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Hoda Kotb talks about where process stands in adopting a 3rd child

The pandemic has slowed down Hoda's plans for adopting a third child with fiancé Joel Schiffman.
/ Source: TODAY

Hoda Kotb's journey to adopting a third child is in a holding pattern.

The TODAY co-anchor gave an update on the process in an appearance on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" on Thursday night.

"You know what's funny about the adoption stuff that's going on now, apparently it's really slow during this time, during COVID," she said. "I thought it would be a different game.

"They said that a lot of people who maybe would normally feel like it would be something they'd want to do, have a child and then give it to someone to raise because they couldn't, are holding onto things because they don't have anything in that moment. So that's what I've heard from our agency, everything's slow, but they say wait wisely and just be, so we're just going to be."

Hoda and her fiancé, Joel Schiffman, adopted daughter Haley, 4, in 2017, followed by adopting daughter Hope, 2, in 2019. Hoda was 52 when they adopted Haley and has often spoken of the life-changing joy that came with becoming Haley's mother.

Cohen has experienced that joy himself, as he became a father at 50 in 2019 when his son, Benjamin, was born via a surrogate.

"I feel like if you're meant to have a child in your life, your child is out there,'' Hoda said on TODAY in 2018. "They said to me at the adoption agency, 'Don't worry, your child is out there waiting for you.' And I remember I would scribble in my journal, 'I know you're there.' I could feel her."

Hoda recalled in her interview with Cohen how she called fellow morning show anchor Robin Roberts when she adopted Haley saying she couldn't believe she just adopted a child in her 50s.

"And she says, 'That baby is right on time,'" Hoda said. "And everything has been right on time."