Kortnie Leeann

Recently I believe I am learning alot about myself. When I was younger, I always knew I would have my perfect little family, and that I would do and give to them until I could no more. I never imagined I would be tried and tested to my limits in certain situations. I am so thankful I have the amazing husband and family that I do that keep things together and going smoothly. I may be young but I am very smart, and have been through more than people 10 years older than me. Im a full time mom, full time student, and a full time worker. I can provide for my family, and have provided for them since we have been a family. I've always kept a smile on my face regardless of the negative influences that have tried to rip it down. I look around me and see people with children whom they don't care for, families that take handouts as if they were candy, and take advantage of people everyday. I don't understand how and why people do this kind of thing. Its really troubling to know. Im proud of myself for the woman I have grown up to be, and the amazing mother that I am. I can look back on everything that I have done and smile, because I know I have given my all to my family, and done everything for them that was possible. I know that I have amazing kids because of my husband and I. I know that because of this their future is promising, unlike many kids these days. Everything that God has thrown at me, I have taken it and made something of it. I have not let the LITTLE things that have come along get to me, and for this I can smile and move on! Thank you to my amazing husband for being just that amazing in every aspect. Thank you to my kids, for a constant smile and proof of success. Thank you to my extended family for the constant positive words you give.Thank you to my awesome friends for enjoying the ride with me :) I love my life, and my perfect family!! LETS DO THIS!

Fall 2010

Fall time has got to be one of my favorites times of year. I love all the festivities for families, the colors of the leaves changing, and the weather. This year we have done alot with you Jay, and your brother and sister, from pumpkin patches to parks to family days on post. Although we have had alot going on we have been making the best of it for you. You love being able to hang out and play with N & C on the weekends too!I sure hope when your brother gets a bit older you play and share with him as well as you do with your friends now! Your most favorite thing this year was the petting zoo :) You had a blast, and the animal noises that you make are so adorably cute. Even the teachers at school, think your the most cutest kid ever! Good thing Jax looks like you haha. We also carved pumpkins with you this year, and my oh my was that fun! You had a ball doing it, although I think you were trying to sabotage my pumpkin carving :) Luckily though I got you your own pumpkin to play with! We are looking forward to Halloween with you, your going to be Spiderman, and your brother will be a bat :) Last year you weren't able to walk yet, so I felt a little bit wierd taking you door to door, I know you will have alot of fun this year! Im so proud of you Jay, of the person you are becoming. You have such a big heart and you are so smart. You love singing your ABC's, and at your check up last week your Dr. was very amazed that you can count in spanish and english, and that you know some Chinese! I know you will always make me proud! :)- Jackson is about a month old now. Boy he is getting bigger, and eating so much!!! He is such a gassy little baby! :) I think he gets that from Mr. Prege. Thats all for now I will return around Halloween to tell you about the boys' trick or treating and Jax's very first Halloween experience! -Mama Prege!

Baby Jackson Has Arrived.

Welcoming the newest member of the Prege family Jackson O Pregent, weighing in at 6.85 and 19.5 inches long!! Baby Jax was 3 weeks early, but you couldn't tell now, and thank goodness b/c that made it possible for mommy to get into her pre-prego clothes in just 2 weeks :)!! What a day Sept. 17th was, Mr. Prege and daddy went on a trip out of town on Friday morning and weren't expected home until late Sunday, well at about 4:00 their was a minor change in plans mommy was going to deliver early due to raised protein levels. Mr. Prege was a while away and I was just hoping that they would make it in time and they did! Mommy was very nervous about being awake during your delivery, and also afraid of complications that may occur due to you being born early, but you were healthy and so handsome, you looked just like your big brother Jay! He loved you from the very first time he met you. When the nurses would come in to check on you he would stop them with his hand up and say "NO! MY BABY JAX" Mommy named you after a very close friend of ours David Ough. Dave O was here not to long before you were born, he has been a family friend for years and right after they returned to FL after visiting Dave O was found in his truck not concious, right then during my pregnancy I knew that you would be named after him. Your a month old now and spending all my time with you is amazing, your such a good baby and you have so many people that love you! Your my baby boy, and I promise to always give you and treat you amazing!!

