For almost two years now, fans of the Duggar family have been eagerly anticipating official word that Jana Duggar is courting Lawson Bates.
The rumors first surfaced back in the summer of 2015, and the family’s silence on the subject led many to believe that Jana had finally found herself some suitable husband material.
(We say “finally” by Duggar family standards. Jana’s only 27, but three of her younger sisters are already married and a fourth is courting.)
Earlier this week, rumors about Jana and Lawson courting resurfaced, with some fans claiming the Duggars inadvertently posted evidence of the relationship to their Facebook page on Valentine’s Day.
The alleged proof shows Jana receiving a bouquet of roses.
Fans say the flowers are from Lawson, but insist that because Duggar obsessives have awaited news of a Jana courtship for so long, the family wants to make sure the relationship will stick before they announce it.
The courtship murmurs got louder after Lawson posted a pic poking fun at engagement photos on April Fools’ Day:
Sadly, it seems we have some bad news for all the Jana-Lawson ‘shippers.
Addressing the questions about a possible courtship in a recent blog entry, Lawson’s mother, Kathy Jo Bates had this to say:
“I think that probably Lawson and Jana would both be shocked by that news, although we have heard that rumor.”
Yes, if any courtship exists, it’s apparently news to Jana and Lawson.
Another reason to be skeptical is a recent interview that Jana gave with Crown of Beauty magazine, in which she discussed the challenges of remaining single in a family where all of her sisters are getting hitched:
“I know how it feels to wait for ‘Prince Charming’ to come along. I’m still waiting. Waiting is not always easy,” Jana said.
“Especially in those times when all the married siblings are getting together and you can’t go along because your not part of ‘that’ group,”
Certainly doesn’t sound like someone who’s happy in a new relationship to us.
But hey, Jana clearly wants a relationship, and her parents obviously want more grandkids, so we’re sure it’ll happen eventually.
In the meantime, watch Counting On online to remind yourself of how poor, put-upon Jana earned the nickname “the Cinderella Duggar.”
