo courtesy DCL

'Counting On' Season Premiere

Season three of Counting On premieres next Monday on TLC. We have included the summaries of the first two episodes below.

Check out Monday's post to watch the latest promo video, in which the Dillards reveal that Derick has sought medical counsel regarding recent health concerns. To read more about Jinger's wedding gown and see exclusive pictures, take a look at parts one and two of our interview with the dress designer.

Monday, January 16
9pm ET: The Jinger Gown (Season Premiere) 
Jinger said yes to marrying Jeremy, and now it's time to start planning for the big day, which is just 3 months away. The family takes a trip out East to find Jinger's perfect dress. But with more options than imagined, will she find the dress of her dreams?

11pm ET: The Jinger Gown

Monday, January 23

9pm ET: Could it be Twins? (NEW)
Jessa and Ben listen to the heartbeat of Seewald Baby #2, which makes them wonder if they are having twins. They travel to see friend Flame in concert, and Ben takes center stage. Jinger continues with wedding planning and finalizes important details.
11pm ET: Could it be Twins?


Photos courtesy TLC

Balancing Screen Time on 'Counting On'

Many of you have shared your desire for Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar to take more of a lead role in Counting On, as they did in 19 Kids and Counting. If you were the producer of the show, how would you balance screen time between the Duggars, Dillards, and Seewalds? What sort of footage would you show?

P.S. Don't you just love this new photo of Jim Bob and Michelle?

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Duggar Snapshots September 2016

What have the Duggars been up to this month? Scroll through these snapshots to find out...

First off, here's a new photo of Marcus Duggar (three years old) and Michael Duggar (five years old). The plaque on the wall says: "Love one another as I have loved you, John 15:12."

This aerial shot shows Josie Duggar, Johannah Duggar, and Jordyn Duggar enjoying breakfast at the Duggars' kitchen counter over the weekend.

Football season has begun! During Saturday's game, Jessa Seewald, Ben Seewald, and Spurgeon Seewald rooted on the Arkansas Razorbacks.

During their stay in the United States, Jill and Derick have been spending time with family, assisting with preparations for Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo's wedding, as well as the upcoming marriage of Derick's brother, Dan Dillard, to Deena. The Dillards have also been taking courses and serving with local mission organizations. They recently chatted with international students at a University of Arkansas CRU event.

Seeking an opportunity to bond before Jinger's wedding and Jill's return to Central America, the Duggar sisters also took a short girls trip.

Joy Duggar, Jill Dillard, Jinger Duggar, and Jessa Seewald

And Jessa Seewald, who is four months pregnant with her second child, gave a haircut to nephew Michael. 

During a recent get-together with friends, three of the youngest Duggars (Josie Duggar, Michael Duggar, and Marcus Duggar) played a card game.

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com, dillardfamily.com, theseewaldfamily.com

Dillards Discuss Family Plans

In this clip from last night's show, Jill and Derick Dillard dress up for a fancy dinner at a Central American resort, where they are celebrating their two-year wedding anniversary. While trying to keep Israel happy, the Dillards enjoy a delicious meal and discuss their roles for the upcoming year. Both agree that they would love to have another child. The Dillards also exchange letters that they wrote for each other.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Recap: "Duggars in the Wild"

Counting On "Duggars in the Wild"