You Are You!

My Jay,

Words can not explain the love I feel for you each and every day. Your truly one of a kind. Every thing about you is unique. You know what you want and when/how you want to get it. You are very outspoken and joyous. I cant remember exactly when it was when daddy and I bought you those John Deere boots, but from the day we bought them you always are wearing them. Diapers and boots :) That was until yesterday. You found your sisters black dress shoes, and I believe they have become a part of your ward robe. Oh but I love it. I love your sense of style. It makes you, you! Except for when you always want your jacket on and it HAS to be zipped up (not so much here recently) or when your wearing pants and your pants HAVE to cover the camo on your John Deere Boots. But besides all of these things this is what makes me look forward to waking up in the morning and doing it all over again. Every day is something new for us. You learn something or do something that was somehow even funnier than what you did yesterday! Its amazing how fast time goes by. I remember holding you in my arms when you were just a baby. Today has gone by fast and I think that its time for your nap now :)I am really looking forward to this Sunday it is Easter and I am excited to be dressing you up in your Polo and going to Church! Maybe even an Easter egg hunt too! I love you very much!! As you would say BAAHHYYYYEEE (using that country slang of yours) 3/31

Dear Jay

This is sort of like from the beginning but geared for my son to learn about me....from me not others.

Dear Jeffrey,
I never thought of doing this before until your "Nenna" got me interested in a very interesting journal. It was from a father to his son. I want you to know the true me if something ever happens to me before I am old enough to tell you on my own. Where to begin. I was born on Oct. 14th 1988 in Parkersburg West Virginia. A small little town with great people and beautiful country roads. Your “Me-maw” and “Papaw” Becky and Ronnie were also born around that area. As well as your uncle Justin. You have many family members still there, and a few who have relocated to Florida, North Carolina etc. When I was younger I hear I was very sweet, silly, and spoiled. A daddy's girl. I loved and still love my daddy dearly. Your me-maw is pretty amazing too :) When I was younger I spent a lot of time with my Granny and Pap-Pap your great grandma and grandpa (Ralph and Jeanne McMullen). When I wasn't with them I remember going to a place called Bergoo Mountains. I always had so much fun out there. Your papaw would take me to the fishery (not sure that's what it's called) so it would be easier for me to catch fish. Its like a ten foot pool with hundreds of fish in it. I was always so excited to hook a fish! We would also go in the creek and go down the banana slide, and I always enjoyed having campfires and roasting smores. I loved to hang out with your uncle Justin more than I should have probably. I am sure I got a little annoying at times. I got my first “kiss” when I lived there I had a huge crush on a little boy names Shane Wells. We went to a school dance and popped a little cheek kiss. He gave me a necklace when I left. When I was in 3rd grade your me-maw, papaw and I moved to FL, your uncle Justin finished that school year in West Virginia. When I started school at Skeen Elementary school, I was far ahead of the 3rd graders in Florida. So I was very bored and always got in trouble for talking in school. I still get in trouble for that. I also attended Oak Park Middle School, and Leesburg High School. I got in trouble in 10th grade and got kicked out, I ended up going and getting my diploma immediately. I did well in school never studied but always made As and B's. I met a lot of great people there and Florida is where I call my home. My best friend Tiffany (your “aunt” TT) and I have been friends since we were in the 3rd grade. Man do we have some memories! We have only been in 1 argument our entire friendship, which was because of someone else. It wasn't even a huge one! When we got a little older we were very sneaky. We'd sneak out on the weekends with our friends and go mudding or to house parties. We always told each others parents that we were going to the others house and ended up staying out all night. I definitely had arguments with my parents and that is very normal, looking back now I wish I could take it all back and I wish I could understood that they were just looking out for me. In 2006 I joined the Army, the best decision I have ever made in my life. I had a very bad break-up with a boyfriend that I had been dating for a while and just felt that I needed to get away from there. I went to basic training at Fort Jackson SC, I was only 17 and your me-maw and papaw had to sign a release form for me to do join. The hardest decision I think they had to make. Everyone told me that I couldn't do it, I just felt the need to prove them wrong and I did it! In 2006 around Christmas time my Granny passed away, I was very sad and upset I remember the last thing that she said to me, she said “Kortnie I just don't want you joining the Army because when your sad, lonely, and crying your not going to have anyone to hold you while you cry.” I miss her very much and in my bible by my bed is a picture of her and my pap-pap, that always makes me smile. Going through Basic training was not as hard as I had imagined, the hardest part was getting 3 minute phone calls home. Its a tease, I missed your grandma and grandpa terribly. They weren't only my mom and dad they were my best friends. I made it through though, and they along with your uncle Justin your great grandma Dowler, Aunt Cindy, and Uncle Mike all made it to my graduation. