"Counting On" Season 3 premiered last month. With pregnancies and relationships galore, not everyone has experienced total bliss. The daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle, Jill Duggar, is in mourning. She and her husband, derick dillard, battled their sorrow. His father, Rick, passed away in 2008. In a heartwarming post, the young couple shared their respective sentiments. With another baby in utero, the importance of family weighs heavy on their mind. As they grieve their loss, they carry hope for the future.
A cop, husband, and father: Rick W. Dillard
In past episodes, Derick Dillard gave candid discussions about his father, Rick. In the missionary's eyes, he was -- and still is -- an American hero. He cared, protected, and loved his family. When Derick Dillard grew older, he modeled his father's example. In college, the aspiring pastor was Oklahoma State University's mascot Pistol Pete (just like his dad); in marriage, he devoted his being to his wife (just like his dad); in fatherhood, he rose to expectations (just like his dad).
Even though Derick Dillard's parent died nine years ago, the wound never healed. He will always miss his father. On Instagram, Derick Dillard wrote, "9 years ago today I said goodbye to the greatest man I knew.
The greatest, namely, because he taught me in word and deed about Jesus Christ. He protected and served the public as a police officer, and he loved God and his family. His time came sooner than expected, but I know he would have loved being grandpa Dillard to little Israel too. He is my dad, and I look forward to seeing him again." As Derick Dillard and Jill Duggar prep for their second son, Rick will guard from above.
The Dillard family's silver lining
In late January 2017, the spouses revealed the gender of the baby. They're having another boy! According to an Us Weekly article, "Feeling blue (again)! Duggar, who is due in July, and Dillard announced last month that they are expecting a second bundle of joy." The missionaries wed in 2014, and they were set on another date: a due date.
After a few weeks, they proclaimed their first pregnancy. While their family was surprised, they weren't shocked.
Derick Dillard and Jill Duggar planned without any Plan B. They were going to have as many children as possible. Jill Dillard's sister, Jessa Seewald, had the same mindset. After her November nuptials, she and her husband, Ben, kept busy. Alongside Jill Duggar, Jessa Seewald announced her pregnancy. Over the years, the families found kinship through hardship. They survived constant criticism, a show cancellation, and sex scandals. Derick Dillard and Jill Duggar mourn their loved one, but they have so much to celebrate. Their little boy is about to debut. Through his birth, Rick Dillard's legacy continues.
