'19 Kids and Counting' Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Celebrate 31st Wedding Anniversary, Reveal 'Favorite Things' about One Another

By Leah Marieann Klett
Duggar Family
Michelle Duggar was just 17-years-old when she married 19-year-old Jim Bob in their home state of Arkansas. Instagram/duggarfam

Former "19 Kids and Counting" stars Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar recently celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary and shared their "favorite things" about one another in honor of the big day.

"You won my heart years ago as I saw your deep love for God and your transparency with me," Michelle wrote in a letter to her husband, who she married in 1984 at just 17 years old.

"Recently, when one of our daughters asked, 'Mom, what one quality should I look for in a future spouse?', as I considered the answer, I realized what it is that I admire so much in you, Jim Bob," she continues.

"It is that you LOVE & HONOR God and in humility you are open & transparent with me, simply put, HUMILITY and the FEAR OF THE LORD. I'm so grateful that you share your heart with me. Your hopes, your dreams your successes, your weaknesses and even your failures...I'm honored to be your wife!"

In turn, Jim Bob also revealed his favorite things about his wife: "She is the virtuous woman that Proverbs 31 talks about. She is the ultimate wife and mother and I love her more and more each day. Michelle is a strong leader, yet tender hearted, and has a sweet, loving spirit. She is my best friend, we share everything. Michelle is selfless, always thinking of others first. She is an example to millions of women, her children rise up and call her blessed," he writes.

In addition to posting photos of their wedding day, the family also shared a home video on their website, in which Jim Bob, 50, can be seen surprising Michelle, 48, with a ring he had made specifically for her that features all 19 of their children's birthstones.

"That is one big amazing cluster!" gushes Michelle of the gift, which Jim Bob designed himself.

In the background of the video, several family members can be seen celebrating the happy day, including eldest son Josh Duggar, who appears sitting on a couch next to his wife, Anna.

TLC first pulled 19 Kids and Counting from its schedule in May, after it was revealed that Josh had been investigated for molesting five underage girls twelve years ago.

Earlier in July, the network announced it had officially canceled the show after seven years, nine seasons and several one-off specials.

"It is our prayer that the painful situation our family went through many years ago can point people toward faith in God and help others who also have lived through similar dark situations to find help, hope and healing, as well," the family wrote in a statement after the news broke.

In the meantime, TLC is reportedly working on a documentary about child abuse, which will feature Duggar daughters Jessa Seewald and Jill Dillard,who have both come forward as victims of their brother.

Dillard, 24, and Seewald, 22, discussed the scandal on Fox News in June, saying they had "moved on" long before a police report on the incident resurfaced this spring.

"I think all the people in our lives, like our close friends and the people - the officials - that helped us, walked alongside the family during this time and walked us through some of our hardest days, they knew about this. It wasn't like a complete secret," Seewald told Fox News host Megyn Kelly. "People knew. They had walked us through this journey and we felt it was a done deal."