I have a confession to make: I am a fan of the Duggars.

You know, the family with 19 kids? The family who had their latest baby arrive three and a half months early? Surely you’ve seen them on the cover of People magazine.

I started watching the Duggar specials on TLC a few years ago, when I first moved to New Jersey. It was one of those things that I sort of watched in passing, since at the time they were doing these two hour long specials about the family. A couple years ago they started filming a regular series with them, and consequently had to change the name of their series almost every year because they kept having a new kid! 17 Kids and Counting became 18 Kids and Counting which became 19 Kids and Counting. So far, it’s still 19 Kids and Counting.

I’m not even sure what I liked about them. They are an uber-conservative Christian family, where as I am a more liberal, “live and let live” Christian (not that I don’t do my share of evangelism, I just try to make my approach a little, uh, softer). And I certainly do not want 19 children nor do I plan to leave our family size “up to God.” As far as I’m concerned, God knows very well that I have diabetes and that 19 pregnancies is a bad idea. A few pregnancies? Sure. But I don’t think I could handle that level of stress for so many years.

But the family seems… nice. Cheerful. Friendly. Ridiculously well-behaved children. And although they’re a little more modest in their dress than I ever plan to be, they manage to be remarkably stylish and all-American. I don’t agree with everything they do, but you can’t fault them for following their convictions.

So when I found out that they were going to do a book signing for their new book, A Love That Multiplies, in the New York area, I jumped at the chance to go. On Tuesday night, I dragged Erik to New Jersey (so he could be my photographer, of course) to attend their book signing. It was a little different than I expected, in that they didn’t do any presentation at all. They just signed books and you had a chance to say hi to whoever you wanted. Of course, since there were so many people, I only talked to Josh and Anna (the eldest son and his wife), Jill (the second oldest daughter), Jinger (one of the older girls) and Michelle and Jim Bob. It was great to meet them and they were definitely very chill and friendly. But with a long line on a very hot evening, I certainly didn’t want to slow things down.

With Josh and Anna. Anna told me that she was going on the entire Duggar book tour (which lasts until Sunday) despite being two weeks away from giving birth to her second child. She’s brave! She also told me they are keeping the name a secret until the baby is born.

I talked to Jill for a bit while we were walking through the line. I asked her if she is planning on continuing with her plans of nursing, and she says that she’s still praying about it. I told her I thought she’d be a great nurse. She’s one of the most patient people with her little siblings. I would get so aggravated if I had to switch lives with her!

Unfortunately, I didn’t  ask for a picture. There was no room to get behind the table, and I didn’t know at that point that I wouldn’t have been able to go behind the table even if I wanted.

With Jinger, my favorite Duggar. She’s sassy. I had to sit on the table because we weren’t allowed to go behind the table and they were too busy signing to come out from behind.

Even Erik got in on the fun with a photo op with Michelle and Jim Bob. He was a real sport!

Little Josie with a family friend. She’s almost 18 months old.

What do you think of the Duggar family? Anyone else watch the show?