29 Days!
I came across this song, Waiting, on some other message boards. The family that wrote/recorded this song is from Canal Fulton, Ohio! I thought it was a pretty awesome song, describing the feelings we go through while waiting. Not that any words can adequately say what our hearts are feeling!

We are trying to work on a compromise for vacation! I don't want Taylor and Drew to miss out on the beach! They have been looking forward to it for almost a year! We are hoping that Nate and the kids can go down, possibly a few days later, while I stay home with Toby. I think that will be best for everyone. Nate is concerned about missing the time with Toby, but I think we owe it to Taylor and Drew to keep things as normal as possible for them. I do not ever want them to feel anger or disappointment in their brother coming home. They are young enough, that I think them missing vacation could cause some problems. Please pray as we try to work out those details!

God is Good!

Good Website
Just thought I would add this webiste link on Bonding Issues for you all to read.

It has good information on things like visitors upon his homecoming, to information on bedtime. Thought it might help as you all prepare as well for Toby to come home!

God is Good

HE'S COMING HOME!!!
July 26th!! I got the call from our Social Worker today. We were at VBS this morning, and people were asking how things were going. I kept saying, we should know more the first week of July... Only to come home to a ringing phone! At 12:05 today, she called to say I have good news, some okay news, and more good news...

The first Good news... Toby is coming home, for sure!!

The "okay" news... it's July 26th, and he's flying into Chicago. The reason that is "okay" is we were supposed to leave for a huge family vacation on July 28th. It has been planned of about a year now, and it's Nate entire family. There is no way we can bring Toby. We are not sure what that means for the rest of the family, but Toby and I will for sure be home. Also, Chicago is a lot further than Detriot! But it will all work out.

The other good news was... His Kidney reflux has improved to a grade 2, and he will be flying home with the director of KSS (the social service agency) the director of our adoption agency, FAC, and the Korean director of KSS Ms. Lee. Royal Treatment!! This means that hopefully his flight home will not be as traumatic, as he will be able to hear/speak Korean and be understood on the 12 hour flight!

Anyway, I will keep you all posted as we know more!

God is Good!

June flies by
It is so hard be believe that June is over half way over. We are making daily plans for July now, it seems, especially with the 4th. I was really hoping Toby would be home for the Orrville Parade! That is such a big deal around here. The kids are going to be in it. They are wearing Old Navy flag shirts that Nate's mom bought! She bought one for Toby, too. I keep finding myself unfolding it and holding it up, and hugging it. Just imagining him in it brings me to tears. I know it is going to be soon.

I ordered bedding from eBay and it should be arriving any day. We bought Drew's bedding about 2 years ago or so, and the room is painted to match, so I was thrilled when I found matching bedding. Of course, Taylor has continued to sleep on the top bunk, even though it is in the boys room now. I asked her last night where she will sleep when Toby is home, and she replied "on the floor".

Taylor has a big day tomorrow, as well. It is opening night for the Ohio Light Opera; Sound of Music. She has been working hard and they are ready. I think it is going to be amazing. Watching her in practice brings tears to my eyes. I am so proud of her. I can't imagine how I'll be tomorrow!

Keep Praying - God is Good!

God is SOOO Good!!
Today, I took Tay and Drew to the zoo along with my sister Katy. Nate went to an Indians game with his dad. We had a great time, I'm very tired!! A lot of the day was spent talking about "when Toby comes home..." I just can wait to do all the things we've been looking forward to!! I also spoke with Nate's mom about the whole vacation situation. Of course she is concerned, that we won't be able to join them, or that Toby won't be with us. I just told her God has it all planned, we just need to wait and see what He's going to do.

Anyway, to the PRAISE part!! Got home from the zoo, and pulled up to get the mail. We had a big stack of stuff, mostly junk. At the bottom was a letter from Shaohannah's Hope, the grant organization we've been waiting to hear from. My heart about stopped!! I ripped open the letter to find these words, "On behalf of Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth, we are please to notify you that you have been approved for an adoption assistance grant in the amount of $XXXX (more than we even asked for)!!!!"