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I had done something for my country and family for everyone to be proud of me. I felt important and like nothing could get in my way. I found out that I was getting stationed at Fort Campbell KY. I was very nervous when I heard this, because they deploy very often. I was assigned to 4th BDE, BTSB. I was a 42A Human Resources Specialist. I took care of everyone's finances, leave, promotions etc. I loved my job and the people that I worked with. Soon though I would fall in love. I went to lunch one day with a co worker of mine and a guy she was seeing. A few days later I saw this lifted black Ford F-150 at the gas station. (I loved lifted trucks and “country boys”) so I pulled in, turns out it was the guy we went to lunch with, he was so handsome! I later find out that he didn't need to go back in the store but went in to “buy a drink” to see me but he didn't know it was me either. A few days later he finds me on myspace (stay away from those websites) and says something about a poser, and I immediately got an attitude, but I gave him my number. I knew what I wanted I was just playing hard to get. I blew him off for a few weeks and dodged going to lunch dinner or hanging out with him on the weekends. One day though, being a private in the Army I was broke. He called to ask me to dinner and I accepted. I remember being so nervous and walking outside to be picked up as soon as I saw him coming I got a huge lump in my stomach! We went to the China King Buffet a place we often go to still. Yes I said still because that night was the beginning of the rest of our lives. He is your dad. J.R.P SR. We have been inseparable ever since. We met late February, we spent every single and I mean every single day together, we were married July 1st 2007. Which is a very funny story. Basically your papaw had no idea and Mr. Prege and I didn't tell him until he got here from FL on his motorcycle. We did make sure he approved first though and he did, we were married the next day. We knew your daddy would be deploying soon and his exact words were. “If something were to happen to me, I want to know that Kortnie would be taken care of when I'm gone.” Your daddy has the biggest heart ever. Turns out a few months later I found out I was pregnant with you!! This is something we both wanted and tried for. It was an amazing pregnancy and you were very good to me. I never got sick it was very easy. You were born March 11th 2008 at 4:08 a.m almost 9 pounds! Your daddy and I were still active duty in the military and unfortunately he would be deploying very soon after. He left when you were 2 weeks old for Afghanistan. This was very hard to deal with. I was very sad and you kept me going every day. Watching your daddy walk out the day while holding you was one the most upsetting times in my life, my heart felt empty. But I remember sitting at the kitchen table and looking at you all I could do is kiss and hold you, knowing that this might have been the last time you and I saw your daddy. I knew you may never get to meet him or learn what he was like. Or find out all the reasons I fell in love with him. But I saw your daddy through you, your a spitting image of him and that's what kept me going and strong. It was very hard being a “single” mommy, caring for you all by myself, luckily even though far away your daddy still supported us. I went home to Fl for a little while, since I had leave from the Army. Your me-maw and papaw helped me out so much. No one can ever get you ready for something like that, I blamed myself your daddy anyone that I could. But that wasn't the answer. It was a very hard and testing time. Ultimately I think you were part of the reason we made it work, besides of truly loving each other with all of our hearts. When I came back to work I was told by my Commander that I was to deploy July 4th. Yes you would only be about 4 months old. There was no way that I could do this to my newborn baby, leave him without a mother or father for a year so I was honorably discharged out of the military and moved to FL for a while. Things didn't go as planned and ultimately I had to find out that our home was in TN. I came back where we belonged. When you were learning to talk you would just talk to your daddy on the phone while he was deployed. You would have full conversations with him. He come home for his r&r September of that year when you were 6 mths old. He flew into the Orlando Airport and I was shaking so badly I couldn't hold you, papaw had to. That first hug I gave him just reassured the commitment we made to each other. Then I handed you to him the first time he has touched you since you were two weeks old, this moment was amazing that only we can share with each other. Not many people understand everything we have gone through, and some never will. Just know we have a very strong family. I think him leaving to finish his tour of duty was harder than him leaving the first time. Although things were hard I never put you aside, you were my priority and you were always taken care of, above anything else. In January of 2009 your daddy was hurt in Afghanistan and Med Vac home 2 months before everyone else. I was so excited he was coming home, but sad for him because I know how hard

