NOTE: This will be an unabashedly, unapologetically LONG post - but it's one you don't want to miss...Ed and I (and those who know us REALLY well) have an 'inside joke' of sorts. The phrase is 'cleaning the garage', and it all goes back to a Saturday morning in the early 80's (I was 9 or 10)...
Having previously overheard my parents discussing the need to clean the garage, I secretly planned to wake up that morning, sneak out to the garage, and begin cleaning it. (I know - weird kid). However, as I tied my shoes, excitedly anticipating the joy of my sneaky surprise, my mom walked by and said, "Vonda, your dad and I would like your help with cleaning the garage today." Instantly, my sneaky surprise was deflated. What had been an anticipated joy seemed a chore to me now - it was a bummer!
We use that phrase pretty regularly now - if one of us adds to a Christmas list something the other had already bought as a special surprise. If one of us mentions the desire for fresh flowers on the table (that would be me) while the other had already secretly bought them and had them waiting out in the car...
All this to say... (and here it is!), if someone would have asked this morning, "So - any news on the adoption front?"... they would have been CLEANING THE GARAGE!! :-) Because it's here - it's time for the 'sneaky surprise'. With a flood of great joy and gratitude, we introduce to you our daughter:
EVA RANKIN
Isn't she absolutely beautiful?!? Words cannot express our joy in having the Lord confirm, just this morning, that we are now 'officially' the parents of this precious little girl...
In the language where Eva was born, her name means, 'Keen Talent' or 'Excellence'. She will turn 3 on November 25th, and, (per her child-study report), loves to dance and sing and draw. Though she is, in general, a calm and quiet child, she is social, enjoys playing with other kids - and emulates older children.
These things, in addition to some miraculous happenings regarding her health (we will share with some of you), are what we now know of our little girl. We are so excited to learn more... as we wait to bring her home, we will receive more information and pictures to help us celebrate and prepare.
So what's next...? Well, we have been told that this next chunk of waiting will seem easier if we think of it as a pregnancy. In 4 to 7 months, we hope to receive what is called 'NOC' (No Objection Certificate, or something to that effect) which means the guardianship and adoption is legal in the eyes of the Indian government. Once we receive this, it won't be long (a month or so) until we travel to pick her up. The agency has referred to this next waiting period as 'the black hole', meaning that, in general, once people know for sure who their child is, it can be much more difficult to wait - knowing this specific child will grow older and change with each passing day. With this in mind, we ask those of you who pray to contend in prayer with us in the following ways:
1. For God to embrace and pour His affection out on Eva.2. For God to open Eva's heart and mind to the concept of parents.
3. For continued improvement in her health - physically, emotionally, developmentally.
4. That God would speed the process (and give us great joy) as we re-do most of our dossier (paperwork) for the second time.
5. Once the dossier is sent to India, that NOC and guardianship would happen in record time.
6. That God would provide for all the logistics surrounding preparation of our hearts, home, marriage, families, lives, finances, pets, and eventual travel.
7. Our referral process has been VERY unusual (and long) - please pray for renewed strength and energy as we head into 'the final stretch'.
8. That we'll remember, above all, who the Center is. Not us. Not Eva. That we will never lose sight of the fact that our Heavenly Father will remain our sure hope and solid foundation whatever follows in the coming months and years.
Thanks to all of you who have prayed and supported these past years - we are so grateful for all of you and consider this a 'group project'. We look forward to celebrating together in days ahead!
P.S. This unfolding story already contains multiple miracles; clear evidence of His leading and purpose. In tomorrow's post, I'll share the one He blessed us with last night/today...
P.P.S. Please leave your first thoughts of care and welcome for Eva as comments on this post; we will print them and use them in creating the favorite story we will someday read to her before bed-time each night... Eva's Happy Adoption Story.
36 comments:
EVA!! I CANNOT WAIT to meet you!! I'm so excited to see you learn & grow. Vonda, great story. Congratulations! This is such a day of celebration! I'm out of my mind with joy.
I am sitting here bawling my eyes out. Eva you are so beautiful!!!
I can't tell you how happy I am to hear the great news.
Congratulations!!!!!!
Love you guys
Dear Eva,
I just saw your picture and you are so cute. I am so happy for you that you have found your forever family like my brother and I. We can't wait to meet you.
Congratulations Vonda and
Ed.
Eva, we have loved you and thought of you and now we are so excited that you are coming home!!
Ed and Vonda we love you and greatly share in your joy!
Congratulations you two! Shannon and I are SO happy for you. What a day of celebration! We will walk with you in prayer asking the Lord to continue saturating you with His grace and love while you wait.
Andy and Shannon
Dear Eva,
You are very lucky to have Vonda and Ed as your parents. I hope you have a great life living here in America with Vonda and Ed. I can't wait to meet you. If your parents ever need a babysitter call me. I will read Harry Potter books to you.
