"19 Kids and Counting" matriarch Michelle Duggar has explained the reason behind her daughter, Jessa, and Ben Seewald's decision to adopt children.
Jessa, 22, made headlines after revealing in a recent interview with People magazine that she is not planning a pregnancy like her older sister Jill, but is instead focusing on the possibility of adoption.
"If God blesses us with biological kids of our own, it's not going to quench our desire to adopt," Jessa told the magazine. "We hope to adopt a lot of kids."
"Kids are so important," Ben, who is one of seven children, added.
Just several weeks before, Jessa, who walked down the aisle on November 1rst, told Celebrate Arkansas magazine, "We would love to have children of our own, and we would also love to adopt. It's something we're constantly praying about."
While the young couple's announcement has shocked many fans, Michelle Duggar explained that she, Duggar patriarch Jim Bob, and their 19 children often discussed the possibility of adoption--likely influencing Jessa and Ben's decision.
"The kids are definitely pushing towards wanting us to open our home up to another child or more," Michelle told People Magazine in 2013. "They see how much we have been blessed with and how little so many children have and they want to share. We tell our children that would have to be something that is God's will for our family, and we will see if it is."
The Seewalds also shared how they handle arguments, telling People they try not to raise their voices to each other other.
"If we have a hard time and we talk about it, you just love each other so much afterwards," she said. "After a disagreement, I often feel, 'I have never loved you more than I love you now."
Meanwhile, on Tuesday's season premiere of "19 Kids and Counting," viewers finally got to see how Jill and Derick Dillard made their big, life-changing baby announcement to the rest of the Duggar family.
"We had taken a couple of pregnancy tests earlier. And they were negative, and, you know. And we went up there, and actually found out that it was positive yesterday," said Derick., prompting cheers from the rest of the Duggar clan.
Later this season, fans can expect to get an inside look at the daily goings-on in the Duggar household, exclusive footage of Jess and Ben's wedding, and the details of Jill's pregnancy.
"19 Kids and Counting" airs every Tuesday on TLC at 9/8 central.
