Hoda Kotb & Joel Schiffman Planned to Adopt 3rd Child before Ending Their Long-Awaited Engagement

Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman's lovely relationship played out in public, and they adopted two kids in their bliss. However, despite making plans to adopt a third child, Schiffman and Hoda called off their two-year engagement.

When "Today" star Hoda Kotb met Joel Schiffman, she felt love for him on a wholesome level, and it was mutual. The duo progressed in their love life and also started a family.

Schiffman and Hoda were in their fifties when they decided to adopt kids, which worked out for them. However, the couple's two-year engagement ended before they could walk down the aisle or expand their family further.

THEIR BLISSFUL ROMANCE

Hoda enjoyed a sweet relationship with her financier partner, Schiffman, and she did not mind sharing tidbits about their relationship. Once speaking with People, she described their love life as "one of the most natural relationships" she had ever had.

The TV anchor and Schiffman met at a Wall Street event and felt an instant connection. Then, their relationship kicked off, and it was blissful that Hoda could only think of him when the word "love" came up.

She described the business executive as someone who gave her "butterflies at 50." Hoda heartily gushed over her man:

"He's a guy that gives me butterflies again at 50-years-old."

One year after her People interview, the star announced that she and Schiffman were moving in together. The pair had been together for three years before deciding on this.

The star expressed how happy she was to be taking that step while also expressing her little inhibitions. Hoda thought it was weird to be moving in with a love interest at 50, but she liked the feeling.

THE DUO EXPLORED ADOPTION

Hoda and Schiffman's relationship seemed seamless and organic as the pair kept forging ahead in love, but something was always at the back of her mind: Hoda wanted a child.

Once on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," she explained how she had always pushed back the idea of having kids until she could no longer. The star recalled telling Schiffman her desires.

Hoda had mentioned to her man that she wanted them to explore adoption together, to which he immediately agreed. Of course, this warmed her heart as Hoda told DeGeneres:

"I knew I had chosen the right man."

The media personality noted that amid the adoption process, and on the day her daughter Haley Joy Kotb became part of their family, she had been waiting for the adoption agency to call her.

Hoda recalled that day, noting that she knew the moment had come for her to become a mom when the call came through. But, in retrospect, Schiffman was left out of the domestic adoption process to simplify things.

However, Hoda wanted her daughter to call him dad. Schiffman was already a father when he and Hoda met, so he did not have any problem in that department. Hoda told People that he was a "great dad and a great influence."

Speaking with Andy Cohen on ''WWHL," she recalled being anxious about having a baby at 50. Hoda noted that she expressed her feelings to fellow star Robin Roberts, who assured her that she was straight in time. She shared:

"Everything has been right on time ."

After adopting her first child, Hoda announced on "Today Family" that she had another daughter. She referred to the child as the love of her life. Her fellow Today personalities wasted no time congratulating her on social media.

Two years after Haley made Hoda a first-time mom, the star was ready for the second bundle of joy. She announced the arrival of her daughter, Hope Catherine Kotb, on "Today" amid cheers from her co-stars. She told DeGeneres in an interview:

"I feel like my life finally makes sense."

After Haley and Hope, Hoda knew she wanted to have another baby. So the star mom and her man started another adoption process, but there were some delays due to COVID-19, and she was advised to be patient.

HODA GOT ENGAGED

After six years and two babies, Schiffman and Hoda knew forever was not far off. So during a romantic dinner at the beach in 2019, Schiffman got down on one knee and asked Hoda to be his wife.

The star shared that they had both been in tears enjoying the heart-melting moment before they wrote their names in the sand amid scattered rose petals. She described:

"He had tears coming down and he could barely get it out. He said, 'Will you be my wife?'"

Hoda agreed to marry her man with an assuring "yes" before flaunting her ring and big bright smile in snapshots. She told Degeneres that they had earlier talked about getting married because they had two kids, but they kept holding it off. Hoda explained:

"We've talked about getting married because we have two kids. But we decided, you know, we'll do it later, we'll do it later."

Speaking about their wedding plans, Hoda explained that she and Schiffman could opt for a destination wedding, and they did not want it to take longer. She stated that they might tie the knot at the beach where they got engaged.

Despite making plans for the wedding, Schiffman and Hoda could not get the ceremony to take off. They changed plans several times and also postponed.

The duo first delayed due to the pandemic in 2020 and also changed their mind as they looked to tie the knot in the summer of 2021.

THEY BROKE OFF THEIR ENGAGEMENT

The whole engagement issue came to a head early in 2022 when Hoda announced that she and Schiffman had amicably called it off.

She explained that they concluded to concentrate on parenthood. She noted that they had a lot of time to reflect amid the holidays before deciding. She explained this on "Today with Hoda & Jenna," saying:

"We decided that we're better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple."

Two months after her announcement, the 58-year-old divulged how their co-parenting life was seamless. Hoda noted that Schiffman often saw the kids, and they were both doing their best to give the girls their all.