Eva, I just saw your picture for the first time. You are as cute as a button and I look forward to meeting you. You have a wonderful Mom and Dad. You have made them very happy. See you at Camp Masala.
eva you are so beautiful. ican't wait to meet you.i am so happy for you.emma
Congrats! What fun you have ahead of you!!
EVA!!!!!
I am oh so glad that you have good loving parents like Ed and Vonda!!! I can not wait to meet you. Eva you are gorgeous. I an so so happy for you guys.
Congratulations!!!!!!!!
There really aren't words that are perfect enough to tell you congratulations on being parents!
Eva, you are perfectly made in God's own image. Before the creation of time, God knew who your adopted family would be and he chose them for you. We love you and we welcome you to your new home! We will be praying God's tender mercies on your little heart as you experience His love through your mommy and daddy.
With love,
The Zimms
(an adoptive family as well!!!)
Congratulations E & V! It has been a long wait and now so much excitement for the months ahead. Eva, we are excited to meet you! I just had the girls run to the computer to see your picture! They are excited to meet you and play, sing, dance, and draw with you! Em said, "Ise, hurry, come here and see E & V's new daughter" Love ya!
Our dear children and little Eva,
Our hearts are full to overflowing with gratitude and joy over this news of our little Eva. It is such a precious picture --- our oldest daughter along with her hubby, Ed, holding the hand of such a precious little girl and guiding her along the path that Jesus has for her. Wow! God is so good! We are so happy and privileged to be grandparents to such a lovely little girl as you, Eva. We will always be in prayer for our precious grandchildren and children---and especially, Vonda and Ed, for the wait ahead. Just a little more time for God to grow us all just right and then we'll be ready! We can hardly wait! We must go make a list of things to get done for little Eva. Let's see: build deck, finish playroom, help decorate bedroom, make a grandma blanket. Just a grandma thing, this list making. Lots to have fun doing and getting ready. We love you so much and wish much happiness to each of you!!!
I can't wait to see you. I hope you have a nice day meeting me. I hope you would like to see me. I hope you like to dance and color those are my favorite things too. What are your favorite colors? Mine is pink and purple.
Dear Eva~ I want to draw nice pictures with you. I can't wait to play with you. Your mom and dad are going to be really nice, your mom is Vonda and your dad's name is Ed.
Ed and Vonda,
We are just bursting with excitement and crying happy tears!!! We are so excited for you and so excited for precious Eva to become part of the family! Ana and Abby will be very lucky to have such a wonderful cousin to grow up with and make lots of happy family memories! We will keep praying you through your wait and into your transition as a forever family!
Love you!
Jer and Amanda
Dear little Eva,
Welcome home! Did you know your name means Life? You are a precious life crafted lovingly by your Heavenly father. Jesus has guided you with His hand and lead you here to your earthly home. He loves you abundantly and has taken such good care of you. May your young heart begin to soak it in.
We love you and when your mom and dad let you visit, we promise the food will be spicy.
Andy & Pam
Eva,
We're so excited to meet you soon! We'd love to cook (nice and spicy!) Indian food for you (if you miss it). Gita will enjoy dancing with you.
You are a blessing,
R, A and G.
Praise God! That is such wonderful news Ed and Vonda. I'm sooooo happy for you guys. Little Eva is in my prayers! I'm so overwhelmed with how God moves. I want to hear about your miracles. We have one for you too. No referral yet but God just keeps encouraging. You guys are an encouragement! I can't wait to meet miss Eva! Love, Kathy Vail
oh darling girl! how long did we stare at your sweet face?! we sent you a "heart hug" across all those miles... and now we trust your heavenly Daddy, who has carried you this far... to bring you home-----for real hugs...( and the chances are high you'll also get doggy kisses...) we can hardly wait to hear you laugh and sing!now... how do we wait to see you?!! love, jim,annie,jacob,& truman
hi Eva, i would like to draw with you. love, truman
Eva -
I have a 3-year old daughter. She prayed for you last night. I told her in code that I needed her help praying for a good secret. I told her that mommy learned tonight that there is a little girl the same age as her that lives very far from here and needs to come to Hudson so she can live with her mom and dad. With big eyes, she said, "Is she lost? Why is she so far from her mom and dad?" We prayed for you last night, me and Mallory, and I hope that this little 3-yr old prayer will serve as the foundation of a friendship between two little girls for years to come!! You are beautiful beyond words! Your picture has drawn me in, and I can see why your mom was not willing to let go of you for anything!!
See you soon little Eva...
Love Michele (and Mallory)
Oh, Lord, You are so good. SOOO Good! You plan the best surprises. I can't stop the tears from coming. Eva, you have no idea how longed for, prayed for, wanted, and deeply loved you are already.
