Happy Friday!

I need your input.
The pastor's son enlisted in the Marines and will be off to basic training next month - almost one month to the day. We, OK I, cannot let him go without an afghan blessed by the congregation. His favorite color is purple and I have two skeins of Caron By The Pound in Deep Purple (because that's the manly purple. Can't send a Marine pleb into basic with lavender. I thought I would do squares and so pulled out my knit stitches book (one of many) and cast on and, well, I ain't feeling it.

But I don't have a lot time to let feelings get in the way, the lad needs an afghan!
So, off I went to my Ravelry cue (blbochenek for those that want to be a friend) and I looked over what I had in my cue and selected the following: Give me your input and I will do the one with the most votes:

Here's this one. I would do it in one solid color or add aubergine to the deep purple.
Then there's this one that also could be done in a solid color for texture.
And the final one that could also be done in a solid color.

The good thing is I think I've done all of these patterns before so the learning curve should be short and once I get going it should roll trippingly off the needles - to paraphrase Shakespeare.
Please give me your thoughts - I need to get going on the afghan and I have to put the green Epais one to bed and it would be easier if I knew where I was headed.

You think about it - I'm on my way to the yarn store.

Wait..where?