Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar continue to grieve following the news that the reality TV mom miscarried her 20th child last week.
The "19 Kids and Counting" couple told People that they plan to hold a memorial service on Wednesday for the baby they named Jubilee Shalom Duggar.
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"We have had many tears today," Jim Bob told the mag. "This is life, and I understand that we are going [through] something that many others have. You think about the what-ifs, but God gives us strength to go on. We won't be able to see this child's life and the phases that we've seen for our other children, but we know we will see this child in heaven one day. We are thankful for each child, and we are blessed to have the children we have here and the ones we will meet someday in heaven." Michelle, 45 - who doctors advised to let the miscarriage happen naturally -- felt lightheaded on Sunday and was taken from home, where she was being cared for, to the hospital.
The mother of 19 is reportedly being kept under observation and is expected to be released from the hospital on Monday.
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Jim Bob thanked their fans for the outpouring of love they received following their heartbreaking news.
"We would like to thank everyone for their prayers, emails and outpouring of love," he wrote in a letter he shared with the mag. "As our whole family is grieving, we also know that God promises to work all things for good in our lives. Our prayer is that Jubilee's passing will help us all realize that this life is short, and our relationship with Jesus is the most important thing. He gives us a peace in our hearts as He guides us through whatever we might face."
Despite their miscarriage, the Duggar patriarch said the entire family was able to celebrate the recent birthday of their youngest child, Joise, 2, who was born in 2009 at just 25 weeks.
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"We were looking forward to this birthday because it is a milestone for her," he told the mag of his daughter's December 10 birthday. "It is wonderful that she is with us and doing so well."
This was Michelle's second miscarriage. She previously lost a baby during her second pregnancy, when she was reportedly taking oral birth control. According to the mag, this incident caused the couple to let the number of children they have be left "up to God."
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In addition to their youngest daughter, Josie, the couple is also parents to Joshua, 23 (who has two children, Mackynzie, 2, and Michael, 4 months, with wife Anna, 23), twins Jana and John-David, 21; Jill, 20; Jessa, 19; Jinger, 17; Joseph, 16; Josiah, 15; Joy-Anna, 14; twins Jedidiah and Jeremiah, 12; Jason, 11; James, 10; Justin, 8; Jackson, 7; Johanna, 6; Jennifer, 4; and Jordyn, 3.
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