Michelle Duggar makes rare appearance at Joy-Anna’s home for daughter Evie’s birthday after retreating from spotlight

DUGGAR matriarch Michelle has stopped by her daughter Joy-Anna Duggar’s home to celebrate her granddaughter’s special day.

It appeared that nothing was able to keep Michelle from joining her granddaughter Evelyn, who is nicknamed Evie, on her birthday.

5

Joy-Anna, 25, gave fans a glimpse of Evie’s third birthday party in a vlog she uploaded on her and her husband Austin Forsyth, 29, family’s YouTube account.

Evie energetically jumped around, repeating that it was “her birthday” whenever her mom asked her “what today was.”

A part of the video showed Evie playing in a bouncy ball pit in the former TV personality’s backyard with her friends.

Evie’s five-year-old brother Gideon helped install air into the ball pit prior to the kids playing in it.

Then, it cuts to the adults at the party in her living room.

Austin sat on the couch, holding his and Joy-Anna’s infant son, Gunner.

Loved ones were on either side of him, and standing above him was his mother-in-law, Michelle, 57.

The mother of 19 made funny faces as she hovered over Gunner’s face, much to his amusement.

Michelle appearing in public is a rarity nowadays.

THE BACKLASH

Especially following the backlash she and her husband, Jim Bob, 58, faced for their reaction to the tell-all documentary, Happy Shiny People, about their family.

The Amazon Prime series centered on the Institute in Basic Life Principles, or IBLP, and the well-known families in it – like the Duggars.

IBLP is a religious organization that has been considered to be a cult.

Even Jim Bob and Michelle’s daughter, Jinger Duggar, 29, has called the IBLP practices cult-like.

Jill Duggar, 32, and Amy Duggar, 36, appear in the documentary to talk about their experiences.

After the first episode of the documentary dropped, Jim Bob and Michelle made a statement on their family’s website, and they also shared the message on Instagram.

The Counting On stars’ statement said: “The recent ‘documentary’ that talks about our family is sad because in it we see the media and those with ill intentions hurting people we love.

“Like other families, ours too has experienced the joys and heartbreaks of life, just in a very public format.

“This ‘documentary’ paints so much and so many in a derogatory and sensationalized way because sadly that’s the direction of entertainment these days.”

It continued: “We have always believed that the best chance to repair damaged relationships, or to 

“We love every member of our family and will continue to do all we can to have a good relationship with each one.

“Through both the triumphs and the trials we have clung to our faith all the more and discovered that through the love and grace of Jesus, we find strength, comfort, and purpose.”

FAN FURY

Critics slammed the couple for putting a focus on repairing relationships in private.

One wrote on Reddit: “‘Love in a private setting’ is disgusting knowing how much covering up was done.

“What a horrible, warped version of love this family has.”

Another added: “They talk about their heartbreaks being aired in a public setting as if that was something forced on them. They chose to appear on a TV show for years.”

A third posted: “I would feel sympathetic if they hadn’t paraded their family through the public square. They violated their family privacy.”

In the statement, there was no direct mention of their church or their son Josh Duggar, 35, who is currently in prison for possession of child pornography.

5

5

5