Couple welcomes 17th child — and wants more

MSNBC.com ^ | August 2, 2007

[rightwingintelligentsia]

LITTLE ROCK - An Arkansas couple had a baby daughter Thursday — their 17th child and seventh girl — and the pair say they're still not ready to give it a rest.

Jennifer Danielle was born at 10:01 a.m. at a hospital in Rogers, Arkansas, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar said in an interview.

"We'd love to have more," Michelle said, referring to baby girls. "We love the ruffles and lace."

Jennifer joins the fast-growing Duggar brood, who live in a 7,000-square-foot (650-square-meter) home in Tontitown. All the children — whose names start with the letter J — are taught at home.

The oldest is 19 and the youngest, before Jennifer, is almost 2 years old.

"We are just so grateful to God for another gift from him," said Jim Bob Duggar, a former state representative. "We are just so thankful to him that everything went just very well."

Jennifer joins siblings: Joshua, 19; John David, 17; Janna, 17; Jill, 16; Jessa, 14; Jinger, 13; Joseph, 12; Josiah, 11; Joy-Anna, 9; Jedidiah, 8; Jeremiah, 8; Jason 7; James 6; Justin, 4; Jackson, 3; Johannah, almost 2.

Michelle Duggar said she started feeling contractions Wednesday night and went to the hospital at about 5 a.m. Thursday.

[FormerLib]

I’m betting the leftists will flood “Letters to the Editor” pages across this nation vilifying this couple.

[Lurking in Kansas]

If they can afford it, more power to them.

[null and void]

No bet.

[driftdiver]

Its great they love children but it seems to be they are a tad selfish. How do you provide for this many kids?

[Teflonic]

This couple is a shining example of those truly living the American dream.

[bearsgirl90]

God Bless her! WHEW!

[Red in Blue PA]

17 kids is the American dream?

I don’t know about you, but some sleep is at least a part of my American dream.

[Hoodlum91]

Get Discovery Channel to give you a nice check everytime you have a kid, go on vacation, or build and move into a new house.

[metmom]

One a year has got to be more than a little rough on the body.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

I just hope they don’t run out of “J” names.

[pgkdan]

More power to them!

[kinoxi]

I saw a snippet on cable about this couple. Apparently they have NO debt and seem quite happy. I was suprised.

[aberaussie]

So after that many births, do they just fall out? Seventeen births...just very hard to imagine. She is wonder woman.

[hosepipe]

Talk about a baby factory..

[Moonman62]

Its great they love children but it seems to be they are a tad selfish. How do you provide for this many kids?

They already own a 7000 sq ft house. I think I've read about them before and they have the financial resources.

[Izzy Dunne]

it seems to be they are a tad selfish. How do you provide for this many kids?

Unless you have evidence to the effect that they are NOT adequately providing for the kids, I fail to see why you presume to judge the parents.

[guinnessman]

Good for them!

They must be doing something right, if God has entrusted them with so many children.

[in hoc signo vinces]

inheritance...

[MamaB]

They can afford as many as God gives them. From what I have seen on tv, they are all well adjusted and a happy family. I wonder how many they are home schooling now. May God bless the family.