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!

June 1st
Well, It's June 1st and we sit and wait! Of course, I couldn't wait any more, so I e-mailed our social worker to see if she had any information. The only thing she said is Toby should receive priority, and she hopes to have an update by the end of next week. So we wait!! We're getting used to it!!

Time really is flying, so I can't complain too awful much! What is a few weeks, when we have the rest of his life, right? I'm selfish, I know, but my biggest wish is that he is home for vacation the end of July. God knows that, and if it is His will, Toby will be home with us.

Here's hoping to have more information next week!

God is Good!

Grant Funds
Please be praying for us as we wait to hear about a grant we applied for. We were originally told that it would be the first of May that we would find out about whether or not we would receive any grant money from this particular organization. Then something came up, and they said it would be the beginning of June. Please pray that the Grant board would look favorably on our request and see the need that we have to obtain the remaining finances necessary to bring Toby home.

God is Good!

It's Almost June!
Okay, June is just around the corner... only 2 days away! Drew is done with school, Taylor has a few days left and IT'S ALMOST JUNE!!! Our agency has not given us any definite information. We just think that June will be when Toby comes home. So... it's going to be a long month! Please pray with us that if it is God's Will, Toby will be home in the next four weeks!

We have a busy month, a wedding, Taylor's Ohio Light Opera rehearsals, Drew's T-ball, the ALIVE festival. Plus babysitting kicks into full gear for me as well, with the school aged children here! For Toby to come home, would be a blessing beyond words!! I know he'll be home, and I'm so excited about that, I just wish I knew when.

Especially now, with all these gifts we have here for him. I have a lot of work to do getting rooms ready. That will probably be the majority of my posts from now until then. What I've done to get ready.

God is Good!

Adoption Shower
Today, my Sister-in-Law's and a friend had an adoption shower for me! It was awesome! Many family members where there to encourage us as we wait for Toby to come home. It has been nine years since I had a shower, so it was nice to get some things that didn't make it over the years. Also, a lot of things will be nice for the whole family! Very thoughtful! They put together a paper chain with notes to help encourage us as we wait! I'm hoping we won't need all of the loops in the chain before he comes home!

They also created notes to put in his Lifebook! That will be special. I also brought some of the foods I got at the Korean Market for folks to try. For some reason, they didn't like the "Seaweed cookies" or the "Ginger Cookies". A little strong! But I think they liked the other things. We'll just have to save what is left and see what Toby thinks!

I can't believe that June is only five days away. Still praying that he will be home soon! God is Good!