Beloved Today host Hoda Kotb is opening up about one of the most tender moments of motherhood — telling her daughters they were adopted. The 61-year-old mom spoke candidly during an episode of Today with Jenna & Friends about how she approached the topic with her two daughters, Haley, 8, and Hope, 6, whom she adopted with her ex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman.

“When they were little, I used to say, ‘You weren’t born in my tummy, you were born in my heart,’” Hoda explained. “And they’d just nod, like, ‘Okay.’” But as her girls grew older and began to understand more about where babies come from, Hoda knew she needed to go deeper.

“She’s like your birth mother angel,” Hoda told them gently. “God gave her the job to carry you so that she could give you to me.” She said her daughters’ eyes lit up at the thought — and they began referring to the woman as their “birth mother angel.” When they asked if she was alive, Hoda answered honestly: “Yes, somewhere out there. We don’t know who that is yet.”

It was a heartfelt revelation that captured the compassion and honesty Hoda has become known for. Speaking later on Jenna Bush Hager’s Open Book podcast, Hoda also reflected on the challenges and joys of being what she calls an “older mom.”

“At 61 with a third grader and a first grader, yeah, I’m older,” she admitted. “And sometimes when people say that, I get a little ouch. But it’s true — and I’ve come to embrace it.” She explained that motherhood came to her later in life for a reason. “I think my girls are getting more from me now than they would’ve if I had been a mom in my 30s,” she said. “I’ve lived, I’ve learned, and I’ve got wisdom to share.”

Kotb described how her age brings a deeper sense of patience and perspective, even if she still has her moments of chaos. “I still lose it sometimes,” she laughed, “but less than I would have back then.”

Her honesty and warmth struck a chord with fans, many of whom praised her for redefining what motherhood can look like — no matter your age or the path that brought you there.

For Hoda, the story of how her daughters came into her life isn’t about biology — it’s about destiny. “They may not have come from my body,” she said, “but they were meant for my heart.”

Her words are a powerful reminder that family isn’t defined by blood — it’s built by love, faith, and the courage to tell your children the truth with kindness.