You remember them. The giggling couple. The ones who seemed to actually, genuinely like each other while everyone else was navigating the awkward hurdles of a supervised courtship. Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell were the golden pair of the later Counting On years. They were the ones most likely to "win" the race to nineteen kids.
Then, the cameras stopped. The show was axed following the Josh Duggar scandal, and while sisters like Jinger and Jill stayed in the spotlight to write memoirs or launch podcasts, Joe and Kendra basically vanished.
Seriously. They just stopped posting.
If you go to their official Instagram right now, it looks like a digital ghost town. No curated farmhouse aesthetic. No brand deals for vitamins or modest swimwear. Just silence. But if you think they’ve stopped expanding their family or following the Duggar blueprint, you’re looking in the wrong place.
The Mystery of the "Missing" Duggar Children
It’s kinda wild how much we don’t know. For a family that built a brand on oversharing, Joe and Kendra have become the masters of the "stealth baby." We know about Garrett. We know about Addison and Brooklyn. They were born while the TLC checks were still clearing.
But after the show died in 2021, the updates slowed to a crawl. Then they stopped.
The internet, being what it is, didn't stop looking. Eagle-eyed fans—the ones who spend hours pausing blurry YouTube vlogs from other family members—spotted a new face. A fourth child. A little boy named Justus, born around June 2022. He wasn't announced with a People Magazine exclusive. He just... appeared.
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And it hasn't stopped there. By early 2026, the count has almost certainly climbed. While the couple hasn't confirmed it on their own platform, sighting after sighting at family weddings—like Jana’s or Jason’s—shows Kendra either pregnant or holding a newborn that doesn't belong to any of the other siblings.
Honestly, they are currently the frontrunners to actually beat Jim Bob and Michelle's record. Kendra is young. She is fertile. And unlike some of her sisters-in-law who seem exhausted by the "quiverfull" lifestyle, she always seems to be wearing that same, slightly dazed but happy smile.
Where Do They Actually Live?
There’s been a lot of drama about their housing situation. You might recall Joe moving a literal log cabin onto the Duggar property. It was his grandmother’s house. He spent months renovating it, stripping the floors, making it "theirs."
But the "Big House" compound is a complicated place.
Reports and property records suggest there was some major shuffling. Joe reportedly built a much larger home on a plot of land, but then things got weird with Kendra's parents, the Caldwells. Rumor has it Paul and Christina Caldwell ended up in that house instead of the couple who built it.
Imagine that. You build your dream home for your five-plus kids, and your parents move in while you stay in the 3-bedroom cabin. It’s the kind of family dynamic that would have made for a great Season 12, but instead, it’s just fodder for Reddit theories.
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Currently, they are believed to still be on the compound. They’re "Big House" adjacent. This means they are still very much under the influence—and likely the payroll—of Jim Bob.
The Real Reason for the Social Media Blackout
Why did they quit the internet? Most of the Duggars use Instagram as a lifeline. It’s how they pay for their houses.
Joe and Kendra are different.
Basically, they are the most "old school" of the adult children. While Jinger is out in L.A. wearing pants and Jill is telling all in Shiny Happy People, Joe and Kendra have retreated into the IBLP (Institute in Basic Life Principles) fold. They aren't trying to be influencers. They are trying to be the next generation of the patriarchy.
It’s also about privacy. After the trial and the subsequent fallout, the Duggar name became toxic for a lot of advertisers. If you can't make money from "likes," why deal with the "hates"? Joe works in real estate and land flipping—the family business. He doesn't need a blue checkmark to sell a plot of Arkansas dirt.
Breaking Down the 2026 Family Tree
If you’re trying to keep track without a spreadsheet, here is the current breakdown of the Joe and Kendra branch:
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- Garrett David: The pioneer. Born in 2018, he’s the oldest and the one who had the most screen time.
- Addison Renee: Born in 2019, right before the world—and the show—fell apart.
- Brooklyn Praise: The 2021 baby. She was the last one we saw in a "produced" capacity.
- Justus: The secret son. Born in 2022. His name follows that "double letter" trend they seem to like.
- Baby #5: Though unconfirmed by a formal post, a fifth child (likely a girl) was spotted in 2024/2025 family footage.
By the time you're reading this in 2026, it is highly probable Kendra is either expecting or has already welcomed a sixth. That puts her at six children before the age of 30. For context, Michelle Duggar had seven by that point. Kendra is right on schedule.
What This Means for the Duggar Legacy
Joe and Kendra represent the "Quiet Duggars." They aren't the rebels. They aren't the ones you'll see on a Netflix documentary talking about trauma. They are the ones who believe the system works.
While the public focus is often on the siblings who "escaped" or moved away, Joe and Kendra are the ones actually sustaining the family's original mission. They are raising the next generation in the same environment they grew up in, just without the cameras.
It’s a different kind of reality. No script. No producers. Just a lot of kids, a lot of real estate, and a lot of Sunday services at Lighthouse Baptist.
If you want to keep tabs on them, don't wait for a "we're back" post on Instagram. Watch the background of Joy-Anna's YouTube vlogs or the corners of photos at the Big House. That's where Joe and Kendra live now—in the margins of other people's stories.
Next Steps for Followers:
If you're looking for more concrete updates, your best bet is to follow the more active siblings like Joy-Anna Forsyth or Jessa Seewald. They often feature Joe and Kendra in the background of holiday gatherings or "sibling days," providing the only real proof of how many children the couple actually has now. Additionally, checking Arkansas property records can often reveal if the couple has finally moved into a larger home or if they are still residing in the renovated cabin near the main Duggar house.