Remember those Q-tip arrowheads from last week? They are much more believable this week! Comparing the images, you can probably spot many subtle changes.

There were many Timeouts for Art this past week. This post, however, addresses the concept of “Warrior.”
Ecuador — “I have a confession to make,” I said to my friends, “I did not give that little doll to a child in Jama. I kept it.”
My two friends looked at me and waited for the rest of the story.
“It represents the challenges we’ve faced over the years, especially the most-recent one. It will always connect me back to that day.”
“That day” started when I took the 7-hour bus to Quito to meet three friends. One would be leaving the country – hopefully with one of her precious little dogs if all of the hurdles could be cleared at the airport. Since I had helped send pets to the USA for other friends, I knew where Agro Calidad-Dpt of Agriculture was located in the Quito Airport. Hugo Valencia, a pet broker, agreed to pre-check the paperwork, and we had a short window of time to get something to eat before meeting Hugo.

Hugo and his wife Carmita — working from their truck office in the airport parking lot!
McDonald’s was an easy option with its drive-through window, so my three friends, one precious little white fluffy dog and I rolled forward. I wasn’t very hungry and wondered what they would say when I made my request.
“May I have a Happy Meal?” I said with a smirk.
Permission was granted, the order was taken, and we moved forward in line. When the nice man handed the food through the window, the Happy Meal box was passed back to me, and then – oh my – two little plastic dolls were sent my way! Like a little child, I rooted through my box of goodies but was brought back to the present when the man said I had to choose and give one doll back. I kept what I now call the Wonder Warrior.

She guards the door at a little hostal!
Wonder Warrior now travels with me. She sometimes takes naps in my purse or camera bag. Other times she guards the door. When I visit close friends, she joins us for social hour.

“May I be a Wonder Warrior too?”
She tagged along for a sunset dinner at my friends’ home:

Their home was demolished, but they’re building back! That didn’t stop them from preparing a beautiful dinner, complete with good wine and pure locally-grown Ecuadorian chocolate! These are Wonder Women!
She stayed hidden in my purse the night of the disco – I feared that the locals might think i was a bit too weird if I pulled out a doll and started photographing her in different locations. It’s my loss, and maybe yours as well, as she would have made a wonderful Disco Wonder Warrior!

Sorry – she might have been the star of the evening!
My friend’s flight went well, and Wonder Warrior connects me with her – and with many of my strong Wonder Warrior Women friends. You know who you are – you strong, intrepid, valiant, sensitive, true-to-your-true selves women! You have the the ability to keep going even when there is no map to help navigate through the chaos. That’s OK because Wonder Warriors posses extra genes to find their own way – and never lose their inner strength!

She’s often my cross-country co-pilota…

She assisted checking Casa Loca’s Solar Calendar

The calendar shifted after the earthquake…
Life sometimes hurls unexpected challenges to all of us. Sometimes I call those challenges “Pop Tests” when Life seems to have a sadistic sense of humor and says, “Hmmm. Let’s see how well she’s REALLY doing!” Sometimes we sail over those hurdles in true Wonder Woman style and sometimes we hit a few glitches. That’s Ok; we learn valuable lessons from those tests, though it may be years before we discover what those lessons were!
I wonder if that little Wonder Warrior doll can sing like the lady below:
…

