9 Times the Duggar In-Laws Were in the Background Before They Started Courting

When it comes to courting, the Duggars usually like to keep their potential girlfriends and boyfriends under wraps before things become official. Yep, even though the couples will talk on the phone or in person for a while before officially deciding to court, the whole process is pretty much hidden from the Counting On cameras until the pairs are ready to go public. Ben Seewald even visited the huge fam at their home several times, all under the guise of hanging out with Josiah, who'd he made friends with during a family vacation, and yet we didn't catch a single glimpse of him (or of him and Jessa actually getting to know each other) until they had the a-okay from Jim Bob. Every now and then, though, while we're scrolling through the family's Instagram account or rewatching old episodes of 19 Kids and Counting, we'll spot one of the now in-laws in the background.

Though they are now officially members of the Duggar family tree, Austin Forsyth and Kendra Caldwell have long been members of the Duggar family's inner-circle. Joy-Anna has said that she and her now husband were friends for 15 years before things turned romantic, and Joe's wife used to practice music with some of his sisters. Even the newest Duggar-to-be, Lauren Swanson, made a cameo a few years back. Though most fans probably don't remember, she and her family actually made an appearance on the show about eight years ago.

Way before they were Duggar wives, husbands, parents, or girlfriends, these future-in-laws were just kids in the background of the shot. Whether they were out caroling, meeting other families, or just hanging out at home, the family members snuck on screen before you even knew who they were. Check out the gallery below to see all the times the Duggar in-laws were spotted in the background before they ever started courting.