Jill Duggar had a reason to celebrate this week.
And also a reason to feel pretty darn crappy about two allegedly important people in her life.
The former reality star turned 31 years old on Tuesday, sharing the following photo in honor of the occasion and writing as a caption:
“Today’s my birthday, but amidst all the crazy I didn’t plan very well…lol…my glucose tolerance test (gestational diabetes test) at my doc apt is tomorrow, so I’ll have to save my fave #chocolatemess for later. lol.”
Duggar, of course, is extremely pregnant with her third child.
So she wasn’t exactly in prime shape to party very hard.
The expecting mother of two was able to at least sit back and scroll through her Instagram comments section, hopefully basking in the well wishes of fans, followers and some family members.
“Love you so much, Jill!! Hbd!! Hope it’s the best day,” Jinger Duggar wrote for example, along with a heart emoji.
Added cousin Amy Duggar: “Couldn’t love you more birthday girl!”
And then there was sister Jesse, who chimed in as follows: “You’re radiant! Can’t wait to meet this baby! Happy bday, sis!!”
Notice who’s missing from this list, however?
Yes, Josh Duggar. But we doubt he has much Internet access from the correctional facility in which he’s sitting as he awaits sentencing on two counts of child sex abuse.
Many astute social media users also felt a need to point out that neither Jim Bob nor Michelle Duggar said a public word about their daughter turning 31 years old.
Is this really a shock, considering Jill admitted to People Magazine in 2020 that she’s estranged from her parents?
Not really.
“Our control to choose what jobs we were allowed to accept and even where we were allowed to live was taken away from us,” Jill candidly told the publication back then.
Since that time, both Jill and her husband, Derick Dillard, have talked about the unfair ways they were treated by Jim Bob and Michelle, from feeling pressured to get pregnant to getting ripped off by Jill’s seemingly cruel and selfish dad.
In a deposition Jill recently gave as part of a lawsuit against the city of Springdale, Arkansas (in which she alleged officials had violated her privacy by leaking personal information to a tabloid), the ex-TLC personality labeled her relationship with Jim Bob as “toxic.”
“Sadly, I realized he had become pretty controlling, fearful, and reactionary. He was verbally abusive,” Jill testified at one point in regard to her dad.
“Our relationship is not good,” Jill added, explaining that the situation has not improved … and even saying being in Jim Bob’s presence these days “isn’t good for my mental health.”
Yes, Jill hopes to salvage the connection down the road.
But for now?
“There are just too many triggers and stuff for me to have to process after being around him.”
About a year and a half ago, after Jill opened up to People, Michelle and Jim Bob responded with a statement that reads:
“Every family has differences of opinion and perspective at times, but families work things out.
“We all love Jill, Derick, and their boys very much.
“It is our prayer that our relationship is healed and fully restored quickly!”
It sounds like Jill does harbor similar hopes.
“I never expected this to happen or for it to get to this point,” Jill concluded back then.
“But I’m realizing I can’t put a timeline on healing. I love my family and they love me.
“I really just have to follow God’s lead and take it one day at a time.”
