The Stunning Transformation Of The Duggar Sisters

While the Duggars didn't officially become reality TV stars until 2008 with the debut of 17 Kids and Counting, they actually had their television debut a little before that. Before they landed their own reality TV show, they were the subjects of a 2004 documentary produced by Advanced Medical Productions Inc. called 14 Children and Pregnant Again!

In this special, the Duggar sisters are very young. Only Jana, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, and Joy-Anna were born at the time. Johannah was born by the end of the special, much to the disappointment of the boys who were clearly looking forward to another Duggar brother rather than another Duggar sister. The special provides a glimpse into the family's earlier years, before "Duggar" became a household name, and there are quite a few differences between the special and the reality show. There are fewer kids, for one, and it's also evident that they hadn't yet gotten used to being followed by a film crew.

When the Duggar sisters first became known to the world, they were still children, and some more sisters hadn't even been born yet! They've certainly changed a lot since then, and the oldest sisters have matured into young adults who are sharing what they have learned with the world. The four older sisters, Jill, Jana, Jinger, and Jessa, wrote a book called Growing Up Duggar. Published in 2014, the book went on to become a bestseller.  

The book delves into the sisters' personal lives, talking about their faith, relationships, and growing up in the Duggar family. "We've written this book to have the conversation we wish we could have with each of you one-on-one," wrote the Duggar sisters. "The conversation that may have begun with a letter or an e-mail you wrote to us, or the one that started with a question you asked or a comment you made after we spoke to a group somewhere. ...Whoever you are... we've written this book to continue the conversation we started with you but couldn't finish because time ran out and we had to go our separate ways."

With the exception of Jana, all of the older Duggar girls followed in their mom's footsteps, taking on the roles of wife and mother. They also walked down the aisle at a pretty young age, although they waited a bit longer than their mom who married at 17.

Jill married at the age of 23 in June 2014, got pregnant right away, and had her second baby a couple of years later. Jessa tied the knot at 21 in late 2014 and also started growing her family immediately — in January 2019, she announced she was pregnant with her third child. Jinger got married in November 2016 at the age of 22 and had her daughter in July 2018. Joy-Anna, who was married at 20 in May 2018, has one child and announced in May 2019 that she is expecting another.  

While their families are still quite a bit smaller than the one they grew up in, it wouldn't be shocking if any of the girls followed their mom's example to raise large families. The Duggars believe in having as many children as God sees fit.

Music is an important part of the Duggar lifestyle. The family compound has a music corner, and the kids start to study the violin and piano at the age of 5 or 6. As an adult, Jinger has taken her musical talent and is using it to enrich her community. She and her husband Jeremy have used their platform as celebrities to support SWAN, a non-profit organization founded by Jeremy's mother that helps provide at-risk children with music lessons.

"Music has had a big part in my family's life," said Jinger in a video promoting the organization. "I remember ... growing up taking violin and piano lessons and absolutely loving it." 

Jeremy went on to explain that the organization aims to help children of inmates. "Many of you may not know that one in every 14 children has a parent or both parents who are incarcerated," he said. "They are 70 percent more likely themselves to end up in jail. ...Research has actually shown that teaching children music lessons is one of the greatest disciplines they can learn in life to give them a successful life."

While none of the Duggar kids have huge families yet, Jessa Duggar (who goes by her married name Seewald) has said that she is planning on having several children of her own. Unlike her mother, though, she doesn't plan on giving birth to all of them herself. Instead, she would like to grow her own big family through adoption. In 2015, she told Duggar Family Blog that it's something that she and her husband have researched and are seeking as a possibility. Her desire to adopt stems from her volunteer experiences.

"One of the things that really sparked the fire of adoption in my heart was through the times me and several of my siblings spent volunteering at our local children's shelter," she said. "Seeing these kids walking through tough times and so hungry for love really opened my eyes to the need. I think that just as my parents did for me, I want to provide opportunities for my children to reach out to people around them and offer hope and comfort to those in need."

Many people expect all of the Duggars to have large families of their own. While many of them do seem to be headed in that direction, some fans think that Jill might not be able to have more children. Jill and her husband Derrick only have two children, which has many speculating about why the stay-at-home mom, who is no longer part of the Duggar family's latest reality show, Counting On, doesn't have more children. Reddit users have proposed the theory that Jill, who has had to undergo two C-sections, might not be able to endure another difficult childbirth.

Of course, there could be other reasons that Jill and Derrick have put having more kids on hold. Derrick is in law school and, as he has also parted ways with Counting On, it's possible that finances are simply too tight to consider adding to their brood just yet. That said, this is all purely speculation as the couple has never commented on the subject.

While the younger Duggar sisters aren't as well known as their adult siblings, that doesn't mean that they aren't prepared to take the world by storm. The four younger sisters, Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn-Grace, and Josie, are talented musicians who, along with their niece (oldest brother Josh's daughter) Mackynzie Duggar, released their first album, Happy Heart, in 2018. Performing as The Duggar Girls, the kids recorded some of the family's favorite songs on the album.

"Over the years, Aunt Deanna has given all of the Duggar children voice lessons, and it's long been a dream that one day we would be able to record an album with our youthful, happy hearts singing these beloved tunes," says the album's page on the Duggar Store. "We are so grateful to all who have put in time and effort to make this project a reality. We pray hearts are blessed and that God receives all the glory!"

In spite of growing up, getting married, and having kids all in the public eye, the Duggars haven't been swayed too much by fame. Throughout their entire journey, they have remained down-to-earth and have kept family and faith at the center of their lives. Even their love lives have been guided by their faith.

"Since we began our relationship, Jeremy and I have learned that when we are walking closely with Jesus, we are closest to each other," Jinger told Crown of Beauty. "If we neglect reading the Word and prayer (together and alone), we quickly realize our relationship suffers! Jesus Christ really has to be at the center."

In an interview with Duggar Family Blog, Jessa also talked about how important her faith is to her. "God can bring beauty from ashes," she said. "He delights in showing Himself strong! When we turn to God through tough times, He is always there for us. And often, as we grow and learn through things, He may allow us in the future to come alongside and support someone else who is walking through a similar situation."