Dr. Laura, 

My cat knew my now-husband was a great guy before I did.  My cat would have nothing to do with the guys I previously dated, but she sat on his lap on our first date.  His first gift to me was a pair of shoes -- that fit perfectly!  But above everything, I knew I could trust him no matter what. It was the way he would do what he said he would do. He showed me by his actions that he was committed to me. I knew early on I was his one and only. 

After a year of dating, he moved away to San Diego to do neurological fellowship training. When he left, my mother asked me what I would do if our relationship didn't work out. I told her I wasn't worried, I trusted him. As he was leaving, he told me he loved me. Two months after he left, he asked me to marry him. A year and a half later we were married. 

Today, after 17 years of marriage and 2 kids, he is still the man of integrity that I love and trust with all my heart. He is the best father and husband I could have ever asked for. For me it wasn't one thing he did to make me know he was the one. It was the whole package: Integrity, humor, honor, trust, love, commitment, passion, loyalty; a truly good man - not to mention his good taste in cats and shoes. 

Lise