In the late summer of 2019; the two of us were looking doing what single people do these days-internet dating! We matched; we texted; we spoke on the phone; we did a "first look" outside of Nicole's office and the next night had our first date at Frankford Hall in Fishtown on a Thursday night. While Nicole was in the bathroom at the bar; a girl came up to her and said, "WOW your boyfriend is really hot!" Nicole smiled, and said, "He is, thank you." and never gave away that it was a first date. (Who knew?)

The next day Jonathan was moving, across the street from his apartment to his new one and, Nicole being Nicole asked if he needed help after she was done work. Her first task? Helping Jonathan carry a bed frame; that they tried to take apart but would not budge and well they decided let's just do it. They carried the frame down three flights of narrow steps; through the courtyard; across busy Fairmount Ave (Where Joanthan commented, "I don't know which one of us is crazier me for asking you to do this or you for agreeing?") around the corner; up FOUR flights of stairs, in the August heat with no air-conditioning into the new bedroom; upon where they went to place it down and it fell apart in pieces. Nicole laid on the floor and whispered to the person whose room was below "Sorry!" After that debacle, pizza and champagne were shared to celebrate Jonathan's new place and what was not then known, as the beginning of a love story with a lot of laughs and good times ahead.

Every single day thereafter, Jonathan and Nicole never missed a day of texting or weekends of Nicole travelling over from South Jersey to Philly to help Jonathan unpack and help him, Puddy and Elaine, his beloved cats, make that apartment home. One-night, unpacking photos, Jonathan pulled out a photo of his parents on a cruise. When Nicole took a look at his late father and his mom, that lived close by in Center City, Nicole noticed that she knew the woman in the picture and asked Jonathan questions and realized his mother lived in building right near her office. Nicole recalled the days she was walking back to her office from an appointment and there was n accident in the middle of Market street at the corner where she needed cross and saw a woman with a walking stick and special sunglasses that appreared to be sight-impaired in the midst of the chaos of about to the step into the street. Nicole approached and told her that their was an accident and their is debris in the road and asked gently "Would you like my assistance to get across the street safely?" A sigh, and an "OK, please hold my arm like this" came from the mouth of Fran Fulton, who Nicole walked across with and parted ways with a "Thank you." from Fran and she walked off to her home. Back to the photo, Nicole thought "Do you tell the guy you just met -you know who his mom is or do you think it's creepy?" Nicole chose the ladder.

Time went on and on with dates; weekends; concerts (our first selfie of us at the Met seeing Stone Temple Pilots); Nicole learning what jujitsu was about and hearing about the gym on 12th street more and more and more. Jonathan learned a lot about banking and that yes Bon Jovi was a band-not just one person and maybe Jersey Girl's weren't that bad. Aside from their love of cats, movie quotes, Soul Train lines, excessive talking, Philadelphia sports (Go Birds!) Seinfeld references from Jonathan; and Friends references from Nicole and love of Tito's and soda and stupid humor and comedians it took Nicole to say finally, "Are you my boyfriend or what?" and a sigh and a smile from Jonathan and "Yes-I am."

Meet the Sister and the Mom

Nicole brought Jonathan over the New Jersey to meet her sister Denise first. The two had lived every day togeter since Nicole's birth and in the abscence of Nicole's parents having passed, Denise was the one to make the impression on. Brunch at the diner (where else does one eat in NJ?) and Nicole finding out that when she had slipped off to the ladies' room, Denise had said, "Thank you for making my sister so happy. Hurt her and I will not be." Denise would give you the shirt off her back but hurt her "Coley" was not a thing to mess with! Then came the let's meet "The Fran", in which case Nicole had to fess up to the story of meeting his mom in their brief stroll across Market Street, which Jonathan smiled and said, "Sounds like my mom." We met Fran from dinner at the Continental Midtown where Jonathan brought up that we were not strangers and Nicole told the story to which Fran, being Fran, replied, " Awww, thank you. (pause) I hope I was nice to you." Jonathan so eloquently laughing, "Which means you believe their was a chance you weren't?" But that was Fran, she made no excuses for the woman she was. Very much like Denise, hurt my child and I will not be happy.

March of 2020

When this little thing called "COVID-19" shut down the world and forced everyone inside. Nicole and Jonathan had decided to keep their "circle" to Denise, (Fran was away in Arizona); the "quarantined crew" at the gym; and Nicole's excessive PPP Loan co-workers and of course; each other. This is when things turned in a way they could not have imagined. First, Nicole became "the mule" that brought alcohol over the bridge to PA to make sure everyone was hydrated as she also became a toilet paper hoarder stalking the Rite-Aid on Chestnut Street on shipments days. One Saturday, Nicole was getting ready to head over to the city and Jonathan told her to stay home. Nicole pushed to come over and Jonathan told her "There are protests scheduled in city today and I won't and don't want you to take a chance on getting hurt. Pulled out of your car anything in case things go wrong. That was the day of the infamous riots in Philadelphia that the nation saw of looting and burning our beloved city. That was also they day Nicole realized that Jonathan loved her; she already knew she loved him but was afraid to say it to him too soon. When she finally reached him the next day, she told him, "I love you" and he confirmed his feelings for her and that was love.

And then...

