Counting On's Justin Duggar is the latest member of the 19 Kids and Counting clan to get down on one knee. The 18-year-old announced his engagement this week to girlfriend Claire Spivey, who is 19 years old. He proposed to her after a mere two months of courtship.
Since the premiere of Counting On in 2015, engagements and pregnancies have been consistently at the heart of the spinoff show. On any given episode, at least one Duggar kid is experiencing a major life milestone. For instance, the fans have witnessed firsthand the weddings of Jinger, Joy-Anna and Joseph Duggar, and the births of even more babies. This includes Joy-Anna's "rainbow baby" Evelyn Mae Forsyth, who came into the world following a previous miscarriage.
During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Justin Duggar revealed he is engaged to Claire Spivey. He told the publication, "There is nothing comparable to finding the one you are meant to spend your life with. We know we have found that in each other. We cannot wait to be married and are looking forward to a life together of faith in Christ, love for one another, and happiness!" The TLC personality popped the question to Claire while celebrating her birthday in Texas. The proposal came after two months of courtship, which is a tradition that is strictly enforced by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. They believe that this allows both parties to see if a relationship is a good fit. At this point, all of their dates are carefully chaperoned, and no kissing or hand-holding is allowed.
Despite the brief time that these Counting On stars have spent together, their partnership seems meant to be after taking into account the longtime friendship between the Duggars and Spiveys. Claire remarked on the fact that her family has been friends with the Duggars for over 20 years, but that she and Justin only actually connected in 2019. In turn, Justin added how he and Claire spent "quality time" together during quarantine: "Even though we can't go out to eat all the time or maybe go bowling or something, I think there [are] other ways."
Over the years, things haven't always been perfect in Duggar-land. For example, Josh Duggar was caught in the midst of numerous sex scandals, and daughter Jill Duggar has parted ways with Counting On after realizing her independence was "taken away." Still, there's a lot of good and a lot to celebrate as Justin embarks on this new chapter with Claire. The newlyweds' story is slated to be featured on the upcoming season of the show.
Source: Us Weekly, Justin Duggar's Instagram