For the last year I have been on the road. I have been home every weekend for the last month or so but up until then, since last October, I have been gone. In that time she has been pregnant and given birth without me, taken wonderful care of our son and new baby girl, managed our finances, cared for a 3000 sq ft home and all that entails, and is now preparing it for sale all on her own. She has put up with me being gone and not playing a large roll in her or our childrens lives.

I really want to do something special for her but I have no idea what will actually mean something. A day at the spa, flowers, and a nice dinner are all ok but arent going to cut it. Im looking for some ideas to show her how much I appreciate her hard work and dedication. I know if I was in her shoes I would have snapped by now. Thanks in advance!

 

I know you have the best of intentions, but you make it sound like she's an employee instead of a wife.

Find someone to take the kids and spend a weekend with her, (or even better, a week), somewhere SHE wants to be. Just the two of you. Together. Alone. Let her pick where/when, OR, make it a surprise if you're sure she wants to go where you want to take her.

chaikwa.

 

buy her what she wants and be gone the next week.
Are you still working for uncle sam ?
fly her to Austrailia for a week.

Women are odd, they get real used to you being gone all the time and it messes up their routine when you're home too long.

 

YOU need to take her on a wonderful vacation, take her to her favorite place, to the place you met her, anywhere's you would really want to be with her by your side. Spoil her for awhile. I think she would want you there lovin her more than anything money can buy.

But don't get whupped all over again.

 

Well, we are actually moving back to the place we met, but its no paradise, back to Yuma. I would love to take her on a week long vacation, I know she loves the beach, maybe someplace in Mexico or Hawaii.

Really didnt mean to make her sound like an employee, maybe thats why we get into it sometimes.

These days it doesnt take long for me to be "in the way".

Ill do some thinking on it. Thanks guys.

 

Def. take her someplace nice, for a week or so if you can swing it, and make sure the week is all about her, maybe go to Hawaii or somewhere special like that and pamper her, massages, pedicures, breakfast in bed, the works. It'll cost you a pretty penny, but a good wife is priceless. That's what I plan to do for the wife as soon as we get some financial stability in our lives, she's had to put up with a lot, and has more than pulled her weight the last few years. Most importantly let her know you love her and treasure her.

 

Ok now that I know a trip is in order, who is gonna watch the kids?

 

Hey, Sir, don't let the haters spoil it for you...

My wife suggests that you 'recreate' the way you proposed to here, maybe use a past/present/future ring this time...

One time, I gave the wife a box of her favorite chocolates with a necklace inside... I had a heck of a time carefully cutting and then re-gluing the plastic wrapper on the outside, but it was worth it... (of course, she did not open it for like two stinkin days, and it was driving me friggin nuts!!!

The breakfast in bed, massages and such are good ideas... I think that if you keep up with a lot of little stuff, it makes it a big deal. I often hide cards in the house the the wife will find after I'm gone... on the mirror over the sink, in the fridge, in a cabinet, in her truck, under the pillow...

The wife also says... (some of this is a long shot...) Plan an evening with out her knowing... just tell her that you have a surprise for her... get someone to watch the kids, make dinner reservations, take her to a movie, walk on the beach, if you can get someone to watch the kids overnight, get a fancy hotel with a hot tub in it, and a spa service would be nice, too... (here's the long shot)... she also said to buy her a dress for the evening. Yeah, I gave her a look on this one, (I'd screw it up), but if you think you can handle that sort of thing... Biggest thing, don't make her lift a finger when you plan all of this.

Good luck...

 

Thanks, those are some good ideas. Im headed home on Friday and she has a girlfriend in town. They are going out so I should have some time to hide some stuff. She has been hitting me up for a new ring. The one I bought her 8 years ago on LCpl pay is not the nicest item in the jewelry box. It would be cool to incorporate her old set into a new one somehow. Ill do some creative thinking and come up with something.

 

Hey, wait a minute! I thought I was actually offering something USEFUL here!

Good post Mark and good ideas. I'd like to see what your wife would think about your dress selection skills tho!

chaikwa.

 

Yeah the dress thing might be tough. Id have to check sizes in the closet and get some help from her friends to make it right. This is all usefull, no worries!

 

Take em to the vet. Oh wait, you mean your other kids...

 

Yeah, the two legged ones.

 

Grandparents around???? Close friends??? Possibly Camp???

 

Grandparents in Texas, Close friends will have to me made as its a new duty station, and Im not sure of many camps that take 9 month olds. My 5 yr old is in school so it will have to wait, but I can do the little things till it all comes together.