A home for Hannah

1) BED NO. 15 : Anna Sinyaeva is one of 105 children in her Russian orphanage. 2)Soon she will have an American mom, Mary Rocklein, and sister, Abby. 3) No. 15, hanging her little towel on hook No. 15 - has been added another element. 4) To this child who has never owned anything suddenly has a picture book that's just for her. And to her daily routine - playing in the yard, using potty. 5) DAILY RITUAL Caretaker Lyubov Lasitsa gives one-on-one attention to Anna. Since two or three caretakers look after 15 children, there's only so much time they can spend with each child. 6) The children all go to the potty at the same time (far left), and are asked to sit until everyone has finished. 7) FRESH AIR : Each morning during warm weather, Anna's group goes outside to play in the yard. The children play independently of one another and seldom fight over toys. When one falls down, usually there is no crying because caretakers can't always come to comfort them as a parent might. 8) NOT A DROP SPILLED : Anna and the other children eagerly eat everything offered to them. Although the food is bland and monotonous, they never seem to get enough. 9) Lunch is porridge, bread, and weak tea. 10) PORTRAIT OF A FAMILY : Bob, Abby, and Mary Rocklein, above, in front of their home in Groveland, Mass. Mary herself was adopted as a young child and is thrilled to offer the same opportunity to a child without family. 11) Abby proudly displays each dress they have bought for the Russian girl they will rename Hannah, as well as some of her own hand-me-downs. 12) ANNA ON THE BIG SCREEN : Mary Rocklein watches a video of the little girl she will soon adopt. The video, taken by another adoptive parent, shows Anna as an active, curious, functioning child, which helped the family decide to take her even though American doctors warned that she might have developmental problems stemming from her mother's alcoholism. 13) THE BIG DAY : As three of her little companions watch two caretakers carefully put a new dress on Anna and comb her hair in preparation for the big meeting. 14) Minutes later, the orphanage doctor introduces Anna to her new parents for the first time. Bob reaches out his hand to the little girl as Mary, holding a stuffed kitty, softly cries. 14) Showing Mary Rocklein playing with Hannah. 15) WAVE BYE-BYE : Anna says farewell to her caretakers as she leaves the orphanage for good. No tears are shed. They all know she will have a better life with a family that loves her. Anna's clothes will be changed and left behind for the other orphans to wear. 16) She is most thrilled with her new shoes. 17) LET'S GO RIDING IN THE CAR : Sandwiched between her new parents, toys piled up beside her, Anna is ready to go. She doesn't cry or become ill as many orphans do when experiencing their first car ride. 18) THE WAIT FOR A VISA : The Rockleins and other American couples who are adopting Russian children wait in a room at Moscow's American Consulate to get US visas for the adoptees. 19) The plane ride actually turns out to be the last peace Mary and Bob will know for a while. 20) AFTER THE STORM : Hannah's tears are quickly conquered by a cookie after she throws a tantrum in the Frankfurt airport during a layover. She recovers enough to go around meeting many of the passengers in the waiting lounge. Although Hannah handles the trip like a veteran traveler, the changes she's experiencing affect her behavior later. Her Russian passport (top, left) bears her new American name - spelled in English letters with Russian pronunciation. (Hannah will become a US citizen in several years.) On the flight, she behaves better than children traveling with their biological parents, rarely crying and fussing, and she clearly enjoys all the new sights and sounds. 21) Showing Hannah's passport. 22) NEW SIBLINGS : Abby's world is turned topsy-turvy by the arrival of this toddler who commandeers her parents' attention and plays with her toys. The early days and weeks of their adjustment are rocky and unpleasant for all. Gradually Abby assumes the role of big sister as protector and teacher, happy to have a little sister to play with. 23) A SLICE OF LIFE : At a Friendly's restaurant, Hannah chows down on French fries like any American kid, while Abby wipes off a drip of ice cream. Hannah is thrilled with everything she sees. 24) Mary pushes a stroller with both children inside past their bright yellow house.

(c) Copyright 1999. The Christian Science Publishing Society

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