This morning in July begins just like every other morning as Anna wakes up once again in bed No. 15. But by the time the day is over, everything in her young life has been turned upside down.

She eats her breakfast at one of the small tables with the other children and takes her turn being washed and dressed and goes to play in the yard, just as she always does.

But later in the day, after the normal lengthy afternoon nap, there is a surprising change in the routine. Anna's caretakers pull her aside from the other children and wash her and put a brand-new dress on her. They comb her hair and even try to fasten an elaborate bow in it, although the fine strands refuse to hold it firm.

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.

Then, holding a caretaker's hand, Anna walks down the hall to a meeting room near the director's office where the Rockleins wait.

Meanwhile, Bob and Mary, still exhausted from their flight to Moscow, are sitting nervously on the couch in the director's office. Mary, clutching a stuffed kitten for Anna, is close to tears.

Suddenly she appears.

THE BIG DAY: 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.

"All I could think," says Bob later, "was that she looked just like her picture."

Anna goes to him, stretching out her hand.

Mary cries. "It just seemed like a dream," she recalls afterward.

THE BIG DAY: "All I could think," says Bob later, "was that she looked just like her picture." Anna goes to him first, stretching out her hand. Mary cries. "It just seemed like a dream," she recalls afterward.

The Rockleins visit Anna four more times in the orphanage. One day is also spent in a Russian court finalizing the adoption.

Finally, Mary and Bob are able to take Anna away with them, to stay for two more nights in the room they've rented in the apartment of a Muscovite. They also give Anna the first pair of shoes that are really hers to keep, and they fascinate her. Her clothes and shoes from the orphanage are left behind for the other children.

WAVE BYE-BYE: Anna's clothes will be changed and left behind for the other orphans to wear. She is most thrilled with her new shoes.

Some children grieve when they leave the orphanage, the only home they've ever known. But not Anna.

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.

The first night with her new parents she's so excited she can't sleep and wants to laugh and chatter and bounce on the bed. Bob finally has to sit on the side of her bed in the dark repeating over and over in Russian, "Quiet," and "Sleep."

The next day they take her to the US embassy to get a travel visa for her, and they're now ready to head home.

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.

Mary is worried about the two flights ahead of them. It means a total of 11 hours in the air and she's afraid Anna will cry or be scared and that it will be hard to comfort her without speaking Russian.

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.

But Anna – now adjusting to being called Hannah – takes to flying easily and seems completely at ease with her new mom and dad. [audio]

Next: Moving on to a new life