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On Mother’s Day when I walked into church, all of the mothers and grandmothers we were asked to come up with a word to describe themselves. The word we chose would be stamped onto a metal disc and made into a charm bracelet as a gift to celebrate us. Now it’s not so easy to sum your life in just one word. You want that word to be important and meaningful. Words are very powerful. The words you say can destroy or build a person. The words you say can make someone’s day good or not so good. My word…it had to be a powerful one. While sitting there staring at the card I was supposed to fill out, I asked my son for his guidance. “What is my word?” He responded “love”. Hmmm good one. But I just didn’t feel that was THE “word”. I continued to listen to the sermon spoken by the pastor’s wife.  She talked of women in the Bible who had not so good pasts, faced difficult trials, or grew up in unhealthy family situations. These same women came to Jesus to be restored. “Restore” yes!!! That’s the word for me!! No. That wasn’t my “word” either. I had to come up with one word, when I felt so many such as “unworthy”, “small”, “lost” etc. Then my word hit me...“Daughter”. You see, as I have walked through so many circumstances in my life, my “word” changed. Good words, bad words. However one thing that never changed was my status as a “daughter”. My challenges, weaknesses, happy times, victories, every single one of them I remained His daughter. And HE was there every step with me. My word is so strong because of who my Father is. My word, His “daughter” covers a magnitude of words. Including love. “Daughter”. Yep, that’s my word!

Do you have dreams while you’re sleeping? Most of us do, although sometimes we can’t remember them. I don’t really think I dream that often, but I did have a funny one recently. I dreamt that my dog, Boo Bear, and I were in a dreary airport on our way to Las Vegas. Why I was taking him with me to Las Vegas I’ll never know. For some reason the ticket counter was in a very leaky, wet basement at the airport, and the airline worker who was checking me in already had my passport, which was completely torn up and in pretty bad shape for some reason. He approved me to get on the plane with my party of four, but I have no idea who the rest of my party were. As I turned to make my way to the boarding area, I discovered my luggage had mysteriously disappeared and I couldn’t find it anywhere. I also couldn’t figure out where I had to go to board my flight. The worst part of my “trip” to Vegas was I had to leave Boo Bear in the wet basement of the airport with a lot of other dogs who weren’t allowed to fly—one of them being a German Shepherd. Okay, so I’ll admit that’s a pretty silly dream, and what does it all mean? Our dreams come from our subconscious and, generally, they tell us something about ourselves. They can be about things we have experienced, our habits, our state of mind, future possibilities, etc. There is usually some meaning or explanation to our dreams, and they usually relate to something that we have been thinking about or doing within a day or so of having the dream. I love to travel and plan trips, and I’ve been to Las Vegas several times, so that part of my dream is not hard to figure out because I am always thinking of and planning the next adventure. Boo Bear is my elderly husky/buddy who sleeps in our room. Almost every night we have to get up around 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. to let him out to pee—hence the “wet” basement at the airport maybe? There was a story on the news last night about a family’s German Shepherd that had been missing for several years. The dog had been located thousands of miles away from its home and is now reunited with its family—this explains the German Shepherd in my dream. The other day I was wondering when my passport expired, so that’s probably why I dreamt about my passport, and the airline actually has lost my luggage before. So, as you can see, my dream is connected to things I have experienced in my life and things that are near and dear to me—like Boo Bear, travel, and my passport lol. Although I don’t usually remember my dreams, this one was very vivid, funny, and started my day off in a good way. It certainly didn’t have any really deep meaning. I’ll take my goofy, sweet dreams over a nightmare any day—or night.   Today's blog: Do you have crazy dreams while you’re sleeping? Most of us do, although sometimes we can’t remember them. Sheila had a pretty funny dream recently that she shares with us on the blog today!

