Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard have been together for 10 years.
The couple began dating in November 2013, a few months before they announced their official courtship in March 2014.
A lot of life has been lived in the decade they’ve spent together – including their exit from the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).
Derick shared a sweet post to commemorate their dating anniversary, which happened to fall on Thanksgiving in 2013.
They met in Nepal, where Jim Bob Duggar brought Jill to meet Derick while he was there.
He wrote, “10 years ago today I started dating my best friend, @jillmdillard while I was working in Nepal. I’m so glad she came to visit and we got to make Thanksgiving dinner together! God was thinking of me when he made you! I’m so thankful for you and can’t believe all God has brought us through these past 10 years, and I’m looking forward to many more decades together, enjoying life with you 😘”
Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard have been through a lot
Jill Duggar was supposed to be the poster child for Duggar relationships and building a family.
Jim Bob Duggar had high hopes for her and Derick, and they brought the views to TLC with their wedding special, baby specials, and the use of Jill’s name in the original Jill & Jessa: Counting On.
And while that may sound like a win, it was a loss for the couple. The pressure was mounting, and their marriage was suffering because of the demands Jim Bob put on them.
Much of this was discussed in Jill’s book Counting The Cost. She laid out the rules she and Derick had to follow, talked about her father’s explosive reactions, and explained why the couple walked away from the IBLP.
Despite what speaking out cost Jill some of her sibling relationships, she continues to tell her story to shed light on the contracts she was made to sign, the rules that were over the top, and the lack of privacy she had during some of her most intimate moments.
Jill Duggar is thriving on her own
After setting healthy boundaries, Jill Duggar is thriving with her husband, Derick Dillard. They are raising three little boys together: Israel, Samuel, and Frederick (Freddy).
Derick works as an attorney, and Jill remains home with the kids. She built an extensive garden over the summer and shared her progress with her followers.
Things have changed a lot in the 10 years since Jill and Derick met and began dating, and all of it has led to the marriage and life they have now.
Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is currently streaming on Prime Video.