There wasn't any one thing...it's the sum total of how this man treats me that made me know it's real.
1. My 40 y/o cousin died of a massive heart attack and I was in graduate school nearly 2000 miles away from home. Family was calling crying and the only person I could lean on was my man. When I walked through the door, he grabbed me, led me to the couch and just held me. And he told my family that they needed to give me a break from all the drama concerning the funeral, my cousin's cheating wife, etc.
2. I got a terrible case of gastritis (probably related to my cousin's sudden death) and let loose (sharted is the actually term) in the bed. I was so embarassed but he cleaned up everything and took me to doctor and never mentioned that incident again.
3. When he handed me keys to his house and his car without blinking or hesitating. And this man is crazy about that car
4. When he met my entire dysfunctional family and won them over by just being himself.
5. When he tells me I'm beautiful on my worse days, for dispensing tough love when I am procrastinating and for protecting me from dysfunctional family members and friends who resent the fact that I found love, got my education and a career that I enjoy.