Just in case you wondered whether it really works, it does. Dropping a pack of Mentos into a bottle of pop causes an explosion. Pretty cool.

Last Friday, we celebrated Jim’s return from a week of traveling by launching model rockets into the big sky. Can you think of a better way to spend the morning as a family?

Each boy had his own rocket to launch.

After assembling the rockets, we all headed to the park.

Bubbie launched his first. Here he is watching it come down.

The rest of his time was spent reenacting the blast-off…

…plugging his ears to keep out the rocket noise…

…and receiving kisses from Molly.

There were a couple of wayward launches throughout the morning which required knocking on neighbors’ doors and asking for permission to retrieve the rockets.

I think Peter had more fun pretending his rocket was a gun than watching it blast off.

But even he had to admit, there is something thrilling about pushing that launch button.

Peter’s rocket (a.k.a. “The Rascal”…fitting, no?) was the smallest of the four. But when paired with a large engine, there’s no telling how far and fast it will go. Unfortunately, it went so far that we lost it. Alas, the Rascal is probably in some kid’s backyard in northwest Indiana right now.

Derek was up next with his red and gold beauty. His was a textbook launch and landing.

Then it was Jake’s turn. Let’s just say Jake’s rocket left this earth with a real kaboom. It was the same rocket he used four years ago, and he wanted to spruce it up by adding some color to it. He chose a shiny metallic gold spray paint…of the flammable sort. Within seconds of launching, the thing exploded into many pieces, never to be seen again. He was a good sport about it, and we all got a good gasp and chuckle.

Even Molly (sporting her beloved Gentle Leader collar) enjoyed the fun.

The Johanik family would like to wish you a happy Independence Day. We are thankful to be living in a country which offers us many freedoms, mainly the freedom to worship the one, true living God. As Jim read from the Declaration of Independence during dinner tonight, the Schoolhouse Rock song, “No More Kings” came to mind. Learn and enjoy!

Why a post with three completely unrelated topics in the title? Because we have some doggone cute (albeit random) pictures we’d like to share. Not to mention that life has felt a bit random lately.

GRADUATION

Peter graduated from Safety Town a week ago. His favorite parts? Escaping from the smokehouse and riding the go-cart-looking bikes.

It was a sweltering 90-plus degree day, but Jeremy, with his own sense of fashion and preparedness (he said he didn’t want to get cold), chose to wear his winter hat.

LAUNDRY

Molly made her debut on the chore scene earlier this week by helping out with laundry (affectionately referred to in this house as “bombs away”).

Anticipating the drop:

Now she just needs to be trained to sort the clothes.

FOOTBALL

Derek put on his pads with a jersey to get a feel for what it’s like to play real football.

Meanwhile, his fan club was looking on, admiring their big brother.

We celebrated my grandma’s 80th birthday last night with pizza and chocolate cake. The entertainment was provided by some local ducklings.

After Mom (ever the knowledgeable nurse with an applicable anecdote**) shared a true story about the dangers of blowing out birthday candles while hooked up to oxygen, she graciously blew out the flames for Grandma.

**As an aside, it’s because of all those horror stories nursing anecdotes that I opted to become a teacher when I grew up.

Every spring, I can count on getting a phone call from Grandma announcing the newest batch of ducklings after they hatch. There is something so exciting about new life…even when it’s a duck. And I find it interesting that every year there is at least one family of ducklings born in the courtyard of this nursing home.

Aging and death are daily themes at a nursing home. You can’t escape it. My grandma has been through the death of at least one of her roommates. It can be a dark environment with little hope for many people.

But then spring comes. And the place buzzes with excitement when the first duck egg hatches. The residents gather in the courtyard to just watch and enjoy the new life. God is good to give them that gift each year.

And I think for my grandma, she enjoys watching her great-grandchildren observe the ducks almost as much as she enjoys watching the ducks themselves.

Jake took over the camera to snap some close-ups of the waterfowl.

Luckily, there was no one waiting in line to ride the handicap-accessible swing, so the boys could swing to their hearts’ content.

Who knew the ride could be so thrilling?

We finished with a little photo shoot. Here is Grandma with two of her three sons:

Grandma with my parents:

Grandma with my bro and me:

And Grandma with the boys:

We went to Costco this morning to pick up some sundry items. You know, things such as 1000 napkins, a pack of 20 sausages, 3 lbs. of cheese…all of which should last a week, perhaps a week and a half if we’re lucky. But that’s not my reason for blogging about today’s Costco trip.

As my belly continues to grow, we are becoming a spectacle when out in public. Not only do people do the math and figure out that this is our fifth child, but what seems to be even more shocking is the fact that the first four children are boys. The first encounter was in the milk aisle as I heard, “Trying for that girl again, huh?”  I gave my usual half-hearted chuckle followed by “yeah, we’ll see…” But then the woman went on, “My mom kept trying for a girl and finally got one by her sixth pregnancy. I have 5 older brothers!” Now that was funny.

