Nicole has always had a passion for France and French culture. She minored in French in college and always dreamed of studying abroad in Paris. She studied abroad in Paris in 2010 and went back in 2013 with friends. Some say she called Thomas into her life with her Eiffel Tower collection and paintings but the true story of Thomas and Nicole begins in Philadelphia. Thomas and Nicole's journey started in 2016 when they both moved to Philadelphia for new chapters in their lives. Nicole was there for a job and to study for a master's in nursing, while Thomas came for graduate school. They met in 2017 when Nicole joined a Bible study Group, and Thomas joined the same group a bit later. Life was busy for both of them. Nicole worked night shifts at the hospital, and Thomas was deep into his research. They didn't hang out much at first, but they shared a mutual friend, Amanda, the group leader. Thomas's baptism on November 4th, 2019, was a special moment, with Nicole being there to support him. Over three years, they got to know each other better through group get-togethers and even some almost double dates with Amanda and her then boyfriend, Wes (who would later become her husband). Then, when COVID hit, things started to change a little. Living just across the street from each other, Thomas and Nicole started texting more. Thanksgiving 2020 is a very important memory for them. Both of them were alone in the city, so they decided to hang out, exploring the Christmas market, taking a walk along the Schuylkill River Trail, and grabbing dinner – Neither of them had been on that river trail prior to the pandemic but this would not be the last time they would walk together on that trail. Nicole's birthday was soon after, and plans went sideways because of the pandemic and a big storm. They ended up having takeout at her place, and that night they connected more, talking for hours. With finals and Thomas's trip back to France coming up, they decided to celebrate the end of the year together. On December 8th, they went ice skating at the Delaware River rink, and had an amazing date. They continued with virtual dates over zoom during Christmas break as Thomas was back home in France to see his family. When he got back, they continued dating and officially became a couple on January 25th, 2021. Now, they continue to celebrate their monthly “anniversary” every 25th of the month. Thank you very much for being a part of our story! With love, Nicole and Thomas