After eleven years and 21 films of interconnected cinematic storytelling, “we’re in the endgame now.” “Avengers: Endgame” is the 22nd film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My 7 and 9 (nearly 8 and 10) year old boys and I were among millions around the world that saw this epic film on opening night. The film delivers in its promise of finality after a poignant trip down memory lane for many of the franchise’s most enduring characters. While newer heroes like Ant-Man, Rocket Raccoon, and Captain Marvel have their roles to play, Endgame is squarely focused on the original six Avengers and amounts to a celebration of the saga’s roots. The film takes you on an emotional roller coaster. It begins with a post-apocalyptic atmosphere, where you can truly feel the frustration and anger of those that survived the genocide that the villain Thanos carried out at the end of Avengers: Infinity Wars. My boys, who have grown up on these films (“chest blasting” and throwing make-shift shields at each other), were ready to leave thirty minutes into this three-hour long finale. This exasperating feeling finally gave way to hope – as a plan to fix past mistakes emerged. Of course, our mood was also raised by the comedic relief that Marvel so brilliantly interjects into dire circumstances. The world of “Endgame” is marked by trauma and loss, and the film pulls off the magic trick of both letting the audience live in that loss along-side our heroes while also providing enough levity and comedy to lighten the mood when appropriate. The more MCU that you have seen the more you will appreciate this film, as it commemorates the films that have come before it. Die-hard MCU fans will notice all the small (and the not-so-small) call-outs to previous events. These moments are a reminder of the journey that preceded “Endgame” and an indispensable part of the overall experience. Endgame is an artful tribute to nearly all that came before. The film is highlighted by several touchingly human moments between the characters. There is, of course, a big, bombastic action scene at the film’s climax that goes above and beyond anything we’ve seen before. Well before the end of the film, my boys and I were among many that had cheered out loud in a theater full of enthused fans. The teenagers behind us could no-longer remain quiet and made their excitement known. My 9 year old had to join in. He had the entire theater laughing during the final scene with Thanos when he timely blurted out, “Will you just die already?” The film was thrilling, exhilarating and at times hilarious, but also deeply sad and contemplative. As I have heard more than once leaving the theater after an MCU film, “that was the best movie ever, dad.” “Part of the journey is the end.” And when it comes to Marvel, the end is unpredictable. So go enjoy the journey before someone spoils it for you. Image courtesy of The Wrap.

The month of May marks the 1 yr. anniversary of one of my favorite live televised events. The event was the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle- Now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. I like many people tuned in early that Saturday morning to watch the ceremony. The wedding, like all royal weddings, was nothing short of magical. Although the event was televised a viewed by over 29 million Americans, details about the wedding are tightly sealed. In honor of the Royal couple’s anniversary, I found some fun facts about the wedding and a few things about the Royal Family. Every Royal bride carries myrtle in her wedding bouquet. The myrtle represents love and marriage. The tradition comes from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. They were gifted a myrtle plant from Albert’s grandmother. Ever since then a piece of that plant is placed in the bouquet. Meghan Markle was the first royal bride to have walked down the aisle of her wedding without an escort. Meghan's "something old" was Queen Mary's diamond tiara. Which was lent to Meghan by Queen Elizabeth II. Harry’s wedding band is made from platinum. The royal family has been using Welsh gold since 1923 The ceremony was steeped in tradition, all the while having the touch of their personal style. I’m a huge fan of all the Royal weddings but Harry and Meghan have been my favorite by far. Well at least until the next Royal wedding… Today's blog: Do you follow the lives of the royals? Donneshia tells us her favorite parts of Meghan and Harry's big day last May and even shares a few fun facts about the couple!

