On the season premiere of Counting On – formerly Jill & Jessa: Counting On, but still starring Jill and Jessa, among others – love was in the air.
Love … and courtship … and baby fever?!
On yes, Counting On Season 3 Episode 1 featured all of the above and more in an installment that was long-awaited and full of milestones.
With a focus on Jill, Jessa and their husbands, as well as Jinger Duggar, it was sure to please card carrying members of Duggar Nation.
Ben Seewald and Jessa Duggar talked about the experience of having their first child, Spurgeon, who’s six months old in this footage.
Friends of Ben and Jessa are seen having dinner with them on Counting On Season 3 Episode 1, and again, touch on the topic of adoption.
The Napiers talk about how they adopted their daughter from Africa, something that Ben and Jessa have long expressed interest in doing.
Jessa says she feels so close to older sister Jill Duggar since they’re in the same stage of life, both happily married with young sons.
Of course … as of yesterday we now know that Ben got Jessa Duggar pregnant recently, while similar rumors of Jill expecting are false.
Moreover, Jill says Jinger will be next to get pregnant, not her, so perhaps the two married Duggars won’t be living parallel lives for long.
Speaking of Jill, she and husband Derek Dillard were filmed on their mission trip in Central America, where things are often quite challenging.
Beyond kidnapping and murder that run rampant in El Salvador, and the Zika virus, water outages happen and make child care tough.
At least they have each other as an emotional rock.
That will take you a long way in life, and the same can’t necessarily said for Jessa’s latest visitor, long-suffering sister-in-law Anna Duggar.
Anna offered fans an update on the status of her relationship with that cheating, porn addict, hypocritical child molester Josh Duggar.
Despite all the pain she’s experienced, and they’ve endured as a couple, Josh is back from rehab and they’re moving forward together.
Forgive us if we sign and cringe a little.
Most relationships involve some element of “pain” at times, but given the kind he put her through, Anna just looks a little too cheerful.
Obviously, there’s no chance that she’ll actually leave Josh, as much as he deserves it, so we understand trying to put on a brave face.
Still, it makes us sad to have the nature and scope of what he did glossed over in this fashion, by the sweet woman he did it to no less.
Anyway, Anna helps Jessa buy baby-proofing items for Spurgeon, and they bring younger sister Jinger Duggar along for the ride as well.
Segue alert!
Finally, after Jessa is asked about her sibling’s love life, the relationship between Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo is introduced to the viewers.
Their relationship and Jinger getting engaged to Jeremy Vuolo will be the highlight of this season, a feel-good story everyone will love.
Jim Bob Duggar was seen giving Jeremy his permission to court Jinger, whose siblings all shared their opinions of the couple’s relationship.
After being picked up at the airport by family patriarch Jim Bob, Jeremy arrives at the Duggar compound to begin the process of courtship.
It’s magical.
Jeremy and Jinger’s reunion was extra special, both with his gift to her and the way they say “I love you” for the first time on camera.
These two are smitten with each other, and everyone in the family knows it too – especially Jinger, who’s pretty speechless over Vuolo.
When Jeremy asks Jinger if they can court, we’re left in suspense … as to just how much they will break courtship rules this season.
Seriously. So many full-on front hugs.
