Alex's Birth Dad

So, awhile back I blogged about Alex and the sorrow he feels about his birth dad dying. At the time he was inconsolable until, in my feebly attempt to comfort him, I mentioned that maybe we could do his dad's temple work? As soon as the words left my mouth - I instantly doubted my ability to make this happen. Alex's birth dad is NOT the dad listed on his birth certificate. His birth mother put her first husband (Ivan's dad) on the certificate. I don't believe she ever married his dad. I had no idea this mans name, his birth date or his death date. I was afraid I had suggested something that was an impossibility? 

I emailed Ivan. He responded with "Yes his father died." Not what I was hoping for. I got Jordan (the cute young man that helped me translate our phone calls to Alex in the orphanage) to write an email in Ukraine asking for dad's legal name, birth date and death date. And guess what? Ivan had all of it!!

Next hurdle?

I am not a family history buff or know ANYTHING about how to prepare his name for temple work. With that in mind, I immediately called our family history specialist, Barbra Jensen and she had me come over and with a couple clicks of her mouse she had his paper work temple ready! Seriously, it was so easy for her. The super, cool thing is that although Alex is sealed to our family, he can be linked to his Ukraine father and someday when someone is researching his families line, there will be a link showing that Anatoliy Ivanovich Litvinenko had a son and where he is. Cool huh? 

Well, today was the day. We took Alex to the temple where he was baptised and confirmed by his father James for his birth father. (For those unfamiliar with the LDS faith, feel free to read here: http://lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/the-redemption-of-the-dead-and-the-testimony-of-jesus?lang=eng)

It was a nice day. I really hope this will help Alex have some closure with his fathers death. And I really hope that Anatoliy accepts the ordinances performed on his behalf. It is my firm belief that those relatives that pass before us have a hand in our lives, that our relationships go beyond the grave. I like to think it was this man, this birth father that loved Alex the best he could while he was alive, that whispered to me to find Alex. Knowing how much he needed a family. How much he wanted a mom. Mountains moved for us to adopt Alex and perhaps he had a hand in that too?  Who knows? But one thing is for sure, Alex loved his birth father and the only happy memories he has prior to the orphanage involve this man and I believe it is his love and nurturing of Alex -despite the neglect and abuse he suffered from his birth mother - that has made Alex able to attach and bond and love us.

Funny Side Story:

After the ordinances we got special permission to take Alex to the cafeteria. As we were walking towards the cafeteria Alex announced that it smelled just like the orphanage! We burst out laughing (quietly of course because we were in the temple) at his remark. I guess cafeteria's smell the same all over the world? The good news is he decided the food was much better than the orphanage!