A favorite summertime activity for a lot of people is camping. There’s something to be said about spending a few days in the great outdoors and roughing it—but are we really roughing it? We do a lot of camping and I’ll be honest—I don’t see too many people roughing it in tents anymore. Most people who venture to a campground do it with some form of modern camper. Last year we traded in our very large, older fifth wheel trailer for something smaller, since our kids had grown up. We ended up with a 24 ft. travel trailer with many nice features—some nicer than what I have in my house. Our new camper has Bluetooth technology, quartz countertops, flat screen TVs, LED lighting, an outdoor kitchen, etc., etc. All of the modern conveniences a person would need for a weekend of “roughing it” in the woods. Camping can be a fun, inexpensive way to have a mini-vacation, right? Wrong. Depending on where you camp at and what amenities are offered, you can actually pay as much for a campsite per night as you could for a cheap hotel room. Then you factor in such things as fuel to get your camper where you’re staying, propane for the grill, special toilet paper and chemicals for the toilets, insect repellant or citronella candles, picnic supplies, and the list goes on and on, and maybe now you have spent enough to stay in a really nice hotel. There is also a lot of packing to do, and trips back and forth from the house to the camper loading it up with supplies, but I’ve learned to try to keep our camper stocked as if it were a second house. When we decide to go, I basically only have to throw in some food, our clothes, and our dogs of course! Everything else I need should already be in the camper. If you like to camp and ride ATVs, there’s a great campground close to the Wheeling area known as Four Seasons Resort in West Finley, Pennsylvania, with over 35 miles of marked ATV trails. My husband will be pulling the camper, and I’ll be pulling the trailer with the side-by-side in a few weeks for a fun weekend of camping and riding the trails. There is a lot of expense and preparation to camping, but don’t let that keep you from doing it. Who doesn’t like taking a walk in the woods, cooking over an open fire, or sitting back in your camp chair with a relaxing beverage by the campfire at night chatting with friends and maybe roasting a few marshmallows? Camping can be a very fun and relaxing way to get away from it all and take some time off and everyone should try it at least once. I know I’m looking forward to several weekends of camping this summer! http://www.campfourseasonsresort.com/ Image courtesy of Sheila Cottrell.

Last October, we stopped at the port in Roseau, Dominica, during the course of a seven-day Caribbean cruise. Dominica is a tiny island located in a string of islands between Antigua and St. Lucia. Dominica is NOT the Dominican Republic, which is a completely separate island over six hundred miles away. The island of Dominica is nicknamed the "nature island” because of its diverse terrain—mountains, waterfalls, beaches, volcanic remnants, and lush rainforests are only a few of nature’s wonders you may see if you visit Dominica. We visited the island a little over a year after it was devastated by Hurricane Maria. There were many houses and businesses without roofs, or using tarps for roofs, and some buildings were completely uninhabitable. Despite the devastating effects of the hurricane, it was obvious the island was in a state of recovery and the people were very friendly and welcoming. We were the first ship to port for the season, and we were warmly greeted by school children in uniform singing to us and handing out flowers. As with many Caribbean islands, tourism is their number one industry, and the efforts to rebuild and restore Dominica to its pre-hurricane status were evident everywhere. We took a tour of the island and road construction was an obvious priority as we were on newly paved roads which were better than a lot of the roads in West Virginia. As we traveled up into the mountains we drove by a lot of beautiful flowers and fruit that grow wild on the island, and saw the rain forest, a river, and Trafalgar Falls. We ended up stopping at what I would call a little roadside bar, where we had a drink and sampled fresh pineapple, guava and star fruit, which are native to the island. Upon our return to the port, our driver was very concerned that we had a good tour and a good experience with him, and we assured him we had. There was another group interested in a tour and he tracked us down and asked us to give him a good recommendation, which we gladly did. Again, tourism is very, very important to the economy and is the number one industry for many of the Caribbean islands, so the islanders usually strive to please. Although we saw devastation and some poverty, we also saw the strength and resilient spirit of the people of Dominica as they struggled to rebuild their island. It was very eye-opening and heartwarming, and I look forward to going back some day for another visit.

