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We’ve been watching the Duggar family for years, as Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar brought their 19 children into the spotlight over a decade ago. And now, many of their kids are attaining fame all on their own via Instagram and YouTube. Joy-Anna Duggar and her husband, Austin Forsyth, both have their own Instagrams, and fans continue to be curious about their marriage.

Joy-Anna has a baby on the way, and she already has a son, Gideon, who’s just 2 years old. She’s only 22 years old while Austin is 26. And many Duggar family followers don’t believe that they’ve been friends since childhood, especially factoring in their age gap. Here’s what they’re saying.

Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth claimed to know each other since they were kids

Joy-Anna and Austin are one of the most beloved Duggar couples, as their dynamic seems to show how much they love and respect each other. And the couple claims to have known each other since they were kids.

Romper reports Austin’s family, who were featured on World’s Strictest Parents, moved to Arkansas when Austin was young. And they started attending the same church as the Duggars, which is how Austin met Joy-Anna. Back when the couple first started courting in 2017, they remarked on how long they’ve known each other, too. And they stated they’ve known one another for 15 years prior to entering the courtship.

“You know, over the years, I have just been watching and I really admire her heart for the Lord and her character. She’s such a diligent worker. She gets all the younger siblings working,” People reports Austin said of Joy-Anna at the beginning of their courtship. “She’s a good delegator, and then, of course, her beauty.”

Some wonder if Joy-Anna and Austin’s wedding was arranged

Joy-Anna and Austin seemed over the moon with excitement when they announced their courtship. And they appear to be thriving in their marriage today. Even so, many wonder how they’re really doing behind closed doors — and others thought Joy-Anna and Austin’s marriage might’ve been arranged.

According to The Hollywood Gossip, sources claimed Jim Bob struck a deal with Austin’s father, and it involved a marriage to Joy-Anna. “His father governs everything that he does, from cutting cows to doing whatever,” the source claimed. And the publication added that the Duggar parents liked to “guide” their kids to partners whom they thought would be suitable fits.

Even if that’s the case, Austin and Joy-Anna have found a lot of common ground in their marriage. They frequently flip homes together and are involved in huge house projects. “If she doesn’t know how to do it, you can just show her real quick and she can figure it out and become better than you at it,” Austin complimented Joy-Anna during an episode of Counting On.

Duggar family critics don’t believe they’ve been friends since childhood

So, have Joy-Anna and Austin really known each other since childhood and developed a friendship since their younger years? They both have kept to that story, but family critics aren’t so sure that’s the truth.

One Reddit user wrote, “based on what we’ve seen of how the duggars socialize & my own experiences in fundieland, i doubt that joy and austin were closely acquainted as kids. i suspect they were friends in a ‘our families get together to play settlers of catan every few months’ way, not a ‘we have spent lots of one-on-one time together as individuals’ way.”

“He’s almost 5 years older than she is, so that story that they were best friends as kids is patent BS,” another Reddit user wrote. “Plus, the Duggars are going to allow their daughter to have any kind of actual friendship with a boy? No way.”

Others suspect Austin was closer with the Duggar boys growing up and got to know Joy-Anna that way. “I think Austin was probably friends with an older brother, maybe Joe, and they saw each other growing up,” yet another wrote. “I think maybe that’s why she got paired with him, they actually have great chemistry.”

Either way, we’re glad they’re doing well in their marriage now!

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