• The Duggar siblings continue their time at Signet 3 Survival School in Southern Missouri. When Jason sees a bear in the middle of the night, his first thought is to make sure that Joy, who is sleeping in a hammock, is okay. 
• The following day, the guides take the Duggars on a hike through the woods. "The clothes the girls were wearing were probably not a great idea, especially with all the bugs and poison ivy that we've got floating around here," says one of the guides. 
• The girls explain to viewers that it's not as hard as people think to wear skirts out in the woods. "This is how we've lived all our lives," says Jana. "We just do things...a little different."
• The siblings learn how to turn a plastic bottle (found on the ground) into a charcoal water filter. After the filter is finished, the guides pass it around so the Duggars can take a drink. Some of them give it a try, but others politely refuse. "I am not a germaphobe," states Josiah, "I just like to enjoy my food by myself."
• During the hike, Jinger takes a bunch of pictures to send to Jeremy. Wifi is nonexistent in the woods, so she can't text or video chat with her boyfriend. "It's good to have her back," says Joy, chuckling. 
• The next survival lesson is on finding "wild edibles." "Broadening our horizons is a good thing, but it's not always fun, especially when it's plants," admits Jinger. 
• After learning how to build survival structures, the siblings are told that they have to spend the night in those shelters. Jason, Josiah, Jedidiah, Jana, Jinger, and Joy end up in the RV partway through the night.
• Down in Central America, the Dillards head to a resort to celebrate their two-year anniversary. Israel looks confusingly at the bathtub, as he is accustomed to bathing in the kitchen sink. 
• Later, Jill and Derick take Israel to the pool. Derick grew up swimming and was a lifeguard, so he enjoys teaching his son to love the water.
• Going on a dinner date with a one-year-old proves to be a bit difficult. "...He could see the pool and was just going to head there whether we took him there or not," laughs Derick.
• Jill says that Israel is ready to be a big brother." She and Derick are "looking forward to having another baby soon."
• "I have a lot more respect for Jill as a person just after living with her and seeing her heart," shares Derick. The two lovebirds exchange letters for their anniversary gifts.
• Back in Arkansas, eight-month-old Spurgeon cuts his third tooth. He is already 20 pounds!
• The Seewalds deliver baby clothes to their friends, the Youngs, who have seven-week-old Brecken. 
• Cuddling Brecken makes Jessa want another newborn. (Update: The Seewalds just announced that they are expecting their second child in February 2017.)

Dillards: Life in Central America

"...It's scary to me as a mom. [Israel is] a gringo, and he stands out, and with that brings risk."
-Jill Dillard

Are you looking forward to catching up with Jill, Derick, and Israel Dillard in the new season of Counting On (premieres Tuesday, August 23, at 8pm ET/7pm CT)? Viewers will watch as the Dillards work on the mission field in Central America and then head back to the United States for a visit that extends into the fall.

In the following video, Jill and Derick share an inside look into their new lives as missionaries. While filming this update, they were in the middle of a three-day water outage.

Photo/video courtesy of TLC

Israel Dillard Enjoys Arkansas

The Dillards are making the most of their time in the United States. Since their arrival last weekend, they have been spending time with family and friends and checking items off their to-do list.

Following the ADA's recommendations, Jill and Derick Dillard took their one-year-old son to the dentist for his first checkup. It looks like Israel is enjoying himself, doesn't it?

 Israel Dillard's first visit to the dentist

Jill and Derick say that their little family is enjoying air conditioning, which they consider to be a luxury after living without it in Central America.

Israel was an infant when he left home last fall, so Grandma Cathy had a new car seat waiting for him when he arrived in Arkansas.

Israel Dillard and his new car seat

Derick introduced Israel to baby chicks at the Benton County Fair, which runs through Saturday. It's never too early to teach kids how to handle small animals.

Derick Dillard and Israel Dillard at the Benton County Fair

Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com

Dillards Coming Home SOON

The July short-term missionaries sent by the organization that the Dillards are serving with are wrapping up their time in Central America, which means that Jill, Derick, and Israel Dillard will be back in the United States very soon! The family of three is returning to Arkansas for a temporary stay that will extend into the fall.

The Dillards have been on the mission field since last fall, when they returned for Jill's midwifery exam, cousin Amy Duggar's wedding, and a number of other commitments. (Click here to see photos from their farewell party.)

They have been blessed to enjoy visits from various family members, including Grandma C, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, James Duggar, the Seewalds, and a handful of the other Duggar siblings. However, there are a quite a few Duggars whom the Dillards have not seen in nearly 10 months.

During their time at home, Jill and Derick Dillard will work remotely with their ministry organization, partner with local ministries, and expand their knowledge through Bible classes.

There will also be plenty of excitement as the Dillards help Derick's brother, Dan Dillard, and Jill's sister, Jinger Duggar, prepare for their upcoming weddings. Dan Dillard is engaged to a gal named Deena, and Jinger said "yes" to Jeremy Vuolo's proposal.

Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com

Find Israel's Great-Grandma

 Jill and Derick Dillard with Derick's mom, Cathy, and Cathy's adoptive mom

Those who are dedicated viewers of the Duggars' show have probably heard Derick Dillard mention that his mother, Cathy Dillard Byrum, was adopted. That is one of the reasons why Jill and Derick are hoping to adopt kids of their own. You may also remember Cathy mentioning around the time of Israel's birth that he is her third known blood relative. (The other two are Derick and his brother Dan.)

The Dillards are on the lookout for another one of Cathy's blood relatives, her birth mom. Her name is Joyce Perry, and she was born on December 9, 1925, and has lived in Texas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. Israel Dillard has met his great-grandma Duggar, and Jill and Derick are hoping to have him meet another "great."

