The Journey to Motherhood

The journey to motherhood is a unique experience for every mom. Whether you become a mother biologically, through adoption, or by fostering its likely you have plenty of stories to share about your experience.  Kari Wafstet’s journey is inspirational!

Travis and Kari Wafstet first became parents after an experience Travis had out on patrol as a detective with Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. After responding to a child endangerment call one evening where a child was being neglected due to their parent’s substance abuse issues, Travis decided that he wanted to help in ways outside of his role as an officer. He wanted to “do more for these children” and that’s when he decided to talk with Kari about becoming foster parents. After some persuasion, she agreed to take foster parenting classes and they became licensed shortly after.

Kari became a mom when she and Travis welcomed their first foster children in 2016. She and Travis had just married in October of 2015 and had no biological children of their own yet. “This was the first time anyone got to call Kari ‘mom’,” Travis said. “We have had 10 short- and long-term foster and adoptive children and each has been a unique situation, as any foster parent can attest to. Kari is humble about her path to motherhood, but not many people can say they fostered 10 children before they had their own.”

Kari and Travis now have four children: two children through adoption, another child they are currently adopting, and in 2019 they welcomed the birth of their little girl, their first biological child. We asked Travis to answer a few questions about Kari and here’s what he said:

What do you think your kiddos love most about Kari?

“AnaMae - because mom helps me do my schoolwork, mom tucks me in at night, and mom gives good hugs
Bryan - her hugs and kisses and she reads me books.
Babies - both babies love the care and attention that Kari gives them. Both of their first words were mom and mama, and now it’s their favorite words to yell when they need a little extra attention.”

Mothers Day artwork from Kari’s kiddos

What do you think Kari loves most about being a mom?

“Kari loves watching each of our children grow and explore in their own unique way. We have a very creative oldest daughter who loves to sing, dance, and do anything creative. Our son is the class clown and he’s always cracking us up with his silly antics. Our foster daughter is joyful and loving and enjoys babying her little sister and causing mischief with her brother. And our youngest is adventurous and silly, and she enjoys getting right in the middle of the chaos that her siblings often create. Our house is never quiet but it is always filled with love and laughter and Kari enjoys every minute of it.”

What do you love most about Kari being a mom to your kiddos?

“Kari is patient and understanding. With 4 kids age 6 and under, there’s always someone yelling “mom” in our house or needing some special attention. Kari is great at meeting those needs and managing the chaos that comes with so many littles.”

Tammy Zunski is the biological grandparent to two of the children Kari and Travis adopted. She wanted to share this sentiment with us about her feelings for Kari becoming a mom to her grandchildren.

Kari moves naturally through motherhood with passion and devotion.  She has a quiet strength balanced by a healthy dose of uncertainty.  Kari has blessed so many with her decision to become a mother.  She blesses her husband Travis with children to love, guide and support.  Blesses him with the opportunity to love and encourage her when strong and fragile.  Blesses him with opportunities to build memories, traditions, and familial legacy- a legacy of family, faith, love, and generosity.

Kari blesses AnaMae, Bryan, Izzy and Madeline with all that is, a mother’s love. She is unwaveringly authentic in her parenting experience.  Being a perfect mother is not the goal.  Nurturing resilient, happy, healthy, and faithful children is.She blesses Travis’ family and her family in Minnesota with grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, a nephew, and cousins.  She offers them a view of a unique family experience that is no less or no more than a family that births all the children of their own genetics.  

The many many grandparents, aunts and uncles brought together because of Kari and Travis’s unselfish decision to parent our own biological family member(s) are blessed with what it means to fall in love with a child that is not connected biologically to them but inextricably connected through love, through “family”.  I personally learned what it means to love grandchildren that are not connected to me biologically in experiencing falling in love with Izzy and Maddie. 

From that day in April 2016 that I delivered AnaMae (aged 2 years) and Bryan (aged 10 weeks) to her car in a church parking lot, she has, without effort or words, ensured me of the things any family member handing over the loves of their lives needs to know, to believe.  

My grandbabies will be safe in her care
My grandbabies will be loved by her
My grandbabies will not lose access to their roots and I will not lose access to them

Through her example, Kari blesses strangers, friends, and associates with the opportunity to see what is possible when you face fear and put family and faith first.