Joy-Anna Duggar Reveals When She Fell For Her Husband
Growing up on a reality TV show means that Joy-Anna Duggar is accustomed to sharing details of her personal life with the public — the ones she chooses to share anyway. The ninth child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting fame, Joy-Anna, 23, is married to Austin Forsyth and mother to Gideon and Evelyn.
In her YouTube channel FollowtheForsyths, Joy-Anna took some time to answer fan questions on Feb. 5 while the kids were (mostly) down for a nap, and opened up about when she knew that Austin was "the one," and admitted that she started having feelings for him when she was 13.
Though she clarified that this was "not like I knew he was the one, but this was more like, he could be than just, 'Oh, I like him, he's cute.'" Austin was playing volleyball at the Duggar household at 17 and, at Jim Bob's insistence, Austin shared a "testimony" of his commitment to Jesus, and his joy at being "saved." This moment of faith and vulnerability really impressed Joy-Anna, she told viewers, and from then on, she'd taken more notice of Austin Forsyth.
Joy-Anna Dugger tells viewers that she really enjoys being married
Per The Sun, though Joy-Anna Dugger certainly had eyes for Austin at 13, they waited years before courting, and were eventually married in 2017, when Joy-Anna was 19. In answer to what she called, "the most commonly asked question," Joy-Anna says that "of course" she wants more kids, but that she's "really enjoying" time with her five month-old, Evelyn, who joined her mother for the later half of the video.
She also spoke about things she does to keep her marriage fun, saying that listening to audiobooks together on long road trips is something she really enjoys sharing with Austin, especially marriage books. She referenced the 5 Love Languages, and said that she values learning how she and Austin give and receive love.
Of her daily routine with the kids, Joy-Anna said she was "flexible and fluid" in her schedule, but emphasized the importance of getting up before the kids so that she can have time for Bible study, prayer, and tidying up the house before everyone else gets up and the day gets started. She credits her mother with passing along this strategy.