When He entered Jerusalem on the Sunday before Passover, Jesus was welcomed like a celebrity. The streets were filling with well wishers. Many were waving branches and spreading them in front of Jesus and his disciples as they passed through the streets. Shouts of welcome and praise filled the air. But the tone quickly changed as Jesus entered the temple. Seeing the money changers, He overturned their tables and drove them out, accusing them of defaming and defiling the house of God. Throughout the week, He taught in the temple, but he was constantly confronted by the Jewish teachers and leaders. Their efforts to disgrace Him or undermine His authority were futile. Soon they were filled with jealousy and rage. By Thursday, the mood around the Passover table was somber. Then Jesus dropped a bombshell: “One of you will betray me.” The disciples were confused, and they listened in worry and disbelief as Jesus said He would leaving them. When the meal was over, they headed to a nearby garden where Jesus began to pray. Eventually, His prayers were interrupted by torches, swords, and spears as a band of temple guards seized Him and dragged Him before the Jewish high court. In short order, He was condemned to death. And, so, as the sun began to rise on Friday morning, he was presented to the Roman governor, Pilate. The crowd that had shouted “Hosanna!” a few days earlier now shouted “Crucify!” By 9 a.m. he had been tortured, flogged, and taken to the site of his execution--Golgotha, or the “place of the skull.” For six hours, he endured the pain and humiliation of the cross. With the words, “It is finished,” His early life came to an abrupt end. His followers were devastated. His enemies were convinced that He was no longer a threat. But then came Sunday! Early on Sunday morning, a group of women went to the tomb where He was buried. Then an angelic visitor announced the news that would reshape the world for generations to come: “He is not here! He has risen, just as he said!” Out of defeat, God brought a great victory. Out of death, God brought the promise of eternal life through his son, Jesus. I pray that you would know Jesus for yourself, and that you would join me in celebrating all that He did for us on an old, rugged cross 2,000 years ago. Have a blessed Easter! Image courtesy of Unsplash.

As my family has traveled over the years, we have been fortunate enough to take advantage of a couple personal encounters with animals; including sharks and swimming with dolphins. Normally, I don’t think about unique experience like this practically in my own back yard. It may not be swimming with the marine life, but when you have daughters, they can flip over some extraordinary furry creatures. All girls have favorite animals that make them crazy growing up. They seemingly run 50 mph as they shrill just because they spot a t-shirt across the entire store displaying this creature. They have folders and socks and pillows, with these favorites on. It’s just part of our nature as females, I suppose, and my girls have always had a liking and fascination with sloths. I read in the local newspaper that our great Oglebay Good Zoo was offering private family encounters with some of the animals; so, I jumped on the chance for my girls to spend the day with their fury friend, Sweat Pea, the sloth. Honestly, I never really understood the obsession they had with this particular animal until now. It was simply captivating to watch Sweet Pea move ever so eloquently at such a sedating pace. Just as happy as can be as she nonchalantly ate from our hands and seemed to rest in most comical positions. Courtney, our encounter guide, was top-notch. We learned so much about the two-toed sloth, the differences between a two-toed and three-toed. We had all of our questions answered and truly came to appreciate how much of a struggle it is for these beautiful works of wonder out the in the wild. It makes you reflect upon what’s out there in the wild and how it’s battle of survival. Sweet Pea is quite adored at our local zoo and we are o very appreciative that we were able to have this time with her. Thanks, Oglebay Good Zoo for a memorable experience and it comes highly recommended if you have the chance to take advantage of this adventure, it makes for a fabulous fun family day.

We live in a world where information is readily available to us almost all of the time. We are able to instantly answer any question that we have by pulling out our phone, and can extensively research any topic, big or small. This is a great resource when you need a quick answer – for example, if you are driving in an unfamiliar location and need to find a gas station, or when you are at the store and can’t remember the last couple of ingredients in a recipe. But having this type of information available can actually sometimes cause us to cut ourselves short because we focus on getting the answers that we think that we want instead of finding out what all of our options may be. Nowadays, people tend to plan ahead on everything that they do. If they are shopping for something new, they will do online searches for the type of products they want. They will read dozens of reviews, good and bad, about the products, and look at photographs to compare colors and styles. They will see what kind of prices they can get from different websites or stores, then typically either order that product directly from a website or go straight into the store knowing exactly what they want, making it a quick trip to purchase that item and get back on their way. The same is often true for restaurants or vacation destinations. Research into the place’s Facebook, Yelp, Google, or TripAdvisor pages will be done, the menu will have been scanned in advance, and sometimes a virtual tour of hotel rooms or the location is even an option. While all of this can help save time and help make an informed decision, it might cause you to miss out. Many stores, salons, restaurants, and vacation destinations employ individuals who are experienced, informed and passionate about their line of work. These places generally want to put their best foot forward to customers, and make sure you have a good experience. You might think that you are ordering the best item on the menu based on your own review – but if you ask a waiter or bartender, they might give you information that could be relevant to your decision, such as the portion size or an option of combining certain foods that you didn’t even realize that you had. They might suggest a great drink to go with your meal. You may be turned on to a local destination on your vacation that most tourists would not know to visit. Many salons and beauty product stores are happy to provide samples or let you test the products in the store and can offer guidance about which products you might like best based on your questions or information you give a salesperson or stylist about yourself. Employees at bike shops or other sporting gear stores often enjoy the very types of activities for which they are selling products and can give personal feedback. From talking to employees at the store, you may also learn of sales or deals available to regular customers or at special events, or that are not publicly advertised. While it can be helpful to use your phone to do your own research into shopping, dining or making other purchases, sometimes it's worth a try to do it the old-fashioned way and ask for advice in person! You never know what you might learn or find.

