The bassinet has been set up in our room for the past month or so. It's nice to have somebody to place in it. 
And our "baby" is no longer our baby any more. It's amazing how much bigger and older the former baby looks when you place him next to a newborn. Luke loves Eliza and can't get enough of her. 
He's fascinated by Eliza. And so are we. 
Anya's mothering instincts have been coming out more and more lately. She is so pleased with what her mother has accomplished. And she is anxious to become a mother herself someday. This shot of Anya hugging Karen, completely on her own, truly is priceless for me. It wraps up so many emotions in one act.
Here's kind of a sneak of how tiny newborns are. It's amazing how big the former "baby" becomes when there's a new arrival! Luke was hesitant at first--not quite sure how to soak it all in. But he warmed up quickly and became engaged in the excitement of Eliza's birth.
The boys oohing and aahing over their new baby sister.
Each sibling, who wanted to, got a chance to hold Eliza.
Eliza was very alert during a good portion of our visit today. 
And here is our most recent family picture. I love these introductions...or re-acquaintances...however you want to look at it. All I know is that I love it! 
Life is truly a miracle. What a blessing God has given us. Karen and Eliza are both doing extremely well.
For those who live far away, here's a quick video for you.
See that rock protruding out at the top? Peter climbed all the way up Humpback mountain...he's 3 years old people! :) It was a great day for a family hike...although Karen stayed home with Luke because we didn't want Eliza to come too early (Karen reached the 8 month mark this week). Today's activity was this month's cub scout pack meeting. We had a quick meeting in a grassy field and then started the 700 foot assent to the rocks.
The really nice thing about the Blue Ridge mountains is that when you go hiking, most of the hike is in the shade. Peter and I brought up the rear of the group. His little legs could only go so fast. And we really did need that blue marker on the tree at times. This wasn't a man-made trail. Which made it even more fun because there were plenty of things to explore along the way.
Here's the four of them at the top. The Shenandoah Valley is behind them.
Jeff Waite hiked over to another ledge to take a shot of the group. Can you spot him? I'm curious to see the picture he took.
Mark is our daredevil. There was another woman not a part of our group that couldn't bare to watch him...Mark kept taking her breath away. Good thing Karen wasn't with us! :)
James always finds a walking stick on our hikes. And I guess for the photo op it was a gun.
The view was well worth it. It was a full 360 degree view. We enjoyed lunch, one boy in the pack earned his Arrow of Light with a simple ceremony at the top, and the hike down was a bit easier than the hike up. :) I'll admit, I got a little worried at the top with four little kids. But there were plenty of adults to help. And the Waite's walked down with us...Anya talked their ears off. I just hope she didn't disclose too many family secrets! 
These kinds of scenes quickly take me back 200 years. It was a beautiful day to visit the home of the fourth president of the United States - James Madison. Although noted as "Father of the Constitution," I don't hear as much about Madison as I do the other Founding Fathers. To learn more, visit here.
Here's the view of the front yard from the south terrace. No pictures were allowed inside. Had it not been a cloudy day, you could have seen the Blue Ridge mountains in the distance. Regardless, it was a beautiful site.
These were life-size statues of James and Dolley Madison. James was only 5'2" and weighed about 110 pounds. His character certainly made up for his lack of physical stature. 
Mark was fascinated with the book Mr. Madison was reading. I wonder what book it was? :)
Madison erected a "temple" near his home. Thomas Jefferson suggested carpenter's for the job. Below it was a 2-story ice well so they could enjoy cool drinks and ice cream all summer long. 
The kids, in true Christensen form, strike peculiar poses. James and Peter regularly win the prize for the most bizarre! :) 
A subsequent owner placed a formal garden (where a practical garden used to be) and it has been well-maintained. It provided a nice walk back to the visitor center. 
Here's a last shot as we were leaving. You can see Madison's temple near his home. James Madison is a man any student of democracy should study in great detail. He was inspired by the Almighty and it was here at Montpelier that he contemplated the formation of a "more perfect Union" and a new form of government--one that has safe-guarded our freedom for over 200 years.
Mark was excited to see the presentation of the colors. He's learned a lot about that this year in cub scouts.
While very well-behaved, this is how the kids spent most of the ceremony. :)
Luke was showing his patriotism!
Here are all 66 people being presented and taking the oath. The tall guy in the back and to the left is a Christensen. Had we had time, I would have found him afterwards and figured out how we're related. Tom Periello, a recently elected congressman from the 5th district in Virginia, was the key note speaker. He made some interesting analogies. He referenced baptism and the renewing of covenants when we partake of the Sacrament...and how each citizen today had an opportunity to renew their own promise and conviction to stand for freedom and the United States as we witnessed the events of the day. I might not agree on how the man votes on the cap and trade bill...but I was impressed by his comments.
Oh look, all the hard work our kids did during the ceremony turns out to be a display of their patriotism. From all the tiny pebbles on the walkway, they were able to build a mound big enough to secure two of their American flags.
That's how it looked on the left side of our front door as well--only throw in a few 4-foot tall weeds...it was a lovely weed garden. After twelve hours of intense labor (with a quick run to a couple stores and lunch) this is our first flower garden in our Virginia home.
I learned a lot from our several flower gardens in Illinois. Our first home was our practice home in many regards. We took a couple months to plan this garden...and when it came to shopping, I got less rather than more. This is the view from our front porch.
The theme is mostly summer. But it's well-balanced with some evergreens and perennials that bloom in spring, summer and fall. We'll have something to enjoy throughout the year. And the kids absolutely love the walking path.
I love this frog...
And our little turtle...
Here's some Tickseed--it's a very grassy perennial with a wildflower look.
Not our favorite, but the Black-eyed Susan is a natural fit to a summer garden.
The last two flowers are a new favorite for me. The blooms are clusters of tiny little flowers. And the combination of yellow and wine-colored blooms compliment each other nicely. The Yarrow has fern-like foliage and adds to the summer feel.
Other plants not highlighted were our Blue Star Junipers, Silver Mound, Snow-in-Summer, and Autumn Joy Sedum. I've learned to enjoy the hard physical labor of establishing a flower garden (anyone have a tiller I can borrow next time...the clay soil in Virginia is not my friend). And at some point throughout the day, all 5 kids came out to help and enjoy the experience. Even Karen, with her cute 7-month belly, came out to help with plant placement and mulch spreading. We love our new garden!