NEW YORK, NEW YORK: 'Today' host Hoda Kotb got emotional as she recalled a past moment involving the adoption process of her older daughter, Haley, who is now 6. Appearing on the 'Just B' podcast with Bethenny Frankel, she shed a tear or two over the anticipation of being a mother.
Hoda has two daughters, and she spoke about Haley, describing the rigorous process she had to go through. Finally, it was the uncertainty of the timing that frightened her deeply. It was heartbreaking to hear her hold her breath as she described the entire process. Listeners who have gone through an adoption process can certainly relate to her experience.
The moment that changed everything for Hoda Kotb
The rigorous paperwork, extensive verification and the time taken to grant someone the rights for adoption process can easily take a toll on an individual. After filing all the necessary paperwork, Hoda was left with a wait time that could either take six months or in some cases even five years. Hoda says, "I still remember the moment because I filled out all the paperwork, I did the stuff that you do, and then they're like: 'OK, maybe a year. Maybe six months. Maybe five years. Good luck. Bye, bye".
While she did not specify how long the process took, she mention not being able to control her sobbing the moment she received a call back from the adoption agency. She detailed the experience by saying, "And I was sitting in my office…and I remember it like it was just yesterday, I was sitting there…and my phone beeped, and I looked at it, and it was a text, and it said Ashley and Ashley was the lady from my adoption agency". The experience did change her and she is trying to do better with both her daughters every day.
'I really wanted to be a teacher because I wanted kids'
One of the things Hoda is grateful and proud of is being a mother of two wonderful children. She did not always plan on becoming a host but managed to land the morning segment soon after she adopted Haley. If not a host, then she would have become a teacher. Hoda said, "I always said I wanted to be a teacher, but I think I really wanted to be a teacher because I wanted kids," the Sun reports.
Being a teacher would have given her the fulfillment of being around children if the adoption process had not gone smoothly. While her now 6-year-old has enabled her in achieving the fulfillment of being a mother, Hoda realizes that the need to be a teacher came from not being close to having kids.
