It’s been almost a year since Josh Duggar was convicted on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography.
Duggar is currently serving a 151-month sentence at a federal prison in Seagoville, Texas.
There are many who feel that he deserves a much longer sentence, of course, and there are a few who think that the 34-year-old will prove his innocence on appeal.
One of those deluded faithful is Josh’s wife, Anna Duggar, who has been dutifully raising his seven kids in his absence.
Obviously, Anna’s situation would be difficult under the best of circumstances, but she’s also facing the additional challenge of being in her mid-thirties with no means of income and no real-world job experience.
(Duggar women are generally not permitted to work outside of the home, and Anna likely would not have been allowed to launch a career even if she had wanted to.)
And now, she’s facing a second Christmas season with seven kids and no husband at home.
According to a new report from In Touch, Anna is “making the best of raising her children without Josh [Duggar],”
“The holidays have been difficult,” a source tells the outlet.
“Josh has done terrible things – she’s still dealing with that betrayal, but she misses him. Josh is all she knows; they met in 2006. He was a good boyfriend, husband and dad until he wasn’t.”
Obviously, Josh didn’t stop being a “good” partner — he also committed a series of unspeakable crimes.
But insiders say Anna truly believes Josh is innocent, and she’s hopeful that this will be her last Christmas alone.
As for the rumors that Anna has considered divorcing Josh, the insider says those reports are completely bogus.
“It might be a cut and dry decision for others, but it’s not that simple for Anna,” the source claims.
“Her faith has been tested, but she’s stronger than people think.”
Yes, it seems that Anna thinks of her present situation as a test of her faith — and not as an opportunity to free herself and her children from the clutches of a monster.
Earlier this month, Anna seemed to snub her in-laws by not attending Joy-Anna Duggar’s gender reveal party.
Some hoped that this was a sign that Anna had come to her senses and begun to recognize the truth of her situation.
But while Anna’s relationship with Josh’s family might have its ups and downs, it seems that her belief in her husband’s innocence is unwavering.
“The Duggar family fully supports Anna, but it’s complicated. There are a lot of hurt feelings over what Josh did,” a second source says.
“She still attends family functions because her kids love their cousins, aunts and uncles, but it’s not the same for Anna.”
Yes, it sounds like things will be rather tense around the Duggar household this holiday season.
And Anna should probably get used to it, as despite her optimism, she’ll likely be in the same position for the next 10 Christmases or so.
Anna Duggar: It’s Not Easy Being a Single Mother of 7 During the Holidays! was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip .