The lesson of our experience is twofold. First, it speaks to the enormous benefit one reaps beginning to save early. We had the independence to decide where we wanted to raise our family rather than have a job dictate where we would live. Second, it is a reminder that money does not in itself bring happiness.

Sure, most of our income is now spent on needs, and the wants of life get put off more frequently than in the past, but life is simpler and so much more enjoyable. Frantic mornings getting kids ready for day care have turned into enjoyable breakfasts with the family and conversations on which park or hike the kids would like to enjoy with Mom.

We were a two-income family with a 17-month-old-son in day care in Washington. We had not a financial worry in the world. However, we had little time to enjoy our firstborn, except in the car during the madness of D.C.'s rush hours or the seemingly endless number of days one of us called in sick to care for our son, who seemed to pick up every illness that entered his day-care center. During our son's hospitalization due to a respiratory illness, my wife and I looked at each other one night and read each other's minds. There must be more to life than this.

The benefits of the vaccine are twofold: one, is to protect those who get it, the adolescents and in the future adults; and secondarily to protect the community and the children in the household from being exposed to the bacteria,

The biggest single lesson was an early one, and that was that what appeared to be a lifeless landscape was anything but.

It was ugly -- 12 turnovers in the first quarter. I don't know if we got into the holiday fudge early or what, but it brought back visions of last year. I give (Reynolds) credit -- they played well. We also helped them, though.