Joy-Anna Duggar Honors Stillborn Daughter in Bittersweet Post

Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth continue the grieving process.

As Duggar fans already know, Joy suffered a stillbirth.

Given the couple’s background and beliefs, they named their would-be daughter.

Now, they’re celebrating her “heavenly birthday” in a bittersweet tribute.

Joy-Anna Duggar has spent six years mourning Annabell

On July 1, 2019, Joy-Anna Duggar would have welcomed a daughter named Annabell into the world.

Instead, she suffered a stillbirth.

Taking to her Instagram page on Tuesday, July 1, Joy marked the six-year anniversary of that loss with an emotional tribute — and with photos that some may find disturbing.

“Happy heavenly 6th birthday Annabell Elise Forsyth,” Joy-Anna began her caption.

She marked the date: “July 1, 2019.”

Joy also issued a warning: “Some photos may be disturbing to some.”

The photos in question feature the body of her stillborn child.

These birthday tributes are part of how they cope

In the aftermath of Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth experiencing their 2019 stillbirth, family helped them cope with this profound sense of loss.

Coping is seldom a once-and-done thing. Grief is a process.

Part of that process, for Joy, has been memorializing and paying tribute to Annabell on the anniversary of what should have been her birthday.

There is also, of course, a theological element to Joy-Anna and Austin’s anniversary tributes.

As Joy notes in her caption, she — like most if not all of her family — believes that Annabell has a soul that dwells within the Christian afterlife, heaven.

Joy likely believes that she and Annabell and all of her loved ones (well, not Josh) will reunite in this afterlife upon their deaths.

In this way, the coping mechanism of mourning her stillborn daughter is also reminding herself of this promise of reunion.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joy Forsyth (@joy4site)

On a less bittersweet note …

Joy-Anna Forsyth recently shared photos from a family camping trip in Colorado. She, Austin, Gideon, Evelyn, and Gunner

Commenters under the series of Instagram photos repeatedly told them to frame one of these photos — the second one, specifically.

That is a solid piece of advice.

Moments feel indelible when they happen, but framed photos help us to preserve precious memories and display them.

Joy-Anna Duggar Honors Stillborn Daughter in Bittersweet Post was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.