Monday on an all-new episode of TLC’s Counting On, a nervous but resolute Austin Forsyth proposed to Joy-Anna Duggar. It was magical.
Meanwhile, Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell took a major step forward as well, as he asked for her dad blessing … to court her.
This was Joy’s episode, though. Through and through.
When Counting On Season 3 Episode 5 got underway, fans already knew the outcome of the big storyline, but that didn’t diminish it.
In fact, if you watch Counting On online, then you’ve already seen Austin Forsyth marry Joy-Anna Duggar, 19, just a few weeks ago.
Guess he didn’t get cold feet after this engagement.
Despite the strange timetable of events playing out on the show, it was wonderful to see the moment in which Austin popped the question.
The duo had been courting for “a little over three months” when Austin decided it was time. Or his father determined it was, anyway.
Austin sold his fifth flipped house, which meant, in his eyes, he was ready for a lifetime commitment with a woman (yes, that is the criteria).
“The feeling is pretty amazing but it’s surreal,” Austin told the TLC cameras. “It’s a huge step in our relationship but I’m ready.”
“I can’t believe that in just a few days I’ll be engaged!”
After Austin asked Jim Bob Duggar’s permission, he enlisted help from his own family to plan an elaborate proposal on top of a mountain.
“I haven’t been able to sleep knowing today’s the day,” he said, admitting he was nervous about everything going according to plan.
“I’m kind of concerned she’s going to find out and it may not get pulled off quite right,” he added, admitting that when it comes to this:
“We don’t have a plan B.”
Joy arrived with two of her younger sisters thinking she was taking them horseback riding – yes, chaperones were in on Austin’s plan.
They actually did ride horses for a bit, further selling the ruse; Austin kept detouring off the trail to show Joy some of his favorite locations.
He said this was to “throw Joy off” in case she suspected a proposal was going to happen, which doesn’t really make sense, but whatever.
Soon enough, he told the other girls to go ahead, pulled off the trail with Joy and asked her the four words we were all waiting to hear:
“Do you trust me?”
“Yeah,” she said.
That’s when he pulled out the … blindfold. “I can’t tell you that right now,” he said, when she asked what his plans were for that.
Still, she let him.
She let him.
As he led her up the final hill, Austin’s dad handed him the box with the ring in it, and when he removed her blindfold, he was on one knee.
He proposed, she said yes, even Austin’s father began tearing up at such a beautiful romantic sight, and the rest, as they say, is history.
“You’re so amazing,” Joy told Austin.
“That was epic.”
“When I’m around Joy, I feel complete,” Austin said, reflecting on their past, present and future. “It’s like being with your best friend.”
Congrats guys!
Check out the best friends’ wedding album below to see everything that happened on that day in May, just a few months later!