Spring has officially arrived. For me, that means “spring cleaning” will take place in my home. As I gather products into my Grove account I will admit, I get pretty excited. It’s a time to wipe away remnants of cold and flu season and get rid of all unwanted items that have been stored for a day that will probably never come. I know there are others like me, who love the beginning of warm days, opening windows and airing out our homes. As a matter of fact, according to Offer Up’s survey of 2000 adults; 70% of Americans say tidying their home offers them a feeling of accomplishment, 61% say it makes them feel “destressed” and 54% say they experience a sense of “relaxation”. This doesn’t at all surprise me as there has also been a small study published in the journal Mindfulness that found participants who actually took a moment to inhale the scent of the soap and allowed the warm water absorb their skin – reported a 27% reduction in nervousness along with a 25% improvement in “mental inspiration”. Apparently, I am in the group of people who feel a sense of empowerment by getting rid of needless objects cluttering up my home. So I will just sit back patiently wait for my box of lavender cleaning products to hit my front porch.

The 26 th Annual Wheeling Health Right Chefs’ Auction is coming up on Friday, May 3. The event will take place at Wesbanco Arena, and will begin at 5:30pm with cocktails and a silent auction. At 7:00pm, dinner will be served, and at 8:00pm, the live auction will begin. The event features a variety of great food from the very best of Wheeling’s food and restaurant scene, and an auction with many exciting prizes. The proceeds of the event help benefit Wheeling Health Right, and this event is the organization’s major fundraiser each year. The them of this year’s Chef’s Auction is “Friday Night Fever.” Tickets can be purchased by going to http://wheelinghealthright.home.qtego.net. Tickets are $160 per couple, which includes two free drink tickets, and $85 a piece, with one free drink ticket included. The organization hopes to set a new record for its fundraising from the Chefs’ Auction this year, and welcomes contributions of any amount. Wheeling Health Right is a nonprofit organization that provides healthcare to the uninsured and underinsured populations in the Wheeling and Ohio Valley area. The clinic opened in 1985, and has been recognized as one of the best free clinics in the United States. The staff and board members work tirelessly to obtain funding from many different sources, including government grants and donors. The clinic has expanded over the years to include a pharmacy and dental clinic, and provides an opportunity for resident physicians and dental students to gain valuable experience treating patients in a hands-on setting, while providing much needed care for those who otherwise may not have access to it. With ongoing changes in the political and government climate, it remains a challenge to generate money to sufficiently fund everything that Health Right does, and the clinic relies upon the generous donations of other organizations and individuals to continue to provide healthcare assistance to our community. In addition to the Chefs’ Auction, which is a wonderful event, there are many other ways that you can contribute to Wheeling Health Right and the work that they do. Please consider checking out their website for more information about the organization, the Chefs’ Auction, and other ways to get involved. ( http://www.wheelinghealthright.com/) Bordas & Bordas has been proud to be a supporter of Wheeling Health Right, and many of our attorneys and staff members have been involved in Wheeling Health Right in a variety of ways for many years, including as board and executive committee members. We look forward to seeing you at another successful Chefs’ Auction this year!