The second encounter was at the Bobak’s sausage sample table*. The sample lady commented, “Four boys, huh? Do you know what you’re having?” I gave a knowing smile and told her no, I do not know. She shared with me that she grew up as the only girl with five brothers. I told her about the milk aisle lady and we both had a good chuckle. Things are getting funnier.

The third encounter was at the BBQ beef brisket sample table*. The sample lady saw the boys, raised her eyebrows, and nodded her head. I don’t even remember her comment because of what she said next. She went on to tell me that she has six sons and one daughter. Now things are downright hilarious. Three women, one right after the other, coming from big families with nearly all boys. I bet if I hung around the store a little longer, even more women would have approached with similar testimonies. I began to wonder if the Lord is indirectly telling me that I have another boy in the womb. Nothing wrong with being prepared (or altogether surprised)!

*Ancillary lesson to be learned from this post: time your Costco trip well, and you don’t need to fix lunch when you get home.

But, really, is football ever not in season??

Jim took Derek to pick up his football equipment for the upcoming season. Football camp begins in a couple of weeks (all day, full gear, middle of July…hmmm). Then the fall season starts up in August. A schedule will be forthcoming for anyone who is interested in watching bobble head-like football.

Derek immediately aged four years when he put on his shoulder pads. As I laid eyes on my boy, I had the same feeling of excitement and anticipation as when I watch Jim take off in the Cessna. I can’t explain why, except that there is something so compelling when you see a person give their all towards something.

As soon as Derek put on the helmet, Peter ran down to retrieve the Northwestern helmet so they could play a game.

Jeremy was Peter’s (royal) coach:

Setting up for the kick-off:

I love these guys.

Watch this first video to catch a glimpse of what Molly has been up to these days. In order to protect her dignity, we have not included her mulch chewing-and-barfing.

And in non-dog news, Jeremy is now independent in the water, thanks to a life-vest and water wings (let’s hear it for inflatables).

Hard to believe our little Bubbie is three years old!

He surely adds humor and entertainment in our lives…we are thankful to God for this boy.

Peter and Hannah chilled out and ate dinner outside–lots of good conversation between cousins.

Heard early this morning…

Jeremy: Wanna play with me, Peter?

Peter: I can’t because I need to eat breakfast and go to Safety Town.

Jeremy: AGAIN?

Peter: Yes, I go every day.

Jeremy: *giggles* I’m going to miss you

Peter: Awww…I’m going to miss you more cause I have to do work, and you get to stay home and do whatever you want.

You’ve heard of Taste of Chicago.

Well, last night we celebrated something similar, only without the heat, the crowds, and the expense. Jim decided to conduct an experiment for dinner and replicate a favorite meal in Botswana: fat cakes. Basically, they’re fried dough balls that look just like their name. He looked online for a recipe and finally found one in english, fired up the deep fryer (a.k.a. fondue pot–who knew it could be so versatile?), and fried those babies to a deep golden brown. They were delicious! As Jim put it, the meal offers the most calories for the least amount of money…apparently they sell for 12 cents per fat cake in Botswana.

We snarfed them down so fast, I didn’t get a picture of them. So if you’re interested in trying them first hand, let us know–we’d be happy to have you over for another Taste of Botswana :)

With the boys safely back from Botswana, the stories are trickling out…

…first flight on a 747 (a HUGE milestone according to Derek)

…cute kids from the orphanage

…starting a bonfire with gasoline

…popular fast food restaurant Nandos

…riding in the trunk of an SUV

…lots of singing and praying

…going hut to hut telling families about the good news of Jesus

Jim captured a lot on camera and video, some of which we’ll share here. (video will be forthcoming, as it still needs to be edited)

Group shot in front of the first orphanage the team visited:

Do these eyes not make your heart melt? Many of these precious kids are orphaned because their parents have died from HIV/AIDS.

After hearing a Bible story, the kids drew pictures. Here they are showing Jake their artwork:

Lap space was prime property.

Bubbles: the international language of fun.

Playing a game of sharks and minnows:

Seeing the A Team missionaries wearing Wabash and Wheaton garb made the world seem a little bit smaller, even if for a moment.

The need to launder clothes did not cease while Jake and Derek were in Africa. So Peter and Jeremy agreed to take over the task last week. Several minutes after assigning it to them, I came downstairs and found this:

Yes, that is dirty underwear on his head. Who knew sorting laundry could be so much fun?

This morning at 9:15, my uncle Ron breathed his last breath. He had taken a severe turn for the worse last Saturday and was never able to recover. Aunt Chris was by his side when he died in the hospital. He left her side and went directly to Jesus’ side. His final days were filled with peace knowing that he was entering heaven soon, as he had trusted Jesus for his salvation.

