On a Sunday morning in October of 2019, the Boyd family did their typical Sunday routine and found themselves in the audience at Beltway Church. That Sunday, however, ended up being anything but typical for the family as they left the building feeling a nudge that couldn’t be dismissed or set aside. Jason and Megan Boyd, along with their two young children, Jay and Natalie, were about to embark on a life altering, sacrificial adventure in the world of foster care.
The licensing process quickly began and was achieved in February of 2020 through New Horizons here in Abilene. About a month later, on Tuesday of spring break in March of 2020, the Boyds got the call. A two-year-old girl and seven-month-old boy were joining their family. Excitement, nerves, and hopeful anticipation filled their house as their family members grew from four to six overnight, but what was coming, wasn’t on anyone’s radar.
Less than a week after welcoming the children into their home, the world shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The journey that was going to be an adjustment already, instantly became even more complex.
“In less than one week, I had two extra children to take care of, I was homeschooling my two school-aged children AND I was schooling all of my junior high students from home,” Boyd said.
Admittedly, it was a lot for the family. They were navigating a new normal on every front and had the added commitment of foster visits plus the emotional adjustments that fostering involves. Because of the nature of the 2020 world they were living in, Megan would occasionally take their biological children, Jay and Natalie, up to the empty school where she was employed for space and quality time, a welcomed respite during their weeks. Those breaks provided a chance for everyone, Megan included, to unwind and have some undivided attention.
A New Normal
Early in the process, the Boyds didn’t really know what to expect. Initially there was a thought that they might foster to adopt, yet as everything began to unfold and relationships began to form between not only the kids, but also with their biological dad, Isaac, Megan recognized that reunification was possible.
“Reunification is always the goal,” Megan said. “As we began to grow closer to Isaac, we knew that it would be in everyone’s best interest if we could help make that happen.”
For eighteen months, the Boyds loved and cared for their foster babies as if they were their own. They laughed and cried together. They attended doctor’s appointments, meetings, and visits for them. They did all the things that moms and dads and brothers and sisters would do. Megan and Jason were also mentoring Isaac through the journey as he found employment, saved enough money for a truck, secured an apartment and made other huge steps needed to become reunited with his kids.
And they didn’t do it alone. The Boyd’s church community rallied around Isaac by fully furnishing his apartment when the time came.
“It was neat to see people come together to make the ideal situation happen,” Boyd said. “Our people were our lifeline and stepped up in big ways for us, the kids, and Isaac.”
Once Isaac was settled, in July of 2021, ‘the babies’ as they were affectionately called, were reunited with their dad.
But, in lots of ways, this was just the beginning.
Megan and Jason knew the importance of supporting Isaac as he transitioned back into being full-time dad to his, then, three- and one-year old kids. They continued to show up without fail for the appointments and meetings. They babysat when needed. They still do holidays and birthdays and Sunday lunches together. They show up because it matters, and they know it’s the way to succeed in a circumstance like this.
A Profound Impact
Despite staying very connected and involved, the Boyds did focus on their immediate family after the reunification took place. While 2020 felt like a whirlwind, 2021 was a period of slowing down, recovery, reconnecting and healing for them.
“In 2021, I decided to step away from teaching for a moment and homeschool my kids,” Megan said. “It was a really sweet year full of family time, which was perfect for us following all of the major transitions we had faced.”
While several years have passed since fostering, the Boyds have made and continue to make a profound impact. That did not go unnoticed. In fact, the impact was noticed on such a level that they were nominated and awarded the 2023 Texas Foster Family of the Year.
Kaycee Robles, who oversees the Permanency Program for 2INgage in the role of Vice President of Permanency, had not met the Boyds in person, but had been a part of the placement back in 2020 and repeatedly heard about their level of care and dedication. She was responsible for nominating the family for the award.
“My team shared with me their experiences with the Boyd family and how they had unwavering support for not only the children in foster care, but also the young father who was working diligently to be safely reunited with his children,” Robles said. “Their love for the entire family was exceptional and they were so deserving of the recognition.”
For Megan and Jason, the honor came as a shock.
“We struggled with feeling worthy,” Megan said. “In our eyes, we were just doing what needed to be done to create the best life for Isaac and his kids.”
A Ripple Effect
And while their actions were just part of the deal in their eyes, the ripple effect of those actions is still being spread far and wide on a more public scale. In June of this year, the Boyd family and Isaac served on the Fatherhood Panel at the Reunification Conference, a statewide conference put on by the Department of Family Protective Services in Texas.
Having a voice in this capacity gives the Boyd’s hope that they can be part of the solution to enact change in the foster/reunification process and that perspective provides people like Robles, who work alongside foster families every day, with hope for more long-lasting success stories.
“We truly appreciate the commitment of the Boyds and need more families like them in the Abilene community to help step up and serve vulnerable children and families,” Robles said.
As for the Boyds, Jay and Natalie are asking to foster again, and Jason and Megan have a heart for the orphan. There’s a good chance that somewhere along the way there will be more families added to their story. For now, their first placement became a lasting one and their lives and the lives of Isaac and his children will never be the same.
To find out more information or to become a foster family, visit weneedmorefosterparents.com and foster325.com.
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By Nicole Fletcher
Photos By Shayli Anne Photography
The Boyd family’s love-in-action for the foster/reunification process is tangible and genuine. This remarkable family willingly step into our community’s foster care crisis with hope, kindness, love, and a commitment to reunification when they realized it was possible. While this is a beautiful story, I know there were many difficult days through the process. This family demonstrates active faith. Thank you for sharing this story!
Serenity and Isaac are my niece and nephew. My sister is their mom. The pride I have in Issacs determination to stay apart of those kid’s lives is overwhelming. I moved away from Texas to escape the realities of our family and in the shuffle of life, emotions and needing to distance myself for my own little families sake, I’ve lost contact with them. The kindness, support and love this family has provided to Serenity, Isaac Jr. and Isaac touches my heart so profoundly. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.