There might be 21 members of the Duggar family, but that doesn’t mean they don’t notice when one of them is absent! Season 9 of their TLC show, 19 Kids and Counting, saw another sister move out and start a family of her own, and in the finale, her BFF and younger sister Jinger reflects on just how much she misses her partner in crime, Jessa.
“It was super hard, just those moments right before Jessa got married realizing that our relationship was going to change,” Jinger, 21, says in Us Weekly‘s exclusive sneak peek of the episode. “That was a really tough time.”
Mom Michelle Duggar explains that despite the size of their family, the hole when one person is missing is noticeable. “It definitely feels different here at home because whenever there’s one that’s not here there’s that gap,” she says. “We are such a close-knit family that you notice when one’s not here.”
But with the absence of Jill, Jessa, and oldest Duggar Josh comes a positive, too. Jana, 25, is now the oldest sibling living at home and she’s been able to bond with her littlest siblings. “It’s been neat to see how I’ve connected even more than some of these younger ones,” she says.
Watch the clip above. The two-hour 19 Kids and Counting season 9 finale airs Tuesday, May 19 at 8 p.m. ET on TLC.
