Jinger Duggar is looking back on her childhood relationship with cousin Amy Duggar King.
“We lived next to the First Baptist Church of Springdale, and they decided to do an expansion, I guess,” Jinger, 31, recalled on the Wednesday, May 21, episode of her and husband Jeremy Vuolo’s eponymous podcast. “They wanted to buy it for a while, I believe. … We were surrounded by [cow fields] and they just wanted that one little property right in between.”
Jinger further noted that her “cousin Amy” attended the Christian-based school that was across the road from the family’s residence. (Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar moved their brood to what is now nicknamed “The Big House” after welcoming their seventh child.)
“It was kind of funny because she would come over on occasion or, like, [if] we knew she was over at the playground, [we’d scream out], ‘Amy,’ we’d try to yell,” Jinger said on the podcast episode. “I think once or twice she found her way over to our house across [the street] during recess.”
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Jinger and her 19 siblings were all home-schooled by parents Jim Bob, 59, and Michelle, 58. Amy, meanwhile, is the only daughter of Jim Bob’s sister, Deanna Duggar, and Terry Jordan. Deanna, 62, did not enforce the same strict guidelines on Amy, now 38, growing up.
During an early episode of 19 Kids and Counting, Amy jokingly shared her disapproval of her cousins’ courtship rituals.
“I would probably ditch my chaperone,” Amy said onscreen. “You don’t want me to be [your kids’] chaperone. I will pretty much let them do whatever. Come on now! I’m pretty sure you and Aunt Michelle were not like that when you were younger. I’m pretty sure they kissed before they were married.”
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Amy, who married husband Dillon King in 2015 before welcoming son Daxton four years later, still resides in the Duggars’ native Arkansas and occasionally meets up with her relatives.
“I think we are all just trying to find our path and we’re all just doing things differently,” Amy told Entertainment Tonight in July 2020. “I’m doing things differently, and I’m happy where I’m at. I’m happy for them. Things are definitely different, but I’m happy for everybody. I’m in a good place and I wish my family all the best. I have freedom and it is wonderful.”
After Amy revealed Dillon’s recent health scare last month, cousins Jinger, Jill and Jessa all shared social media calls for prayers. While Amy frequently sees Jill and Jessa around Arkansas, Jinger and her family of five live across the country in California.