They survived COVID, but poor Elaine did not. It was a heart-breaking story of spending 10 hours in the car in front of the vet's office saying she was ok to two short weeks later laying her to rest. Puddy was without his partner, and it was a sad time for us all. But with any storm comes the sunshine and enter Uncle Leo. A rescue kitten, Nicole's best friends Lisa, help them adopt at just 8 weeks old, Uncle Leo was from Millville, NJ (Jersey strong) where he and his siblings were found by a retirement home near the Pine Barrens and Uncle Leo found his way to Nicole and Jonathan and has since stolen the heart of everyone, he meets including his big brother Puddy. Uncle Leo was a bright light on other things going on in their lives and we soon learned that this "just a tabby" was not normal. He would scale Jonathan's pant leg; jump leaping bounds onto Jonathan's shoulders and on top of his head. So what does a couple do? A DNA test to find our bouncing baby boy was part Maine Coon-part BENGAL and a few other mixtures but so became the wheel in the living room and the cat that ran on it...(maybe 10 times) ....But in between Nicole threw Jonathan a 40th birthday party; when Nicole the next year turned 50 Jonathan surprised her with a trip to the Cape May Zoo to feed the giraffes privately (one kissed her!) and then stood on the bar later that weekend and had everyone is the "Ugly Mug" sing Happy Birthday to her. They saw the Phillies game in person where we took the National League title and head to the World Series (ok, they lost) they saw the Eagles go to the Super Bowl (ok, they lost) but still ran down Broad to see our City come alive and people still chant and pole climb. Then Nicole had a little scare of having tumor removed from her spine and three months later Jonathan having major surgery and becoming part bovine with an aortic dissection that led to him having a cow valve. But through those setbacks and scares they stayed in love and brought themselves closer together because love is love.

LadyBug

One night after a few Moscow Mules. Fran Fulton stated, "I want to get a tattoo." Jonathan calling her bluff said "Ok, mom whatever you get I will. Keep drinking" Jonathan, Nicole and Fran went and each got a Lady Bug tattoo (all a little unique) one Sunday. And the Lady Bug group formed. Friends of Fran's all joined in and that was the start of the movement. Every story is not always joyous, but you can find the joy in it. Life's only guarantee is that one day it will end. After a courageous battle with lung cancer, our Lady Bug, passed away during a furious storm that when it was over so was her pain. On August 7 of 2023 Frances Palmer Fulton left her beloved family, friends and so many that she touched with her humor; tenacity and her fierce love of life and fighting for those who could not fight their own battles for rights. She left behind a legacy of love and she asked Nicole to make sure than Jonathan married her. While Nicole is not the center of Fran's world or her life this is where her love played into ours. She went to be with the love of her life, for eternity. Where we believe she is with Nicole's parent who also loved each other deeply. Our parent's memories will live with us forever and they love they gave to us.

2025

The year started out great. The Eagles WON the Super Bowl, and a healthy Jonathan and Nicole went to the parade where Nicole rode SEPTA for the first time! The night they won they went down Broad Street with all the other crazy fans and felt love with each other and the city we loved so much. A crazy summer followed as Nicole, unfortunately lost her job, but as with all things happen for a reason and Nicole and Denise prepared their house for sale and both started new chapters in their lives while Nicole officially moved in with Jonathan, Puddy and Uncle Leo in a new apartment in Philadelphia and Denise remained an NJ girl with Nicole and Denise's girl Savannah-the comfort cat. Adjustment is hard. Nicole left her lifetime best friend; sister; mother; conscious; the one who saved her life-but they will and always will be Besties; Sissy's and Denise is Nicole's Maid of Honor and walking her down the aisle in this next chapter.

The Proposal

Over 6 years together and through so much-when was it going to happen? Jonathan had a ring and wasn't sure when. Nicole had no idea as she had a new job; a new city; had to pump her own gas? Just wasn't sure. Christmas Eve 2025 they went to their favorite little bar The International (which Nicole calls the Intercontinental). They came home before 11 and Nicole decided "Let's open gift tonight; we are'nt kids we are going to my sister's tomorrow morning-let's do it tonight." Ok thought Jonathan, someone isn't sleeping. Nicole had Jonathan open his gifts first and in his stocking were a pair on socks that ready "OK-boyfriend." Oh Boy -thought Joanthan, And as Nicole went into her stocking there were the weirdest things in there (see side note-a Leitz tradition is the BEST things come in your stocking. Nicole's Dad had always made a big deal of getting the best gifts for her mom in them and all three sisters saw it the same-that's where the jewelry was -the gift cards-Denise and Nicole gave each other a great deal of expensive beauty products in them-that was the icing on top of the cake at Christmas, and Jonathan found that out when Nicole was on a Zoom call with her networking group two weeks before when she told them that. ) In this stocking was a stuffed dog "Are we getting a dog?" Weird lotion; hand sanitizer jelly bears (not swedish fish) and done and that was that Jonathan looked at Nicole and said "Nothing else?" All the way at the bottom beneath the seams was a package wrapped sqaure and inside Nicole guessed earring; but a box with a light that shone upon the most perfect beautiful sign of love from the man she loved "THE ring" Down on a knee "Will you marry me?" -You know the answer-that is why you are reading this. And that's where Nicole and Jonathan became Fiancé's to each other-just before midnight on Christmas eve.

And now....

2.27.27 Nicole Leitz and Jonathan Fulton will become husband and wife at the Camden County Boathouse at Cooper River overlooking the water in the 4 p.m. light. Chilly -hopefully not snowing. But a beautiful day to share with the people we love and cherish the most. We can't thank the people in our lives that support us and love us like we love them. Nicole can't wait to be Mrs. Fulton (even if it is a competitor bank name) and Jonathan can't wait to become Hubs. Forever.

"Sweet thing-don't you know you are my everything"

Love

Jonanthan and Nicole