While the Bible says that “no man knows when his hour will come” (eccl. 9:12), it is tremendously comforting to know that this day did not take God by surprise. He knew from the beginning of time the number of days Ron would live. He planned this day long before Ron was born to be the day Ron would enter His presence. “Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16)

Knowing that every moment of Ron’s life was known by God before he was born brings even more meaning to the pictures in the following slideshow.

(Lyrics from I Will Rise)

There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say “It is well”

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There’s a day that’s drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
“Worthy is the Lamb”
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
“Worthy is the Lamb”

I cannot express how blessed a father I am.

Praise God that He gave Heidi and me the resources to have our two oldest boys join me here in Africa.  This is a place I truly, truly enjoy and a people I absolutely love.  To be able to share this love and experience with my two oldest sons is more than any dad could ask for.

Jake and Derek have risen to the challenge of flying 30 hours and 8,500 miles around the world to a remote African village of Maun, Botswana.  Above this, Derek spent the first three days nursing an ear infection.  Today was his first full pain-free day. His display of toughness over the past three days is something I’ve never seen from him before – and I sure let him know how proud I was of him.  It looks like he is in the clear; he’s back to the energetic boy I always knew.

For the past few days, the boys along with a portion of the team have been visiting orphanages in the area, as Heidi described below.  Today we ventured far into the bush, past the “buffalo fence” (the fence that separates the people of Maun from the African wild animals), and into remote villages well into lion country. As we came to a small school in Sankoyo, the schoolchildren beamed ear to ear.  To them, this is a tremendous treat to be visited by missionaries – especially small ones their age.

As they all gather around, we act out Bible stories.  Jake’s made a name for himself here acting the role of David, who ultimately kills the Giant Goliath in the well-know Bible story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids learned so effectively from this; several of them retold the story verbatim, start to finish, using the gestures for an added sense of dramatic flair.

After teaching the kids the Bible and playing games with them, we broke off for lunch.  We had to drive a distance away from the school because the schoolkids followed us right into the back seats of the cars!  Despite the relocation, they tracked us down.  We happened to park in a soccer field (more like a sandlot with goals) so we threw out a soccer ball for the kids to play with.  When Jake and Derek saw their interest in the game, they quickly jumped out to play with them.  There’s nothing like seeing your lumbering, white, not-quite-graceful sons mix it up with the fleet-footed African boys.  Derek used the only tool he had to get a shot at kicking the ball – his forearm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we drove home, we did not venture too far into the bush where all the wildlife congregate, but we did manage to spy out a few giraffe grazing.

It’s 11PM here and I have to speak at our missionary school early tomorrow, so I will sign off.  Speaking of this, having Jake and Derek see 35 African missionaries give their life to Christ and commit themselves to learn how to share the gospel each and every day is another blessing words cannot describe.  I thank God for my experience too – to witness my sons on the mission field.

Jim

(vicariously, that is)

Jim, Jake and Derek arrived safely in Botswana early Sunday morning. The boys took a good long nap upon arriving and seem to be adjusting to the time zone.

Derek, unfortunately, is fighting a fever and probable ear infection, so please pray that God will restore his health. He has been a trouper, though, not complaining and participating in the group’s activities.

They visited an orphanage today, where children aged 2 to 7 reside. Many of the children are orphaned due to HIV/AIDS, which sadly is prevalent in Botswana. Evidently, the kids loved Derek. They climbed on him, tugged at him, and rode on his back. Derek has a special connection to little kids–he is empathetic and loves to make them laugh. It’s good to know that God is using him to bring love into kids’ lives.

If you would like to read regular updates from Botswana, one of the team members is keeping up a blog here.

The boys are busy packing, and I just can’t wait to share these photos (and video) of Jeremy on his birthday flight. His older brothers have been pumping him up the past couple days, so that he was so excited to go, he could hardly stand it.

Getting the plane ready to go…

In nearly every picture, Jeremy is sporting his goofy grin. I am sparing you most of them, but some are too good to leave out.

Jim and Jeremy flew to Jainesville, WI for Mickey Mouse pancakes.

Then after the flight home, Bubbie’s mood soured. Jim found him under the plane saying that he didn’t want to go home. Alas, some good things must come to an end. Here he is looking longingly at the airplane.

Not only did Jim snap photos of the little guy, he also shot some video in the plane. The following video is not for the faint of heart. For the avoidance of all doubt, yes, a nearly three year-old has total ownership over the flight controls. 

If you have kids, this Bible is a must. It is written and illustrated in comic book format, so it quickly draws in a reluctant reader. And the stories are accurate. It was recommended to me by a friend a few years ago, and it has been a hit with Jake, Derek, and now Peter.

Behold the mother of all bed heads…

No need to enhance with hair products; Bubbie just woke up this way.

And left the house for a play date this way too. Yet another reason I have boys and not girls, huh?