Carrie Underwood, Mike Fisher ‘Struck’ by the Small Stuff

Carrie Underwood may be getting ready to take a big step (marriage!) with hockey player Mike Fisher, but it's the small things about their relationship that first captured her attention.

"From the beginning it felt different," Carrie reveals to PEOPLE magazine. "You could tell Mike had the best intentions all the time."

The NHL star also opens up, saying of Carrie: "The first thing that struck me was how shy she was, yet down-to-earth. I knew pretty early she was a special girl, and I was very lucky!"

Carrie and Mike both find romance in "the little things" they do for each other. She cleans out his refrigerator and goes grocery shopping for him; he makes dinner, looks after her dog (and soon-to-be ring-bearer), Ace, and -- listen up, guys! -- buys her purses he thinks she'll like. "He's always spot-on!" Carrie gushes.

Carrie also says one of her favorite things Mike does is showing her off to his friends. "It makes me feel really good," she confesses. "It's not grand, romantic gestures. We're [just] really considerate of one another. Mike makes me feel so special. I don't care what the title is: bride-to-be, girlfriend, bride ... as long as I'm around him, I'm good."