iHeartSeven

The Reality of Motherhood

Kat Robertson — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:47:08 +0000

Today I realized something... kids grow up. As they grow up, it hurts... both you and them. You'll feel like you hurt more because it seems like they don't care. They'll feel like you hate them. You'll wish they could see themselves through your eyes and they'll wish you could understand more from their perspective. Mother's Day is special to moms of kids who are growing up because it's sometimes the only day they show appreciation... on this holiday, we celebrate all the joys of motherhood but the reality is more often than not, being a mother means you live with only half your heart because pieces of it get broken along the journey and take time to mend and it's never all mended at once. I love my kids so much that my body aches with the fullness of it and I always will love them more than the very essence of my own life even when they hate me and even when they think I hate them. I will always try to understand from their perspective even when they refuse to let me in. And I will live with half a heart as necessary because having them in my life fills the temporary brokenness and gives me strength even when our journey seems impossibly difficult. I'll love them when they are hard to love and I'll be behind them even when they want nothing to do with me at all. That is the reality of motherhood - we will be tested to prove the unconditional bounds of our love and no matter how many tears we cry, there'll always be more - some of joy, some of sadness... some of pain and...

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

“What I Love About My Husband” – Week 30

Kat Robertson — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:00:35 +0000

Barry works hard. If anyone could make a good case for coming home and doing absolutely NOTHING for the time he's off the rig, it would be him. My husband respects that I need to *do me* as much as he needs to *do him*... and when he comes home, supports me in being involved in the things that I enjoy. I was completely shocked when he agreed to do the Vampire 5K with me a couple of weekends ago. He loves working out and lifting heavy, but a runner he is definitely not. Yet he did -- not because he enjoys it but because I enjoy it. My husband teaches me how to be selfless and leads me into being better within our union by show me through his example. I love him for that.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

A Mother’s Worst Fear: When You Can’t Find Your Kid – 7 Things EVERY Family Should Do to Stay Safe!

Kat Robertson — Fri, 03 May 2013 15:15:10 +0000

Yesterday was absolutely the worst day of my entire life. We've all had those momentary freak-outs when you look outside and your child isn't in the yard anymore and then see them a couple of houses down playing with a neighbor's child. Your heart rate returns to normal and you carry on. Yesterday wasn't that kind of day for me. I will try to put into words the heart-wrenching anguish that gripped my soul for the 60 minutes Avalyn was missing after I was late to the bus stop. Ava is almost 8 years old and she's a smart kid -- surely if she got there a couple of minutes before me, she would just wait on the porch or go in the back yard to sit with Queen (our dog) until I pulled up, right? I pulled into the driveway at 3:37 and horror struck my heart -- I got out of the truck and Ava was nowhere in sight. I went to four or five houses in our neighborhood -- no one had seen her. My chest got tight and my throat started to close. I was shaking and panicking -- my heart was racing and I just start babbling to God, "PLEASE help me find my baby, Lord, please! I don't know what to do!" I could hear myself wheezing as I fumbled for my phone and dialed 9-1-1.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

“What I Love About My Husband” – Week 29

Kat Robertson — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:34:37 +0000

Barry has always been one to support me, no matter what I need. He has had my back for nearly 16 years. His presence in my life has made me more courageous, more daring and more confident no matter what I'm doing or where I'm headed. He's there to encourage me through times when I feel hesitant and he's there to coach me through times when I'm uncertain... to push me -- to help convert my thoughts into ambitions. My husband believes in me and gives me the strength to believe in myself. I love him for that.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Boot Camp Assessments #13 — Week 53: 2 Days from 1 Year Mark – Time For New Goals!

Kat Robertson — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:30:33 +0000

Tonight was my 13th assessment with my trainer. Today starts week 53 and tomorrow is the last day in my first year of my fitness journey. I'm SO proud of everything I have accomplished in the last 364 days. Here is a picture of how far I have come: Running -- May 1, 2012 I was running (haha - running, yeah change that to barely even jogging) a mile in 17 minutes, 32 seconds. I've cut EXACTLY 9 minutes off that time -- tonight I finished my mile in 8 minutes, 32 seconds. Core strength -- May 1, 2012 I was able to do 26 situps in 2 minutes. Tonight I did 70 (my personal record is 73). Upper body strength -- May 1, 2012 I was able to do NO military pushups at all. I couldn't lift myself once I lowered no matter how hard I tried (more due to my lack of core strength than lack of arm strength, actually). I did only 29 modified (on my knees like a girl) pushups back then. Now I would sooner eat a bug than even THINK about putting my knees on the ground for a pushup. I did 74 military pushups in 2 minutes tonight (my personal record is 80). Weight -- May 1, 2012 I weighed 171.8 ... I am now weighing in at 144.0 (my lowest weight before I started strength training to build muscle was 141.8). I went from a size 14 to a size 6 within 8 months. I'm a totally new person and I love it.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Just Thinking – Just Being

