Happy New Year 2015

Written By:  Andrew Eide

Here we are on January 1, 2015. We begin the year 2015 with hopes and dreams that things will be better than last year.

Before I list things I’m thankful for going into 2015 I would like to take you back to when I was a teen growing up in California in the late 1960’s. Back then we had the saying “NEVER TRUST ANYONE OVER 30” so I thought about how old I would be when January 1, 2000, came and I found out I would be 46 years of age when 2000 came into being. I remember thinking how old 46 would be. Now I enter 2015 at 61 years of age and I have no plans of slowing down.

Here are some things I’m thankful for going into 2015.

I am thankful to have a wonder wife, Rebecca (Becx) and a great and wonderful daughter, Keira, who will turn 6 years of age on February 3^, 2015.

I am thankful that Becx’s mother, Ester, was able to come here to the United States, from the Philippines, to visit with us and she arrived October 18, 2014. We are working on an Adjustment of Status to switch her over from Tourist Visa to Immigrant Visa so she can stay here permanently.

I am thankful I received a small Cost Of Living Allowance (COLA) increase in my Military Retirement Pay. With the small increase, minus taxes, I’m $20 per month ahead of my previous monthly pay.

I am thankful I have TriCare Medical Insurance, due to being retired from the United States Navy, and while most people are receiving increases of $1,000 per year or more on their medical insurance premiums, I had an increase of a little less than $9 per year. Yes, you read that correctly, per “year” not per” month.” With insurance that covers all pre-existing conditions, with small office visit co-pays, and very low prescription co-pays, and no out-of pocket cost sharing, with no yearly and lifetime caps on payouts from the Insurance Company, I feel truly blessed.

Although my health is not “excellent” as I would rate is as “average” at least I’m alive and moving so I am thankful for that.

I hope as we move through 2015 that not only will the situation improve for us but also for every country on the planet.