It’s pretty unusual to be surprised by a Duggar family pregnancy announcement.
Heck, in the past several weeks alone, Kendra Duggar has confirmed she’s pregnant with her second child…
… and so has Amy Duggar…
… and so has Jessa Seewald.
But we still did a double take and our jaw must still be removed from the floor after learning on Friday afternoon that Anna Duggar is ALSO pregnant.
With her sixth child!
“We couldn’t be happier to share with the world that our family is growing by one this Fall,” Anna and controversial husband Josh Duggar told Us Weekly in a statement, adding:
“We continually stand amazed by God’s love, redemption, grace and blessings in our lives. Our entire little family is ecstatic!"
The pair got married in 2008 and are already parents to Mackynzie, 9, Michael, 7, Marcus, 5, Meredith, 3, and Mason, 19 months.
Many observers are likely focusing on the word redemption used by Anna above — because it tells the story of why we are so taken aback by this pregnancy news.
Back in the spring of 2015, Josh was forced to admit that he molested his own sisters when he was a teenager.
Josh’s parents were aware of this inappropriate behavior at the time it transpired, but chose not to alert any authorities.
Following Josh’s extended stay at a faith-based rehabilitation center in the wake of this wild and awful scandal, the couple entered marriage counseling following their difficult year.
Not long afterward the molestation reveal, Josh also admitted to being a member of the website Ashley Madison.
There, people sign up to find members of the opposite sex with whom they could cheat on their spouses.
"I have been the biggest hypocrite ever," he said in a statement after his cheating was exposed, adding in the summer of 2015:
"While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife.
"I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family, and most of all Jesus and all those who profess faith in Him."
Josh concluded with an apology:
"I humbly ask for your forgiveness. Please pray for my precious wife Anna and our family during this time."
It must have worked, too, because Amy announced she was pregnant with the couple’s fifth child in 2017.
However, TLC canceled 19 Kids and Counting in the wake of Josh’s multiple controversies – while he and Anna mostly receded from the spotlight.
In July 2018, though, Anna shared a numerous of family photos to Instagram, where she reflected on the past decade of life and the “wonderful adventure” that it has been.
“June was an exciting month for our family: Marcus, Michael and I are are officially a year older + Josh and I celebrated our 10 year engagement anniversary!” she wrote in the caption, continuing as follows:
“The past 10 years have been a wonderful adventure. So thankful for God’s redeeming grace and His blessings to us along the way, especially our 5 M’s!"
Anna was widely mocked and criticized at the time for referring to the scandals described above as a wonderful adventure.
Still, however, a baby is a blessing, right?
In two videos shared to social media, both Anna and Josh give their kids a series of cut out paper letters, which they together spell out to read, “New baby coming this fall."
“Mommy’s having a baby!” Anna says to her children, who yell and scream in excitement.
It is very cute.
We certainly wish Anna all the health and happiness possible with this pregnancy.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, meanwhile, expressed their enthusiasm for the couple this evening, writing this message on their website:
“We are so happy for Josh & Anna, expecting their 6th child and our 16th grandchild! Each child is a blessing from God!"
"Anna is one of the most amazing women in the world, she is a Proverbs 31 woman!"
"Anna & Josh are good parents and it is going to be neat to see what God does with each one of their children’s lives.
"Mackynzie, Michael, Marcus, Meredith and Mason are so excited to have a little sibling on the way! God is at work in their sweet little family! He has blessed them with another child!
"What a gift! The best days for their family are still ahead!”