With help from others, the Dillards have located the gravestone of a Joyce Perry who passed away in November 1992, and they are currently looking into the possibility of that being the same Joyce Perry who is Cathy's birth mom. Regardless, the Dillards say they would like to know more about Cathy's birth family.

Cathy's adoptive mom, Grandma Vergie, passed away in November 2014 (see picture above).

Photo courtesy dillardfamily.com

Recap: "Israel Meets Spurgeon"

Jill & Jessa: Counting On "Israel Meets Spurgeon" (Season 1 Finale)...

• The episode picks up where last week’s episode left off. Derick has met Jessa and Ben and several of the Duggar siblings at the airport, and they are en route to see Jill and Israel.
• When everyone arrives at the Dillards’ home, Israel meets his “Spurgie cousin” and gives him a bunch of kisses.
• “He is a chunk!” exclaims Jill, as she holds Spurgeon for the first time. Jill gives Jessa a tour of her home, which has three bedrooms but is still very small. It also does not have air conditioning.
• When asked if she would travel halfway around the world to meet her man, like Jill did while Derick was in Nepal, Jinger replies: “Well I don’t think I have to.”
• The Duggar siblings join the Dillards in helping prepare for the ministry’s annual women’s conference. When the women arrive, all five of the Duggar girls sing a song for them, and Jill shares a message.
• Jessa looks back on the mission trips the Duggars took to Central America when she was a teenager and remembers Jill telling her how much she loved the area and wanted to live there someday.
• How do the Duggars describe Jill? “Bubbly, loving, sweet, the one you can depend on for an encouraging word, so much fun, and patient” are some of their answers.
• On another day, the Duggars, Dillards, and Seewalds visit the orphanage where Mike and Sandy Schadt, founders of SOS Ministries, adopted their daughter.
• Jill says she is not pregnant but that their next child will probably be natural, rather than adopted, although she and Derick are still hoping to adopt someday.
• Derick, who says he has not played soccer since fifth grade, and the Duggar boys organize a soccer tournament. The Central American team beats the “Doringos.”
• When asked who they think will be the first to have another child, Jill and Jessa say they don’t know. “I think we’ll probably be pregnant at the same time,” predicts Jill.
• When it comes time for the Seewalds and Duggars to leave, they are sad to part ways with the Dillards. “I have milk, I can keep you!” Jill tells Spurgeon, jokingly.
• The Dillards admit that they don’t know what the future holds for them. “For now, God has us serving on the mission field in Central America, and we’re taking it day by day, week by week,” shares Derick. 

Will Counting On return for a second season? Click here to find out how you can help convince TLC to bring the show back. 

Tour the Dillards' New Home

Tonight on the Jill & Jessa: Counting On season finale, which airs at 9pm ET/8pm CT, the Duggars and Seewalds continue their mission trip down in Central America, and Israel Dillard meets Spurgeon Seewald for the first time.

In the sneak peek video below, Jill Dillard gives Jessa Seewald a tour of her home, which has three bedrooms but no air conditioning. The Dillards often host temporary missionaries, so having extra space is a huge blessing.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Duggars Visit an Orphanage

On Tuesday's season finale episode of Jill & Jessa: Counting On, the Seewalds and several of Jessa's siblings continue their mission trip in Central America with the Dillards. The crew visits an orphanage and discusses adoption.

"I wish I could gather up an armload and carry 'em out," comments Jessa Seewald in the video below. Both the Dillards and Seewalds hope to adopt in the near future. Will you be watching the season finale?

 Photo/video courtesy TLC

Dillards and Seewalds in 'Us Weekly'

The Dillards and Seewalds are in this week's edition of Us Weekly. The story is called "Two Kids and Counting" and shares all the details of Jill and Jessa's lives as first-time-moms.

According to Jessa Seewald, "having little siblings was like having live baby dolls."

Spurgeon Seewald, who turns six months old in May, has started rolling over and can scoot across the floor. His cousin, almost-13-month-old Israel Dillard, has seven teeth and is a pro at walking.

You will see footage of Spurgeon and Israel's first meeting during Tuesday's season finale episode, but Jill Dillard tells Us Weekly that Israel gave Spurgeon a bunch of kisses!

Both Jill and Jessa agree that mom Michelle Duggar is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to raising kids. "There's no pressure to do things just exactly how she did them, but when I feel overwhelmed, she's always there telling me, 'You're doing a great job!'" shares Jessa. "That gives me the courage to trust my instincts."