Kat Robertson — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:41:20 +0000

We can't always effect change in the world and those around us - change starts within. We can't change others - we can't control their thoughts, their reactions, their ways. We can only control change the way we think, our own reactions. I don't want to be changed. So what happens when those who share your personal world don't want to be changed either? What do you do when you feel paralyzed by not knowing or understanding the extrinsic forces -- when you decide in your heart that you can't continue to compromise your comfort out of fear of the response you'll get? I get tired of being discounted. I fight hard but I love harder ... at the end of the day, all of this is just thinking. I'm just being. I like the me that I am... and you should like me just the way I become, too.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

GIVEAWAY: FREE Vampire 5K Race Registration – Atlanta Run!

Kat Robertson — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:10:13 +0000

Friday, Barry and I will be running in the Vampire 5K - Atlanta at Six Flags in Austell, GA! This will be the first race he has run with me (first race he has run ever, actually) which I am REALLY excited about... but even more than that, it's going to be FUN! We are registered along with a couple of friends of mine from boot camp as Citizens so we'll be racing to finish without getting bit by the Vampires! And YOU have a chance on this post to win free registration to join us. Which side will you choose -- Vampire or Citizen? The run begins Friday night at 7:30pm and ends under a full moon! Citizens will be wearing white and will start in one location. Vampires will be wearing black and have a different starting point. The two paths intersect at a point unknown to the runners and that's when it gets interesting!

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Fitness Update — Week 52: Wait, Whaaaat? Week 52? :) Daaaaang!

Kat Robertson — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:28:04 +0000

I'm at 27% bodyfat which is healthy, but I likely won't even start to develop a 6-pack in my abs until I'm <20% so that's my goal. I have amped up my workout routines to be a combination of fat burning, muscle building and cardio twice a day as well as adding weight training -- gym in the morning and boot camp in the evening, bodyweight squats each day, as many pushups as I can within a 2-minute period (preparation for boot camp assessments) and running 7-9 miles a week. Starting Monday I will be using more of the barbell weights rather than machines. The more I learn about the body's adaptations & responses to certain movement patterns, the less I'm impressed with what my body is learning with regard to the limited range of motion that exists with machine-assisted weight training. Click below to read the full article and find out more about my diet, the status of my Fitness Trainer certification and get a little encouraging motivation! :)

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

“What I Love About My Husband” – Week 26

Kat Robertson — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:11:29 +0000

Barry has an uncanny ability to know when something is bothering me -- sometimes even before I realize it myself. For the last few weeks, he's heard something in my tone of voice and has continuously (and annoyingly LOL) asked me what was wrong. I had been discontent -- feeling a certain kind of way, but it was more of just a nagging feeling than something I could really put my finger on and I kept brushing it off as me being moody because I wasn't sleeping well. He encouraged me to write a blog post about what I was feeling which ended up being about my need to be MYSELF -- once I figure out who I am, that is. Barry commented and told me to find myself whether that "me" is the me that I am or the me that I need to be and that he will always love me either way. My husband gets me -- even when I don't get me. I love him for that.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Boot Camp Assessments #12 — Week 50: Two Goals KILLED, One to Go! {& I Did the Color Run!}

Kat Robertson — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 03:28:56 +0000

This is WEEK 50... I have TWO WEEKS left until I've been doing boot camp for ONE YEAR!! *squeaaaaal* As for Assessments #12 - those took place last Monday (the 1st) and I DID reach my goal of 8 minutes, 45 seconds for my mile which I am still THRILLED about and hoping to cut a few more seconds off before May 1 (my one year fitness anniversary). I did 77 pushups in 2 minutes and 67 situps in 2 minutes. My measurements and weight are stable and although I had set a goal of 135, I've figured out that I'm currently at my ideal weight and I have pretty much weighed in between 143 and 145 consistently for several months. At this point I don't have any weight or measurement-related goals. All of my goals going forward will be focused on strength and speed. Saturday I finished my third race, The Color Run, with two other trainers from Mega WorX Training where I work: Matthew, who is the owner and my personal trainer for the last year, as well as Alyssa, the assistant trainer for our morning boot camp class. We had a BLAST.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Hello, World. It’s Me Again… and I’m Feeling a Little Better Today!

Kat Robertson — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:29:33 +0000

I feel so much better today after writing the article I published on here last night. I am free from my own inhibitions :) I think that in some ways, my fear of grabbing ahold of ME has actually helped me to become the multidimensional woman that I am in the sense that I have tried finding myself and that *thing* that I am passionate about through so many different avenues which led to so many varying experiences that I wouldn't otherwise have had. Even so, I felt like I'd never find me which left a part of me unfulfilled. Now that I have found that *thing* it's motivated me to rediscover myself and to get to know me all over again... So I'm exhaling. And moving forward :)

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Hello, World. It’s Me Again. I Think I’m Having an Identity Crisis.

