[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by wesleyj

I'm actually planning the Gondolas on Lake Mede for the popping of the question. Then limo to to dinner and whatever we decide to do for entertainment from there.

Gondolas on Lake Mead? Sure that's not gondolas at the Venetian? I'm pretty sure gondolas couldn't operate on Lake Mead which is 30+ miles away and 100's of feet deep. Don't want to see you get lost. Plus it might be too hot at Lake Mead for anything romantic, although as far as I know the paddle-wheeler still operates out there.

[wesleyj]

yeah. Not the Gondola ride at the Venetian, but the Gondola cruise at Lake Las Vegas....I always thought the lakes were one in the same.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by wesleyj

yeah. Not the Gondola ride at the Venetian, but the Gondola cruise at Lake Las Vegas....I always thought the lakes were one in the same.

OK, Lake Las Vegas is romantic although it will be uncomfortably hot outside. It might not be anything new to someone who just got back from Iraq though. There are some really nice places to eat out there too. If you could stay at the Lake Las Vegas Ritz Carleton it would be really romantic. That is one fine hotel and the service is fantastic. Lake Mead and Lake Las Vegas are close to one another but not the same lakes. Lake Mead is a large National Recreation Area and mostly very primitive and Lake Las Vegas is a fancy man made resort.

The gondolas at the Venetian are mostly indoors and air conditioned.

[redwhale]

I guess I'll be the bucket of cold water on the festive events.

Please prepare her for what is about to happen. If you are young like me, we come from a generation of constant, easy communication which does not easily correlate with the realities of war. While at sea we sometimes had communications blackouts which completely devastated some relationships as the spouses just could not comprehend a breach in emails or phone calls. It's bad luck to bring these things up but I saw divorce after divorce because the spouses could not deal with this in the least.

It's probably a generational thing. We've never gotten so much attention and the lack of it is an affront to our disposition. If you love her you must prepare her for some isolation. You MUST trust her with your life as you will probably give her power of attorney while you are away. Those stories you hear about jewelry, cars, and houses bought without your knowledge are not fairy tales, they happen. In my time in I have seen some ridiculous things and guys come home from a tour devastated finacially because their spouses put them there. Being a DoD employee not only obligates you to pay everything back but it messes you up forever with rank and stature. You HAVE to pay that back, there is no bankruptcy while you are in. DFAS has no qualms with you living on $3 a month because the military provides you with all you need to live.

I wish you the best of luck and God bless you while you are over there, but if you enter in to this partnership you better cover all the angles for both you and her.

After all that, I still recommend Hugo's Cellar for all your romantic needs. IMHO the best place to take a date you really care about.

[LouB]

^^^Redwhale, if Wesley has gone as far as proposing to her he must already trust her. Love is blind! I think she must know about the separation, and absence can make the heart grow stronger. There is a great support network out there for military spouses.

Best of luck Wesley, hope it all goes well for the both of you. Keep us posted and stay safe.

[SDSmitty]

Hell, if I were you, I would get married there by an REALLY corny Elvis impersonator.
That's just me, though.
Thank you for your service, stay safe, and of course, best of luck.

[wesleyj]

Redwhale,

I appreciate the heads up...but you should save that bucket for someone who may be that naive to the deceptions of certain people. As for me, I didn't just meet my girlfriend yesterday. We've been together for two years and have a daughter together. I've been deployed for ten months already, she's has all the power of attorney's and she controls the mass of our money. We are already like married, but I want to put a ring on her finger and propose in way she'll never forget. Being this is my last deployment(only caused I'm stop-lossed) distance and/or communications won't be a barrier much longer. Like I said thanks, but I've had awhile to contemplate this, so you could say the angles are covered.

[wesleyj]

Originally Posted by LouB

^^^Redwhale, if Wesley has gone as far as proposing to her he must already trust her. Love is blind! I think she must know about the separation, and absence can make the heart grow stronger. There is a great support network out there for military spouses.

Best of luck Wesley, hope it all goes well for the both of you. Keep us posted and stay safe.

Thank Lou =)

[LouB]

Let us all know how you get on! I do like a happy ending

[Kaytee003]

so has this happened yet?