For more information, including quotes from Ben Seewald and Derick Dillard, grab a copy of Us Weekly at your local newsstand.


Photos courtesy theseewaldfamily.com, dillardfamily.com, TLC

Recap: "Ben Drops Beats"

Jill & Jessa: Counting On "Ben Drops Beats"

• Last week, we saw Jim Bob and Michelle make a surprise visit to Central America. While there, Michelle gives Israel his first haircut. “It’s amazing to think how much life has actually changed over the past few years,” says Derick.
• Although the visit is short, Jim Bob and Michelle enjoy joining in on some of the Dillards’ mission work.
• Back in Arkansas, Jinger, with help from Jessa, does a photo shoot with Mark and Sierra Dominguez and their five kids. The Duggars met Mark and Sierra when they had just one child.
• The older kids continue work on the treehouse. Jessa tries to convince John-David to add electricity, plumbing, and air conditioning, but John isn’t too keen on those ideas.
• Jana, Jinger, and Joy help the boys cut and haul boards. Joseph says his sisters often pitch in with indoor and outdoor construction work.
• Jana, Anna, Jinger, and Joy chat with Jill and Israel via Skype. Jill fills her sisters and sister-in-law in on Israel’s latest milestones and demonstrates how her son responds to words in both English and Spanish. The Duggars look forward to traveling down to Central America on a mission trip in a few weeks.
• The Seewalds head to St. Louis, Missouri, to meet with Christian hip hop artist FLAME.
• Ben is passionate about ministry work and is interested in serving in inner-cities. He reached out to FLAME, who grew up in inner-city St. Louis, via email, and the two struck up a friendship.
• This will be Spurgeon’s second time on an airplane. He is an easy-going child, and Jessa says that traveling with three is much easier than traveling with a family of 21.
• The Seewalds visit FLAME’s recording studio and meet the rest of his group. “It was really cool hanging out in the studio with these guys and just seeing their passion for Christian hip hop,” says Jessa. “It’s a different type of music, but it’s still got that message, and it’s really great.”
• “Really, I wouldn’t have really known anything about Christian hip hop if it wasn’t for Ben liking this type of music,” admits Jessa. “I probably mostly listen to bluegrass and classical and some Christian-country type stuff.”
• Spurgeon enjoys “singing” along to the music, so the producer records some of his sounds. FLAME convinces Ben to step into the recording booth and try his hand (or should we say voice) at hip hop. Jessa cracks up when she hears the finished product, which features music by Ben and Spurgeon.
• Later, FLAME takes Ben to the neighborhood where he grew up. He shows Ben his basement bedroom window, where, as a child, he witnessed a man being killed across the street. FLAME gives Ben advice for successful inner-city mission work: “Be genuine. Be yourself. When people see you’re genuine…they let you in their hearts.”
• Meanwhile, Jessa tries Indian food with FLAME’s wife and her sister, who are from India. 
• “It’s great getting to meet new friends and people who have come from very diverse backgrounds and getting to learn more about their culture and their customs and how we differ,” says Jessa.
• What do the other Duggars think of hip hop? 
• Jana: “I wouldn’t know how to describe hip hop music.” 
• Joseph: “Hip hop, I would say that would be more of a modern type [of] music.”
• Joy-Anna: “Hip hop…is kind of like rock music, I think.” 
• Jinger: “It’s one of a kind, that’s for sure.” 
• John-David: “You don’t even have to be…an excellent singer, I don’t think, to do it.”
• Anna: “Hip hop is a beat, and rappers rap on hip hop beat. Is that right, Bill? The sound guy is telling me what hip hop is.”

Israel Dillard Update

As we announced this morning, today is Israel's 1st birthday! The Dillards celebrated with friends on Sunday and will bring a pinata to church this evening. Derick's mom (aka "Grandma C") paid a visit to Central America just in time for her grandson's milestone birthday.

Jill and Derick's letter to Israel has been posted to their website. Here are a few updates:

-Israel is a pro at walking and enjoys playing soccer.
-He has 7 (soon to be 8) teeth.
-In addition to several words in sign language, Israel can say "Mama," "Papa," and "uh oh." When he wants to nurse, he says "nur-nur."
-Israel is also learning Spanish and will give kisses when he hears the word "besitos."
-During worship at church, Israel enjoys dancing and clapping.


Photo courtesy dillardfamily.com