Kat Robertson — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:42:53 +0000

Even though I do love my life, I feel like *I* got left somewhere along the road. I've loved my husband with every fiber in my being since I was just a little girl -- I thought I wanted to be an adult... I thought I was ready for that kind of responsibility, but how could I possibly be ready ascertain such a thing when I couldn't yet even drive a car?! I compromised myself... because things I naively thought made sense or at least made us even didn't make sense and only made me feel like little pieces of me had been chipped away. There were 13 months from the day I got my driver's license to the day I became a mother. 29 months from my sweet 16 until I became my husband's wife. Before I even turned 20, I was married with three kids. I have been everything to everyone else since I was just a kid. I feel like there has never really been any room left in my world for ME. I am 30 years old and I'm all given out. I just want to shed my skin and reveal myself but I'm scared of being exposed -- of feeling emotionally naked and misunderstood. I'm afraid that the people I hold dear won't get that my need to know ME -- my need to BE ME -- has nothing to do with them or their place in my life. My outer world hasn't changed any. I still love my personal atmosphere. I just can't spend any more of my life trying to consider who I am to all of them because it's time for me to figure out who I am as a person. Just as me. I want to be in this same environment without the box. That's...

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

VLOG: Elbow. Tendinitis? Maybe. Maybe Not… :(

Kat Robertson — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:27:47 +0000

I can't say I'm quite sure WHAT is going on with my stupid elbow this week but whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it qualifies as being my very first ever sports injury. Yes, people. Boot camp. It's my sport. Yes, it is. Anyway. Monday we did yoga, which I've never done and I guess I didn't realize how much of a strain it was putting on my elbow when we did the sun whatevers and then going down and coming up into the cobra position. She emphasized to keep our elbows tight against our sides as we did that motion and I felt my right elbow getting sort of weak but I'm a push-through-er so I kept going when I probably should have either listened to my arm and said screw yoga or asked to make sure I would doing the exercise with proper form... stupid, stupid Kat. And what's frustrating is that I *KNOW* how important form is. Gah. I may try to get up to Urgent Care tomorrow or at least Monday before boot camp assessments to see what's going on. I'll let y'all know when I do.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Mamavation TV: I Had Fun Interviewing with Leah Segedie Tonight!

Kat Robertson — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:38:41 +0000

Did you miss my interview with Leah Segedie where I spoke to the ladies of Mamavation about MY take on fitness tonight? I shared a little bit about my own journey and gave some advice to those who are standing in the shoes I occupied a few short months ago!!! No worries if you didn't tune in - you can catch it below! I apologize in advance for my shoddy internet connection -- many of you know how much I've complained about Charter lately, but even though you can't SEE me all that clearly, the audio is not affected for the majority of the video. Enjoy! Thanks again for having me, Leah!

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

HOLY COW! My Last Family Update Was Over a Year Ago!

Kat Robertson — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:31:02 +0000

It's been a LONG time since the last time I did a full family update (as in, nearly two years!) so I figured I would go ahead and do that... so much has happened so quickly and I feel like I can't really keep up with everything on my blog. I keep saying that I am going to write more but then another month passes by and all that gets published are my weekly affirmations for Barry and my fitness updates. One day life will slow down and it will get more interesting around here -- until then, I guess these massive updates will have to suffice ;) Here goes...

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Fitness Update — Week 48: I Completed an Obstacle Race & Led a Boot Camp Class!

Kat Robertson — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 16:30:09 +0000

I'm now only 38 days away from my 1 YEAR fitness anniversary. In the last 327 days I have accomplished more than I did in all of the 1095 days prior! I would start off strong and when it seemed like a hopeless process I would give up - I convinced myself that the damage was done and I figured it would be best to just accept that as a mother of five children, my body would never be the same. Boy, was I wrong... How long have you been putting off that much-needed change in your life? YOU are in control no matter how much it feels that you aren't. Giving up will get you nowhere... So keep going and I promise you'll surprise even yourself :)

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

“What I Love About My Husband” – Week 23

Kat Robertson — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:51:18 +0000

Barry has always had a heart of gold. He isn't perfect but he's always had a strong character. Now, he spends his time building character in our son -- and all the little boys that end up coming around. My husband loves making others realize their potential and their worth. I love him for that.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

“What I Love About My Husband” – Week 22

Kat Robertson — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:29:22 +0000

Barry isn't much of a mushy, gushy guy. Even so, he always amazes me how sweet and very tender he is... He's a serious man -- He is the type of man that WILL be respected. Period. But, man-oh-man when it comes to the baby... all that hard stuff goes straight out the window. Zoe has that Daddy wrapped right around her little finger. My husband is the perfect mix of lion and teddy bear. I love him for that.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Fitness Update — Week 46: Saturday is My Next Race! {5K Foam Fest!}

