Hi there! It says my refund is expected the 8th and it is not showing approved yet on the IRS website. Is it usually approved and funds sent the same day?

[DoninGA]

No, the IRS does not Accept a tax return and then Approve a tax refund on the same day.

If accepted by the IRS use the federal tax refund website to check the refund status - https://www.irs.gov/refunds

After the tax return has been Accepted by the IRS (meaning only that they received the return) it will be in the Processing mode until the tax refund has been Approved and then an Issue Date will be available on the IRS website.
See this IRS website for federal tax refund FAQ's - https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions