Her extended family may be falling apart.
But Jill Duggar would like everyone to know something right about now:
Her immediate family? Her relationship with the most important person in her life?
Things in those important and personal departments could not be going any better.
Duggar made this known on Monday in honor of a romantic milestone.
“7 years ago today we said ‘I do’ and became husband and wife!” the 30-year-old Counting On alum gushed in a lovely Instagram tribute this week.
She added:
“@derickdillard I could’ve never imagined at the time all we’d face together and where we’d be now, but I’m forever grateful for you always by my side!”
All we’d face together.
Those four words sum up a lot, don’t they?
Jill and Derick appeared on both 19 Kids and Counting — which was canceled by TLC after Josh Duggar confessed to his history of molestation — and then also played main roles on the reality show’s spinoff.
They quit about two years ago, though, with Dillard hurling tons of shade in the subsequent several months over the greedy and controlling nature of his father-in-law.
At one point, Dillard even accused Jim Bob Duggar of stealing money from his kids, claiming he pocketed the money his kids earned from TLC.
It took Jill some time to jump on board the anti-Duggar bandwagon, but she finally admitted in the fall of 2020 that she’s estranged from her parents and most of her siblings.
“There’s been some distancing there,” Jill confessed in a YouTube video back then, adding of her famous (or infamous?) mother, father, brothers and sisters:
“We’re not on the best terms with some of my family.”
Duggar didn’t delve into specifics at the time, simply saying:
“We’ve had some disagreements, but we’re working towards healing definitely and restoration, but we’re having to kind of just take some time and heal.”
However, Jill has publicized her alcohol intake on Instagram… worn pants… and talked at length about her sexual habits and preferences.
In other words? She’s taken almost every opportunity possible to thumb her nose at her family’s strict rules and guidelines.
Concluded Jill in her tribute this week, acknowledging the father of her two sons:
“Thank you for being my man and loving and leading through thick and thin! You’re my bestie for the restie!”
To mark the occasion, Jill also uploaded footage of her wedding ceremony to her and Dillard’s YouTube channel.
The couple later researched the traditional seven-year anniversary gift, sharing their findings with fans in an Instagram Story video.
“We always like to look [it] up every year,” Duggar explained. “We always do it on the day. … [This year] it’s wool or copper.”
Dillard then pondered the perfect gift to match the theme, teasing:
“One of the ideas is, and keep this in mind if you’re about to have your seventh wedding anniversary, is to get your significant other a pet sheep. You just say, ‘Babe, go out in the back yard to see your gift.’”
Funny stuff.
Jill and Derick, however, have been forced to deal with some very serious stuff of late.
It’s nearly impossible these days to write about any Duggar family member without bringing up Josh’s arrest on two counts of child pornography possession.
“We just found out this information yesterday,” Jill and Derick said on April 30 of the arrest and the scandal. “It is very sad.”
Josh allegedly used his workplace computer to download material of child sexual abuse, “some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, in May 2019,” according to a press release from federal agents.
If he is convicted, the father of six faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 on each count.
He’ll go on trial later this year.
“The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious,” a statement from the Jim Bob and Michelle noted in late April.
They added:
“It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner.
“We love Josh and Anna [Duggar] and continue to pray for their family.”