Photo: Monica Schipper/Getty
Thomas RhettandHoda Kotbhave a lot in common.The two are both parents to children they welcomed viaadoption. Thomas Rhett and his wifeLauren Akinsadopted the oldest of their four daughters, 6-year-oldWilla Gray, while Kotb has two daughters she adopted at birth:Hope Catherine, 3 this month, andHaley Joy, 5.Chatting with the country star on the most recent episode of herMaking Spacepodcast, Kotb, 57, said her family tries to “make jokes about” their differences.“But you want to preserve where they’re from,” theTodayshow anchor explained. “So they remember, because I feel like you don’t know your identity, how are you going to live your life?You’ve got tofigure out a way to navigate.“Thomas Rhett/Instagram; Hoda Kotb/InstagramThomas Rhett — who is also dad to daughtersLillie Carolina, 4 months,Lennon Love, 2, andAda James, 4½ — echoed that Willa Gray “has questions all the time” about her roots.“She’s like, ‘When can we get to see my friends in Uganda?’ And then Ada James will be like, ‘When can I go see our friends in Uganda?’ And Willa Gray will be like, “Well, they’re not your friends, they’re my friends,' " shared the singer, 32.The artist added that his eldest child sometimes has “really intense questions,” and that he struggles with finding the right ageto explain her adoption to her.“Kids are funny, even about everything,” Kotb said elsewhere in the conversation. “Like even Haley will hold my skin up to her skin [and ask], ‘Am I darker than you, Mama? What about Hopey? Is she darker than me?’ “RELATED VIDEO:Hoda Kotbon Telling Daughters Haley and Hope About Their Adoption: “You Came from My Heart"Last October, Kotb opened up to PEOPLE about potentially adopting again, sharing that her mindset is that “you justwait and see if it’s meant to be for you.““I feel like families come in so many different shapes and sizes and as long as there’s lots of love, I think they’ll endure,” the star said at the time. “I’m just going to wait and see on that one.“As for Thomas Rhett, he said on Kotb’s podcast that Akins, 32, has always “wanted to have five kids,” andthat they are considering adoptinganother child.“So I told Lauren, ‘Let’s have five, but let’s take a four-year deep breath,’ " he told the host.
Thomas RhettandHoda Kotbhave a lot in common.
The two are both parents to children they welcomed viaadoption. Thomas Rhett and his wifeLauren Akinsadopted the oldest of their four daughters, 6-year-oldWilla Gray, while Kotb has two daughters she adopted at birth:Hope Catherine, 3 this month, andHaley Joy, 5.
Chatting with the country star on the most recent episode of herMaking Spacepodcast, Kotb, 57, said her family tries to “make jokes about” their differences.
“But you want to preserve where they’re from,” theTodayshow anchor explained. “So they remember, because I feel like you don’t know your identity, how are you going to live your life?You’ve got tofigure out a way to navigate.”
Thomas Rhett/Instagram; Hoda Kotb/Instagram
Thomas Rhett — who is also dad to daughtersLillie Carolina, 4 months,Lennon Love, 2, andAda James, 4½ — echoed that Willa Gray “has questions all the time” about her roots.
“She’s like, ‘When can we get to see my friends in Uganda?’ And then Ada James will be like, ‘When can I go see our friends in Uganda?’ And Willa Gray will be like, “Well, they’re not your friends, they’re my friends,' " shared the singer, 32.
The artist added that his eldest child sometimes has “really intense questions,” and that he struggles with finding the right ageto explain her adoption to her.
“Kids are funny, even about everything,” Kotb said elsewhere in the conversation. “Like even Haley will hold my skin up to her skin [and ask], ‘Am I darker than you, Mama? What about Hopey? Is she darker than me?’ "
RELATED VIDEO:Hoda Kotbon Telling Daughters Haley and Hope About Their Adoption: “You Came from My Heart”
Last October, Kotb opened up to PEOPLE about potentially adopting again, sharing that her mindset is that “you justwait and see if it’s meant to be for you.”
“I feel like families come in so many different shapes and sizes and as long as there’s lots of love, I think they’ll endure,” the star said at the time. “I’m just going to wait and see on that one.”
As for Thomas Rhett, he said on Kotb’s podcast that Akins, 32, has always “wanted to have five kids,” andthat they are considering adoptinganother child.
“So I told Lauren, ‘Let’s have five, but let’s take a four-year deep breath,’ " he told the host.
source: people.com
