As always, the rumors and speculation surrounding the Duggars in the lead-up to the return of Counting On are off the proverbial chain.
Will Josiah"s second try at courtship last? Will Jessa and Ben adopt or get pregnant? Will Josh (or Jill) ever be seen on camera again?
Will Joy-Anna finally put the shotgun wedding rumors to rest by virtue of having her baby nine months or more after she tied the knot?
These questions and more will be answered in the upcoming season of Counting On, starting Monday, February 26 on the TLC network.
Here"s a look at some storylines we expect to see on the always-controversial reality hit, along with some we certainly hope to.
1. Center of Attention
The network’s first promotional image for the new season speaks volumes in terms of who’s featured and who’s absent. Derick Dillard is persona non grata, and it looks like wife Jill will be MIA with him. With just weeks to go before welcoming her first child, it looks like Joy-Anna will get the bulk of the screen time.
2. Joy’s Bundle of Joy
Joy is set to give birth any day now. (The Duggars have kept her due date a secret, a move that’s made fans suspect she got pregnant out of wedlock.) While viewers might have to wait until next season to see her child enter the world, the bulk of her pregnancy will likely be featured in the upcoming string of new episodes.
3. Jana Courting
From Tim Tebow to Lawson Bates and Jonathan Hartono, and from Jacob Wilson to Caleb Williams, eldest daughter Jana has been linked to many available men over the years. Yet none of these courtship rumors have ever come to fruition. Will this be the year for the fair Cinderella Duggar? Or will we be treated to more gripping footage of Jana working in the garden and slaving away taking care of Anna and Josh’s brood?
4. A Bun in Jinger’s Oven
Joy’s not the only one with a baby on the way! Jinger Duggar is expecting her first child sometime in 2018. The Counting On production schedule usually puts the show 2-3 months behind, so expect to see her share her big news late in the season.
5. Speaking of the Vuolos…
Of course, fans are already wondering if we’ll be seeing much of Jinger at all this season. She and husband Jeremy Vuolo live in Laredo, Texas, and between his work as a minister and her pregnancy, they may not have the opportunity to travel to Arkansas to spend time with her family very often.
6. A Kid For Kendra
Joseph Duggar and his wife, Kendra Caldwell, are soon to welcome their first child, as well. In the past, Counting On has struggled to find an entire season’s worth of storylines. We don’t think that will be an issue this time around, especially since…