Ed and Vonda, we join with you in shouting praises to God!!! Eva is beautiful, stunningly so, and full of life--in keeping with her name. Her picture literally took my breath away--what an amazing, precious, miracle. I am in awe of our God.
And FYI, after the Carrot Lady's talk at LATTE, our amazing time of prayer itself afterwards, and then Eva's miraculous clearance, I am compelled to continue contending in prayer for the timeliness of her DOC and final arrival in Hudson--to the home of her amazing and dearly loved parents, E & V!
With love and tender affection,
Kara Jo & Wade Prestrud (& Abby, Emily & Nathan--future playmates of Eva!)
Abby says: I'm glad to have you as my friend, Eva!
Emily says: We're praying that God brings you here soon!
Ed and Vonda!
Congratulations!! I'm SO happy for you. God is SO good!
Eva,
Welcome to a wonderful family! I can't wait to meet you! It sounds like you should be getting here right around the time that my baby is born and that makes you very special to me.
I will pray for you, Eva, that God will use you to the glory of his kingdom. That he will shine through you in everything that you do. I will pray for your parents, too that they will teach you God's ways and that you will grow up to be a gentle and tender woman who seeks God in all of her actions.
Blessings on you, little girl!
I love you already!
Love, Erin (and Richard)
Eva,
You are beautiful and precious and I am drawn to you and your story. God is so awesome and I can't wait to meet you little one. Praying you home, sweet girl!!
Love you Ed and Vonda. I can hardly type through the tears. :)
Welcome home Eva! I know you have been loved and wanted for a long time. God bless you and your mom and dad.
Dear, Sweet Eva--
What can I say that hasn't already been said?--I echo all of it. Yesterday, the day I found out you would be a Rankin, was one of the most wonderful days of my life. So long we have waited. So long we have prayed. Your mommy and daddy have faithfully and patiently sought God through this whole process. It has been a privilege to walk alongside them all this way.
Know this, little Eva... our God is awesome. He is mighty! He chose you, YOU! to belong to your mom and dad, and He loves you fiercely. There is no other God but Him, who works miracles and answers the fervent prayers of His people. You are a testiment to His power even before we have met you.
May the Lord even now surround and fill you with a peace and contentment as you wait to come home. Soon. Home will be soon.
Oh, Jesus--no timetable can restrain you. Bring this baby girl home in record time--for her good, her parents' good, and the glory of your Name!
p.s. I got dibs on teaching her how to T.P.!
Congratulations! May God's grace smooth the way for a quick, uncomplicated adoption. And may his grace overflow on this beautiful little girl, and on you for making her your own.
God bless you!
Bill Giovannetti
Eva, I am so excited that you get to be a part of our family forever! Your parents are like the coolest people in the world and they'll support you like none other! I can't wait to finally meet you. Know that God has answered many prayers by you coming into our family!
Wow! What an outpouring of love and care from this amazing community that surrounds us. Thank you SO much, everyone!!
Eva -
You are dearly loved and welcomed, and surrounded with the prayers of aunts and uncles, grandmas and grandpas, and brothers and sisters - and a Mommy and Daddy - contending on your behalf.
As we close down and head for bed tonight, you are beginning your day a world away. May your play be delightful, your food be nourishing, your relationships be loving - and may Jesus sing His song over you all the way until we can be there too to sing. We love you. Good morning.
Oh, Eva, we're thrilled that you will be coming home to a family that is waiting for you with open arms. What a joy you are to your family! We hope that your journey home is uneventful in the best way possible.
Ed and Vonda, We are thrilled, THRILLED, for you. There is nothing like this adventure called parenthood (or adoption, for that matter). I'm sitting here teary-eyed and thankful for what you've been given.
my dear little Prati, your grammie tudie is so looking forward to getting to know you. walking in the woods, reading in my chair, talking and laughing, baking cookies, and riding my motorcycle. :) you were always meant to be my granddaughter and i will be so happy to have you in my life forever. see you soon...gram
I just found out about your blog today. The story of contending, the miracles, and seeing Eva's picture made me cry. Ever since I've met you I have hoped with all my heart that God would bless you with the opportunity to be a mother and father and the wait has seemed to be forever. We hope and pray all goes well and the wait is shorter than usual. May God give you the strength and grace you will need to parent such a beautiful little girl!
Eva,
You are exquisitely beautiful and precious. You are welcomed by two terrific people who love God passionately and will train you in righteousness. You are welcomed into all their extended family and friends. We may not see you very often, but I have a little girl about your age and she will LOVE to play with you. I can't wait to meet you someday!
Anonymous wrote:
Eva Rankin:
There have been many dreams, little sister, many. And all were fragments of the larger dream, which was God's dream, which was reality, which was you.
Welcome, dear one.
You are loved.
Ed and Vonda:
"Keep on holding on, my friends. We'll be together..."
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