The Women of Duck Commander (3 page)

BORN AND RAISED IN:
West Monroe, Louisiana

HUSBAND’S NAME:
Willie Jess Robertson

CHILDREN’S NAMES AND BIRTH YEARS:

John Luke (born 1995)

Sadie (born 1997)

Will (born 2001)

Bella (born 2002)

Rebecca (born 1988; came to live with us in 2005)

HUSBAND’S BEST QUALITY:
Besides always being able to make me laugh, Willie is a great leader for our family and to others. Even as a kid, he always loved to take the underdogs and lead them to victory. And most important is his spiritual leadership in our home. He loves God with all his heart, and it shows in how he lives. Plus he’s a great cook! Okay, maybe those are his three best qualities.

FAVORITE DUCK DISH:
Duck wraps: duck, jalapeño pepper, and cream cheese wrapped in bacon

LEAST-FAVORITE FOOD:
Coconut. I don’t like the texture.

TALENT NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT:
I can do a backflip on the trampoline and off the diving board.

FAVORITE COLOR:
Green

FAVORITE VACATION DESTINATION:
Snow skiing, anywhere

FAVORITE SCRIPTURE:
Micah 6:8: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

FAVORITE SONG:
“Boondocks” by Little Big Town. Sounds a lot like the Robertsons!

THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A ROBERTSON IS:
It’s never boring! We laugh a lot. But most important, everyone, and I mean everyone, puts God first—and when you do that it makes your relationships so much better.

THREE THINGS I’M THANKFUL FOR:

1. My family

2. My home

3. Getting to travel

MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT PERSON?
Definitely night

ONE THING THAT REALLY GETS ON MY NERVES:
Mosquitoes

ONE THING ON MY BUCKET LIST:
A visit to Africa

ONE PERSON I REALLY ADMIRE AND WHY:
My mom. She is hands-down the most unselfish person I know. She is an awesome example of a godly wife, mom, and friend. She’s strong but kind, and she’s busy but always has enough time for you. She puts her family first but has big goals and dreams of her own. She has never let me down. Plus, I wish I had her energy. She never stops!

HOW I FEEL ABOUT HOUSEWORK:
I’m a disaster at housework. I like to organize, clean out closets, etc., but nothing ever stays that way. It
will look great for about two days and then it’s right back where we started. We are not good at cleaning up as we go along in our house. I like to enjoy life, then when it gets to a certain level, we have what I call “Family Cleanup Time.” I feel like if I’m cleaning, someone else should be too! Plus, it gets done a lot faster if everyone pitches in.

TOTAL NUMBER OF DAYS SPENT IN A DUCK BLIND:
One

BEST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE ME:
I heard or read somewhere: “A woman can do everything she wants in life, just not all at once.” I was a stay-at-home mom when our kids were little and I loved that; wouldn’t change it for the world. Now I’m a working mom and I love that too. It’s all about balance and patience. You’ve got a lifetime to reach your goals; don’t rush it and put pressure on yourself. You’ll just make yourself and everyone around you stressed.

WORST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE ME:
To get that short haircut in the eighties. I have a big head and skinny legs. I looked like a Q-tip.

MY MOTHER ALWAYS SAID:
“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” This was usually said in reference to how I talked to my siblings or how they talked to me, but the Bible says one should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, so I think she had something there.

I WOULD NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT:
Lip gloss. I feel naked without something on my lips.

MY FAVORITE THING TO DO DURING DUCK SEASON IS:
Go back to sleep after Willie crawls out of bed at four
A.M.
on those cold, rainy
mornings. I’ve also been known to take a few shopping trips to New York City with the girls during this time!

IF I COULD DO ONE THING TO CHANGE THE WORLD TODAY, I WOULD:
Give all the orphans homes with a loving family.

WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I WANTED TO GROW UP AND BE:
A stockbroker (not sure why), an art teacher, and a model—but mostly a mom.

Jessica Robertson

BORN AND RAISED IN:
Born in Bossier, Louisiana; raised in West Monroe, Louisiana

HUSBAND:
Jules Jeptha (Jep) Robertson

CHILDREN’S NAMES AND BIRTH YEARS:

Lillian (Lily) Mae (born 2002)

Merritt Decatur (born 2004)

Priscilla June (born 2006)

River Alexander (born 2008)

HUSBAND’S BEST QUALITY:
Jep has such a big heart, a heart after God

FAVORITE DUCK DISH:
Duck wraps

LEAST-FAVORITE FOOD:
Barbecue

TALENT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT:
I can sew really well

FAVORITE COLOR:
Red

FAVORITE VACATION ACTIVITY:
Snow skiing

FAVORITE SCRIPTURE:
3 John 4: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

FAVORITE SONG:
“(Sitting On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding

THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A ROBERTSON IS:
The abundant love and all the encouragement we share

THREE THINGS I’M THANKFUL FOR:

1. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ

2. My husband and my children

3. Family, friends, and other church family

MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT PERSON:
Although I grew up a morning person (I was usually in bed by nine
P.M.
), Jep turned me into a night person. My junior and senior years, I took seven
A.M.
classes (that’s how much of a morning person I was). Now I can’t seem to get up before seven.

ONE THING THAT REALLY GETS ON MY NERVES:
Smacking!!

ONE THING ON MY BUCKET LIST:
A vacation in Italy

ONE PERSON I REALLY ADMIRE AND WHY:
My mamaw Nellie Fincher. I have learned so much from her about commitment, love, Jesus, selflessness, and true joy. She loves Jesus Christ more than anything or anyone else. She is the most influential woman in my life.

HOW I FEEL ABOUT HOUSEWORK:
I really don’t like housework; I hate
it! I am a good cleaner; I just hate to do it. I like organization and no clutter.

TOTAL NUMBER OF DAYS SPENT IN A DUCK BLIND:
Two, but more to come. I really like hunting. I grew up going with my dad, but it’s hard to go when you have four babies all two years apart.

BEST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE ME:
“Keep God first.”

WORST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE ME:
“God would never want you to be unhappy.”

MY MOTHER ALWAYS SAID:
“Be nice to everyone, no matter where they come from, how much money they have, or the color of their skin.”

I WOULD NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT:
My lipstick or ChapStick

MY FAVORITE THING TO DO DURING DUCK SEASON IS:
Plan for Christmas

IF I COULD DO ONE THING TO CHANGE THE WORLD TODAY, I WOULD:
Protect children from abusive situations

WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I WANTED TO GROW UP AND BE:
An attorney. I now know I would have made a terrible lawyer.

Part One

HOW I BECAME A ROBERTSON

“Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”

RUTH 1:16–17, NLT

1

INTRODUCTION

A Message from the Wives

All of us wives agree that being a Robertson is a privilege and a joy. We are a happy family; we love God, and we love each other. We help and support one another, and we each have a passion to see the others succeed. We work together, play together, pray together, and laugh together.