Kat Robertson — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:10:26 +0000

One thing I haven't really gotten too much into detail about are the races I'm planning to participate this year. I ran my FIRST official race in January -- the Hot Chocolate 15K -- and it was a great experience for me. It left me feeling extremely accomplished and thirsty for another opportunity. My next official race is this coming Saturday and it's also a first for me -- my first obstacle race!!! I'll be participating in the 5K Foam Fest in Atlanta and I have to admit, I'm just as apprehensive about this one as I was the 15K! The main thing is I don't know what to expect... but it looks like it's going to be a blast so even though it's not going to be an easy 3.1 miles, it's going to be FUN and I'm definitely looking forward to it :)

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Do They Hate You… Because You’re Pieces of Them?

Kat Robertson — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 16:16:20 +0000

We spend so much of our lives trying to be liked... trying to be accepted... looking for approval and for what? In the end, all of those people who didn't like you, didn't accept you and made you feel insecure are just people. Just people like you -- people who have been disliked and insecure themselves. No one is immune to the harshness of our society, but as Beyonce's character in The Fighting Temptations puts it, "When life makes you have to put up with mean & hateful people, just think of them as sandpaper. They may scratch you, rub you the wrong way, but eventually you end up smooth & polished. And the sandpaper? It's just gonna be worn out & ugly."

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

“What I Love About My Husband” – Week 21

Kat Robertson — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:51:33 +0000

Barry works hard. He lives in the middle of the ocean with 200 other men on a floating platform drilling for oil in 10,000 feet of water for 28 days... then he comes home and goes grocery shopping, helps keep the house clean, fixes fences, cooks dinner while I'm at boot camp, repairs random things around the house, ensures that maintenance is done on our vehicles, says lunch at the school with the kids, coaches on Tre's football team, takes the kids to school, goes to the gym almost daily and still manages to find the time and energy to spoil his wife. My husband takes care of home in every way. I love him for that.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

Boot Camp Assessments #11 — Week 45: I’m ONE Second and 8 Situps from My Anniversary Goals!

Kat Robertson — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 01:10:01 +0000

As of today, I am officially the assistant trainer for Mega Worx Training's evening class, which is exciting for me. Over the next couple of months, I'm going to be getting certified through the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) at which point I will be added on as a lead trainer of my own mid-morning class. It's an emotional step for me because I look back at where I was physically a year ago (not even a year ago, actually) and I experience a mixture of feelings ranging from ecstatic (because I've come this far) to regret (that it took me SO long to get up the courage to TRY) but overall I'm just very proud of myself and thankful for all the support I've received along the way that kept me striving and continues to keep me pressing forward and setting/reaching new goals.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

VIDEO: Briyana Was SO Country {9 Years Old}

Kat Robertson — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:57:44 +0000

I used to tell the kids that when they don't obey, bad things will happen... my reasoning was because the things we tell them to do or not to do are usually to keep them safe from harm so when they disregard our instruction, they may be putting themselves in harm's way. Briyana took this to mean that a person with a lot of "bo-bos" must be reaaaallly bad. She set out to find out who the worst one in the house is by counting every mark on them LOL This is what she concluded: This was nearly 4 years ago - she was 9 years old and Talia was 6.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

“What I Love About My Husband” – Week 20

Kat Robertson — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:34:31 +0000

Barry has always been the persistent, determined type. He sets his mind to something and from that moment, there is nothing that can deter or distract him from that goal no matter how impossible most people would consider his goals to be. He dropped out of high school and went to junior college with an NFL dream -- and he made it to the NFL. But before he made it to the NFL, that high school dropout got an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. He has never been one to mind starting from the bottom because from the second he starts, he's looking all the way to the top, setting his sights on where he is going, never settling in where he is currently. I've never heard him say he wanted something that he didn't end up with. My husband is a go-getter. I love him for that.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)

“What I Love About My Husband” – Week 19

Kat Robertson — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:32:39 +0000

A lot of times, the kids will want to do things with me and I just simply won't have time. I'll have other things that need to be taken care of. I'll be tired. I find myself at times just not wanting to go anywhere or do anything. When Barry comes home from work, at least for the first week or two he has every reason to need to rest, but he immediately jumps into "papa" mode, taking them to the store, throwing the football and making sure that they know DADDY is home :) I admire that about him and it does inspire me to turn them down less... to be more consistent and to do my best to really try to be more present in each moment. Barry makes time for the kids even when he doesn't feel like it... I love him for that.

This is a summary/excerpt. Click the post title to view the full article :)