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Show COMICS* TV * LANDERS * GENEALOGY Ghe Balt Lake Tribune breaktex FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1996 N. Ogden Couple Build A Multiracial Family El Everything Has Been Going to the Dogs Since My Vet Moved BY TOM QUINN SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE NORTH OGDEN — Jesse Jackson doesn’t know I made an emergencytrip to the animalhospital less than a week after my son andlive-in veterinarian moved out of the house and wentoff to the wilds of the Midwest. it, but his National Rainbow Coalition, which promotes harmonious race relations, has a working modelin the family of Tony and Dixie George. The George homeherelooks typically Utahn. Under the carport is a gaggle of bikes, trikes and a double-seaterstroller. Maggie the schnoodle had a bump on her head. “Long-distance diagnosis is hard Mom. It's probably nothing, but haveit Outside the carport sits a large, vintage van. Next to it is Tony’s motorcycle. Both were chosen for operating economy. checked,” he advised whenI called. I sighed, It isn’t that I haven’t been to the veterinarian a time or two. J’ve From thesight, it can be assumed that the adult Georges have invested in a large portfolio of children rather than stocks and bonds hauled lamehorses and cut ponies out for “Doe' to cure. My Labrador retriever Tigger had two mastectomies The Georgeportfolio: three girls, five boys. The kicker is that all are adopted — and their during her 14 years, and onceI took a peahen for an office visit Shelaid a egg on the office floor and skin colors create a black-to-white rainbow with a wash of coppery American Indian thrown in for felt much better. good measure. Whenthe multiracial George family goes out in public, people tend to stop, look, wag their heads, smile and say something foolish like “Are they Once my son had a DVM (doctorof veterinary medicine) at the end of his name, I got spoiled. He gave the critters shots and care. He gave me comfort and adopted?” “We've been married 19 years. After five years confidence. And then he left. Fortu- own, we decided we would adopt,” said Dixie, 39, a whoassured methat I could call them nately, he introduced me to colleagues when we found wecouldn't have children of our “any time.” I suspect they were unaware of a 3 a.m call I once made to my son's end of the house saying that Maggie was shak- “full-time mother by choice.” “The first two we adopted were Caucasian, but whenwe decided we wanted more children, we discovered that the fastest way to get them was to adopt children whowere black or of mixed parentage,” said Tony, 41, a Weber School District spe- ing. My son appeared, stethoscope draped over bathrobe, and examined the dog. “Try turning the heat up, Mom,” he cial-education teacher. “Adoption takes persistence, mainly, And there area lot of healthy, wonderful babies of mixed parentage out there who need new parents,” Dixie said. They had friends who had successfully taken the transracial route, so without trepidation they told adoption agencies they wereinterested in nonwhite said. “The poor dogis cold.” But a lump is something else. 1 made an appointment. Murphy the giant schnauzerhad to go with us. Maggie is a Dog With a Past. She is insecure. Get ting her into the car without Murphyis a struggle 1 couldn’t face. babies. “My parents were surprised but supportive when we told them our plan,” Tony said. Dixie's mother was a bit hesitant ‘‘butonly until she actually held Getting them into the carisn’t easy, either. I bring out the harnesses for ourfirst mixed-race babyin her arms. Thenit didn't makeany difference at all to her.” their seat belts and they goballistic. Oh, they are so excited. They are going byebye. Yippee. Reality sets in as we go down the They have worked through state-licensed adoption agencies in Utah, Georgia, Pennsylvania and California, with their children coming from those states and from Nevada, Washington, Oregon and driveway. They don’t like the car. Murphy wants to know “Are wethere yet?” Tennessee. Agencies fully investigated every aspect of the Georges’ lives before giving their approval, but before we hit the gate. Maggie, on the other hand, sits quietly in the back. Each timeshe leaves, she knowsshe is not coming back to her birth mothers havethefinal say, causing some disappointment. house, “Ten times we've been turned down for various reason,usually by the mother sayingnoto us, or by keeping the child herself, or by simply disappearing,”Dixie said. On the other hand, the two most recent adoptions This time was true. She had to stay to have the lump removed. I took Murphy home. She didn’t miss