Seven | John and Asmara Anyan

Elias.

He’s our mover. Tree-climber. Animal whisperer. Most-likely-to-break-a-bone adventurer. Storyteller. Boundary pusher. Gymnast. Belly-laugher. Early riser. Lego engineer. I-can-do-it-myself independent. Doubter. Caretaker. Helper. Attention lover. Bug catcher. Arguer. Name forgetter. Book lover. Middle child.

We just can’t imagine life without our wild Elias Michael!

For his 7th birthday, he not only drew his birthday gift wish list, but also created and drew out the entire menu for the day, which included delicacies such as crepes, Nutella, birthday cake, pizza, watermelon, tacos, tomatoes, and mushrooms (for us adults, as he detests mushrooms). The one thing he absolutely insisted on: that everything was gluten free, so that Mama can enjoy it, too. Talk about thoughtful.

Enjoy his annual birthday interview!

How old are you? “7”
How old is Mommy? “34″
How old is Daddy “35…35?”
What is something mommy says to you? “Do you morning chores.”
What makes you happy? “When we all cuddle and read books or play Legos.”
What makes you sad? “When Mama goes away and when I’m lonely.”
What makes you laugh? “Daddy… no, Judah… no, when Tayo stares at me. And when Judah makes funny faces.”
What’s your favorite thing to do? “Watch my lizard, play Legos, and read with Mama.”
What’s your favorite thing to do outside? “Go to the park, practice my cartwheels, climb trees, and play frisbee.”
Who’s your best friend? “Do cousins and brothers count? Okay, then all my cousins, my whole family, and Willy and Dani, our friends in Tanzania.”
What’s your favorite Bible story? “Noah’s ark because there are all the animals and I love animals!”
What is God like? “Courageous!”
What superhero do you want to be? “Ohhhh that’s hard. Black Panther because he’s black and he has a panther.”
What’s your favorite food? “Ohhhh I can’t decide… Crepes, burritos, pizza, tomatoes, peaches, and ice cream, and sloppy joes.”
What’s your favorite book? “The Green Ember, My Side of the Mountain, Redwall, and Ox-Cart Man.”
What’s your favorite movie? “How many can I pick? Narnia, Kung Fu Panda, Planet Earth, Epic, and The Lion King. Done.”
What’s your favorite song? “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow, Three Little Birds, The Lord is Good to Me, The Battle Belongs to the Lord, and the one Papa made up.”
What’s your favorite color? “Blue!”
What’s your favorite animal? “Ohhh that’s hard. Red panda, puppies, and lizards, snakes, huskies, mice, fish, all animals.”
What’s your favorite toy? “Legos, Playmobil, and weapons. And animals.”
What’s your favorite thing to learn about in school? “Animals and sketching in my nature journal.”
What do you want to be when you grow up? “An adventurer explorer! I want to explore places to find animals. And if I find any people who don’t believe in Jesus I’ll tell them about him.”