Saying Hello and Goodbye to Casa Loca
In the end, all of the puzzle pieces fit, and every piece helps make Wonder Warriors of us all!
………
You are awesome, Lisa! I love your wonder warrior and I love the message too!
You are for sure a Wonder Warrior – juggling so many tasks and doing them all well! Thank you!
Lol! And still I admire others for what all they are doing!!
At last, I get to visit your beautiful home again! 😉 xx
Thanks lovely Amiga! You too are a Wonder Warrior! Hope you’re feeling 100 percent… but wait, I’ve been offline since Thursday and remembered that a friend told me of an earthquake over there? If so, I hope all’s ok from that….
All is well over here. Athens was off radius but two islands have been hit hard past month with 2 big earthquakes and problem is when these strike [above 6R] they tend to wake nearby faults and living in a ‘faulty’ country, it does make us a little bit weary… Otherwise, yes 100% well! 😉 xxxxxxxxxxx
Yes,, those secondary quakes keep us all on our toes, and that’s probably a good thing.. Glad you’re over your roosterpox!!!!
Love this, you and Bonnie
Thank you dear Margo! I hope you are happy and well!
Wonder Warrior is amazing! I look forward to hearing more of her adventures. I am sure she will “keep going” just like you! 🙂
You are definitely a Wonder Warrior – and you speak for those who have no voice!
A Super charming post this is, Lisa, full of good spirits. I love the story and am glad you held on to her.
Comments keep slipping through, and i am so sorry that yours was not acknowledged! You for sure are a Wonder Warrior! Your past year has earned a gold star on your chart!
🙂 No worries about reply timing, please!
ah, but you are so worthy of the time to read, savor, appreciate your lovely posts. They pass along a strong sense of your strong and sensitive character,;
I love this, Lisa, and you know, you have that special strength, determination and stamina…as well as the ability to see the lesson – and the humor – in almost everything.
Glad it appealed to you Cindy, and you for sure are a Wonder Warrior – don’t forget that! I hoe that your weekend went well and you’re having some quiet time for Cindy!
Love me some Bonnie Raitt. And some Wonder Warrior!
Alison
She’s an amazing artists, isn’t she? Classic, just keeps on rolling with that unique voice!
Heh 🙂 That was a special day. So nice to have amazing friends. Very happy to see you are hanging with WW 🙂 Looking forward to following your adventures together ! Hugs Amiga and many thanks for the memory (ies!!)
That Wonder Warrior stands for a very special woman, and yes those memories are special – even if I somehow managed to fry your sim card!
When I saw Wonder Warrior standing tall at Casa Loca, it brought back memories of leavings in my own life: some planned, some imposed by circumstance, some more difficult than others. By the time my last significant leave-taking came, I’d found the perfect song for easing my heart. Your post brought it to mind, so I brought it here for you and Wonder Warrior — it’s so perfect, in so many circumstances. Besides — who doesn’t love some Aaron Neville?
Thanks, Linda! I’ve been on a much-needed three-day ‘retreat’ — I will be moving to a new area next month,, and it’s a very comforting and serene area. It’s nice to roll out of the ‘incubation” period and roll forward….
I did NOT hit send, but it sent! I especially appreciated this part of the song,
” Feel it all with a willing heart
Every stop, there’s a place to start ”
That is so true, and each place is weighed emotionally as well as intellectually and spiritually.
That’s funny! I was just going to quote exactly those lines to you, just in case the song didn’t play. Those are some of the truest words in the world.
I’m not surprised that we both appreciated that concept! Thanks again!
Love it. Fun post. 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!
You must have had a grin on your face when doing this. Have happy days always.
Yes, and every time ‘we’ had a photo session! Today she posed in several locations at a place where I’ll be moving next month! She will have many photo ops! Thanks, as always!
Wonder Warrior to my rescue! I absolutely love this post, Lisa! Even with only one functioning eye, I can see that Wonder Warrior inspires us all to get up when we fall, learn from our mistakes, and enjoy each moment! Here’s to more Happy Meals in our lives! ❤️
You are for sure a WW Woman! I hope that we’re soon celebrating that you’ve gained SuperVision status and can see from ‘here til the horizon’ with the help of modern medicine.
Oh you little Wonder Warrior! 😉
Whatever t takes to allow one to smile instead of scowl!!! Thanks!
I think you have a lot of Wonder Warrior in you! I love her red hair. Next time you must let her out at the disco!! 🙂
Yes, she probably felt as if I snubbed her – not allowing her to shine at the disco… Next social function, it’s time to introduce her to the locals! You definitely are in the WW club!
Sometimes I wonder! 😂
I love it! We should all have a little Wonder Warrior that we carry around. (On a side note, have you seen the podcast about power poses… interesting, but I noticed your warrior has them down! You might like that podcast by Amy Cuddy.)
The other thing that pops up for me is this word Wonder. I’m currently writing about fear of the unknown, and I am saying how great it would be if we could wonder instead of worry about the unknown. It’s a pretty powerful shift!
I checked the video and yes, had watched it in the past but enjoyed it again.. Body English is so interesting, and it’s true – our posture does indeed affect our sense of well being – or can bring our insecurities to the front…
I’ve been blessed to embrace most challenges, and few things scare me.. Usually what we fear never happens – and if it does, we’ve had to live through it twice if we give it power/attention before it happens…
Have been offline so much but hope to catch up this weekend.. I look forward to what you’ve shared!
I so love the story of your little Wonder Warrior doll. I bet you had a lot of fun. I wonder if she is your other half…
My friends would laugh at your final thought… somewhere way way back is a series of photos of me standing way high on a ceibo tree that fell into a river.. my friend was at ground level and I had that Wonder Warrior pose! Hmmm, where is that group of photos?….
Love the new shape and shade added to the arrows, very effective.. And Wonder Warrior is just fab.. Loved the photo’s you have taken of her Lisa.. And may she valiantly keep going at your side to help speed you over any hurdles that Pop Tests you..
Love and warm hugs my friend..
Sue ❤
! I wonderment if she is your early(a) half…
that gave me a smile! thanks!