Welcome to your site!

Cassandragrote.com sounds pretty cool, right?

Mom and I wanted to give you a gift that would continue to give well past Christmas 2011. In fact, this gift isn’t just from us, but from many people who love and care about you.

Your family.

2011 has been a tough year for you with the roller coaster of school and the medical concerns. We know. All of us know. We’ve been where you are and sometimes it’s a hard place to be.

What you’ll find on the site is a collection of our wisdom, encouragement or just stories to help you find your way and inspire. Really, it’s about showing our love and appreciation to a very special person. Cassandra Grote.

Merry Christmas and have a great 2012!

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Amazing Daughters

Cassie, how lucky am I to have 2 such amazing daughters? What a true blessing that you have blossomed from an only child of 18 years to a most loving sibling! You could have taken the news that a sibling was coming in envy and turmoil. Instead, you became the most sharing person.

You’re always ready for a fun cohort with Shannon, as well as happy sharing mom-time. “Mom, she needs you.”

You had a huge obstacle at 18, and you not only survived the process… you succeeded! You are the BEST SISTER EVER!

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Relatives

From Mom

Isn’t it amazing that in our family there is no difference between blood relative and relative by marriage? Seriously, each of these people would claim you hands down as their niece/cousin with no reservation?

Ok, you probably don’t know what else to expect because that’s the way you were raised. BUT, as an adult it is pretty AWESOME to have non-blood relatives that treat you with total love and acceptance.

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Always There For You

From Grandma

Cassie …
For a good time call Grandma. She always is good for a laugh and on some levels understands you better than anyone! You two are true buddies!

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Did our excitement show?

From Mom

Did our excitement show too much? You had been gone away at school for close to 4 weeks… 4 long weeks! You were so sweet to call us along your route eastbound on highway 44! The last call we had gotten was when you were driving onto the 270 ramp… just a short 5 or so minutes away.

Little did you know, we had been waiting for that phone call! We had been looking out the window just waiting and waiting for you to arrive. I acted like I had nothing better to do than just look out the window. Dad kept coming up to the kitchen saying, ‘when’s the last you heard from her?” After the last phone call he decided to camp out now on the front yard. The funny thing… dad brought the football.

Seriously, I don’t think you were out of the football 2 seconds before dad threw you the football. Me… well I was prepared with little Shannon positioned onboard with camera attached. We couldn’t wait to see you! Our grown daughter on her first trip home from college. And if our excitement wasn’t enough, we couldn’t keep Grandma away either!  As you can see, if she didn’t see you with her own two eyes, she wasn’t going to believe you were ok.  Read more... (244 words, 4 images, estimated 59 secs reading time)

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Goal Attainment

From Dad

Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for  is goals. Aristotle

(I stole the idea for the quote from Aunt Elizabeth.)

Aristotle is dead on. As humans we need to constantly be in the process of attaining something. It doesn’t have to be material, but we are a species that likes moving forward, attaining our goals. The problem is that we don’t always attain our goals. This leads to a dispiriting, self sustaining cycle of let downs and self doubt.

Sound familiar?

I don’t have the market cornered on goal attainment, but I do have a pretty good idea how to deal with it when you fall short.

When I play tennis I know I am going to win. Confidence. My goal is to beat my opponent. Within one or two points I know my chances. As the match progresses my goals shift depending on the circumstances.

Is this a cop out? Nope.

Realizing that a goal is unattainable isn’t giving up, but far from it. If you adjust your goal in the pursuit you still come out ahead.  Read more... (255 words, 1 image, estimated 1:01 mins reading time)

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Don’t Get Too Comfortable

Very, very safe.

Very, very comfortable.

Very, very boring.

You may find yourself trying to limit your exposure to new things after an experience like nursing school. It’s ok as it is a natural reaction. You get burned, you recoil, don’t touch the stove again.

In life you need to keep reaching out and trying new things. Why? Exposure. It lets you feel different experiences and highlights different perspectives.

Don’t go too crazy like I did, though.

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What did I want to be when I grew up?

From Dad

Situational dynamics is what I call it when you find yourself sorting through things as you go along. We all have plans and they are interrupted. Choosing a career or a life path is probably one of the biggest plans you’ll ever have to create.

For me my career choices have always been about situational dynamics. Getting married young, having kids early forced me into dynamics where making a living were paramount and my goals took the proverbial backseat.

Don’t get wrong. I’m good at what I do and it provides for us, but I am pretty sure it isn’t what I would have chosen to do. And there is the sadness. At this point I have no idea what I would choose to do as opposed to what I have to do.

Your sitting at a point in your life where the window of your future is wide open. You can easily walk through it to where you want to be.

Thinking you chose what you wanted and failing shouldn’t preclude you from re-examining you choices and maybe making different ones.  Read more... (264 words, 1 image, estimated 1:03 mins reading time)

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Find Value in Everything You Do

From Mom and Dad

A common refrain you hear from people who think they are waging a constant war with themselves is that something always comes along.

It is true. Something always comes along.

When I used AOL IM at MCI/Worldcom/Verizon this was my icon:

Many people didn’t understand this and thought I was commenting on the relenting drudgery some folks find themselves dealing with in corporate America. Honestly, it is a commentary on that, but it is also my way of looking at things.

Sisyphus was a king condemned to roll a stone up a hill only to find it rolling back down for eternity.

Me? I look at things like this as an opportunity to always find value in what I am doing. Whether it is pushing the stone up the hill or chasing it down. Understanding the goal of getting it to the top is unattainable forces you to find the value in what you are doing.

This can be said for people who are wondering aimlessly or confused about the direction they have to choose. Going through the motions of life and not finding the value in their actions.  Read more... (216 words, 1 image, estimated 52 secs reading time)

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