PRAISE GOD!! Thank you all for praying! Earlier in the week we had to use a credit card to pay our final balance to ensure that Toby would come home as soon as possible. This was not what we wanted to do, and God provided!! I am speechless!! And to top it all off, I can't reach Nate!!! He's not answering his phone. So depending on when you read this, you may hear before he does!!

GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD!

Moving Bunk Beds
Well, last night we moved the bunk beds around! What a treat that was! For those of you that know Taylor, you know what a challenge that would be, to get the beds out of her messy room! The kids were so excited though. Nate and I commented last night, how every day since school has let out, the kids have slept in the same room. I think they are really "bonding" knowing that change is coming. It's interesting. They are so very excited, and we were talking about how we need to start calling it "the boys room" instead of "Drew's room" They liked that idea.

I got more feedback about the vacation thing, and it seems that most people just think we have to wait and see what Toby's personality is like. The thing is, God knows how crazy our lives our, and I know the he has prepared Toby's heart for our lifestyle. We are always on the go. We still have to wait and see when he's coming home, then we'll see how he does. But since he will be sleeping with us for a while anyway, I don't think it would be a big deal.

Time will tell, and I'm excited about it all! It's hard to believe that in the next few months, what I have been praying and waiting for for so many years will finally come true... we will have a new child in our home to love on forever! God is Good!

End of August
So, I spoke with our Social worker yesterday, and she believes that for sure, he should be home the end of August. They did ask that we submit our balance due. Originally they said I could wait until about a month before he comes home for this, since we are waiting to hear about the grant, but I went ahead and paid it yesterday. I don't want anything holding this up.

According to our SW, she thought there was a chance he could come home in July, and if that is the case, felt that we should cancel our vacation. She does not think it is a good idea to go so early after he comes home, that it would be difficult for transition.

I posted this on the Korean adoption boards and am waiting to hear what people say. People that have been through it before. So far, I've heard... if he were a baby (under 6 months) I think it would be okay, but since he is 2, I wouldn't. They said that sleeping is such a difficult issue and to make him sleep in a different bed would be hard on him. I"m just waiting to hear what others say.

As of right now, I'm looking forward to vacation. It gives me something to think about. If I get a call and he's coming home, then we'll deal with it. If not, we'll go on vacation, have a great time, and look forward to his homecoming when we get back.

God already knows and has it worked out, so we wait to see what He unfolds!

Keep praying! God is Good!

It's not going to be June
And for that matter, it sounds like we have no idea when Toby will come home. It's been a rough week of waiting, and our social worker got back with me today to say that they don't know anything at this time. She said that there has been a change in leadership in the Korean government and they do not know what to expect. She has asked for them to look specifically into Toby's situation and try to determine when he will be home and she will let me know what she hears.

It sounds like they were really thinking he would be home this month, everything is pretty much in order, with the exception of the approval of the Passport.

Needless to say, this is difficult to hear. Please continue to pray with us that this all gets straightened out soon and that Toby will be able to come home to us.

God is Good!

The week is almost over
Well, It's Thursday morning, and we haven't heard anything. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed and worried that he's not going to be home in June, but I know that he will be home when the time is right. God already has it planned! It's amazing how you can miss someone, so very much, and you've never even met! The kids are getting pretty anxious as well.

We are planning to move beds around tonight, then we are ready for Toby, for the most part. Once we know for sure when he's coming home, we have some last minute things to pick up, like formula, and then head off to the airport!

Please continue to pray that everything goes smoothly and that Toby is home soon!!

The days get longer!
It seems that the longer we wait, the harder it is getting. I could never have imagined loving someone so much, that I have never even met. My heart is aching for him to be home. I am trying so hard to stay focused on Taylor and Drew. My mind knows we only have a short time left with just the two of them, before their lives will change drastically... but my heart still aches and wants the days to fly and my baby home.

I heard from the grant organization, and they said it will still be another two weeks or so until we hear from them. Please keep praying!

God is Good!