• June 18, 2007
• Vol. 67
• No. 24

Big Love

By Alicia Dennis

With 16 Kids—and One on the Way—Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Leave Family Planning to a Higher Power

• 
• 

From PEOPLE Magazine

Shortly after the birth of their first child, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar of Tontitown, Ark., threw out the birth control. "We thought we'd leave the decision about how many children to have up to God," says Jim Bob, 41, a real estate agent.

And who says God doesn't have a sense of humor? Now expecting their 17th child July 27—a girl they plan to name Jennifer Danielle—the Duggars have a jumbo, J-named clan of 10 boys and 6 girls (including two sets of twins), ranging in age from 19 years (Joshua) to 20 months (Johannah). "There is so much joy," says Michelle, 40. "I would love more."

Jackson, 3

Justin, 4

James, 5

Jason, 7

TWINS
Jeremiah, 8
Jedidiah, 8

Joy-Anna, 9

Josiah, 10

Joseph, 12

Jinger, 13

Jessa, 14

Jill, 16

TWINS
John-David, 17
Jana, 17

Joshua, 19

Johannah, 20 months

Michelle, 40

Jennifer Danielle, due July 27

Jim Bob, 41

For more on the Duggars (or the show featuring them on the Discovery Health Channel), go to www.duggarfamily.com

More From This Article

Cheaper by the Dozen (and a Half)?

SOME DUGGAR STATS: 133 Months of pregnancy 13 Natural births (one set of twins) and two C-sections (one set of twins) 9 Vehicles including a 21-passenger bus, several vans and pickup trucks 7,000 sq.-ft. house with two 1,000-ft. dormitory-style bedrooms 63 Loads of laundry a week $2,000 Monthly grocery bill, including: 6 Gallons of milk a week 15 Dozen eggs a week 12 Boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios a week 12 Rolls of toilet paper a week