Maggie until we got into the house Plop. She was on the floor. A cookie? — Kiya five weeks after birth and Quaid three weeks after — cameas a pleasant shock. “We had asked for one from an agency, They approved. Then a few dayslater, another agency we'd been usingcalled and said they had oneforus, too. So we took them both, and it was like having twins, they arrived so close together,” Tony said. “Our first adoption cost $2,500 14 years ago. The most expensive was $11.000, and the rest have heen Paul Fraughton/The Salt Lake Tribune Tony and Dixie George with their children, from top of swing set and fromleft to right: Eric, 11; Tyrone, 3; Garrett, 9; Michelle, 14; Anna, 6; Quaid, 1; Daniel, 7; and Kiya, 1. variety were worth discussing, but when prodded they became vocal advocatesof their situation. delivery, travel and legalcosts. days to 3 years. Today, they are 1 to 14 yearsold Recently, Mom and Dad and seven of the Rainbow Coalition — the eldest was absent — gathered in their living room. The children’s ages at the time they were welcomed into the couple’s home have ranged from 6 perplexed that the subjects of adoption and racial See RAINBOW, Page E-8 between $1,500 to $9,000," Dixie said, The money pays the adoption agency's expenses, Atfirst, the children oid enough to talk seemed Eric, 11, stopped wrestling with Garrett, 9, long enoughto say, “This family is really neat. I've got MOVE OUTSIDE Mary Engelbreit Offers Crafty Ideas For Brightening Up Your Back Yard No, thank you. She wouldn't eat and wouldn't drink. Maggie's lump was benign. But by the time the two dogs got through roughhousing a few days later, two stitches were out. I called the doctor's Office. The nurse suggesteda clown collar for Maggie to keep her from rubbing her head. I considered the prospect of Maggie and Murphy with a clown collar. It was a reject. I loaded them up and had the doctor check Maggie's head again. About a weeklater, I noticed that Nermal, the black and white cat, was listless. I looked in his mouth sometimes I am so brave I scare myself — and he looked pale. He also seemed thin, I took him in “How are youat giving pilis, Mom? the doctor asked. Tlooked at Nermal. We decided on an eye-dropper with liquid medicine. That was Trip 3. Trip4 involved taking Maggie back to get out her remaining stitches and to get the cat checked. It was 95 degrees at 4:35 p.m. when I arrived at the veterinarian’s office with Nermal (“Meow- ow-ow”) and Murphy(‘Are we there yet?") and Maggie (‘I'm never going homeagain”), Everyone is fine. I am trying to keep it that way. I brush the dogs’ teeth every night. It’s summer, and America’s outdoorliving areasare in need of a fix. A random telephone sampling of 1,000 people found that 77 percent of Americans with a back yardplan to improveit According to the survey byS.C. Johnson Wax of Racine, Wis., those of dried grass attack through canvas shoes and thick socks Their favorite hidingplace, however, is improvements will be part of the nearly $6 billion we spend annually between the dogs’ toes. on planting and refurbishing outdoor living areas. Swimming pools lish. and hot tubs are high on thelist of improvements, but thereare less costly projects, such as a barbecue grill Therealso are improvements that arestrictly aesthetic “T enjoy a back yard that is filied with flowersand is easy to maintain,” Mary Engelbreit says. “But if all I see is weeds, I won't go outside.” So she plants oodles of annuals in early spring. Then Engelbreit, an artist who illustrates everything from greeting cards to home accessories, concentrates on other projects. Most are simple — poking holes in a rustedtoy wagon to use as a planter, setting flowering plants on an old bench at the back door. Many ofher ideas and photos are in Mary Engelbreit’s Outdoor Companion (Andrews and McMeel, $24.95) But artist that she is, she likes to paint, particularly to repaint old Barbra Elott Martha The Aavociated Press Mary Engelbreit’s playful porch features @ painted “floor cloth” and tin sand pails. T also check for foxtails. Those small sharp arrows wood furniture, She uses deck paint plus a clear sealer that will See GET OUT, Page E-6 I go through their paws every night. They aretick- “I'm always afraid I'll miss a foxtail and they'll getan infection,’ I said to my daughter. “Sort of like ignoring a sore throat and having it turn out to be a strep? she asked I acknowledged myparental style overanxious, overprotective and over- wrought T hopeI took as g of care of you childrenas I do the dogs,” I said She laughed. “Youtook pretty good careof Mom Maybe. But I don't remember ch ing them forfoxtails. and l hope remember to 4 brush their teeth , |