it was for him to leave his Soldiers. But I couldn't help but be happy my family would be complete again. It was great and I was so excited. You were almost a year old and we were worried daddy wouldn't be there before this for your first birthday. But he was. Your daddy made up for all the time he has spent gone. Because of his injury he has been placed in the Warrior Transition Unit until this day March 30th 2010. I have been going to school for the last year to get my degree in Business Management. We want to start our own business when daddy gets out of the Army and we relocate to Florida. Which will be very soon. We are 700 miles from family in Florida and we miss them dearly they miss you so much too. Although since you were born all of our close family members have always made a great effort to come and visit! The the story of me until now, I'm just going to give you some more info below!!
.K.L.P.
I have darn brown hair and hazel eyes. They change colors just like yours :)
I love poetry, soft-ball, the beach, motorcycles, mudding and our family.
I'm very outgoing and spontaneous. But also very stubborn. I am not much
of a procrastinator, when something needs to be done, it gets done. I smile a lot.
And cry for no reason sometimes! I love Crime Scene Investigation (Miami), First 48,
and Sons Of Anarchy. I love tattoos, and think they are very sexy on your daddy.
I have always been spoiled and still am but I am very humble. Your my everything and I would do anything for you.
Before we found out that you were a boy daddy told me if you weren't a boy I would have to walk home. A very long walk too.
Your dad wanted to name you Gunner, but I was not having that. We named you after your daddy and named our black lab Gunner whom you love very much!
Things for you:
I want you to know its okay to cry, boys are allowed to cry. Treat every woman with respect and dignity. Lean on a woman for strength when you need it. Always pay for the date. Open the door for her and pull out her chair for when she sits down. When your older I want you to always use your manners and say sir and ma'am. Never try to be someone your not for someone else Be yourself be unique. Let your heart fall in love with someone when its love, not when you have a lonely heart. Wait for that special girl. Study and do well in school, you will regret it if you do not. Be active in your school with sports and activities. Always take a lot of pictures to look back on. Do not burn bridges with people you may need them later in life.
I'm going to keep adding to this daily/weekly. I'm going to write about our days and what we do together. Funny things you do because you do so many and you are very intelligent. I just wanted to write something to get started. I guess 3 pages is a good enough start :)
March 30th 2010- You went on your very first motorcycle ride with daddy. You have a love for motorcycles but you haven't had the courage until today to get on one. You love it and every time you hear the motor crank, you want to ride. You also have a deep obsession for Cars the movie. You love it and the characters. Today you were wearing an orange basketball outfit...you come walking out with your step-sisters(your daddy can explain later) dress black shoe on the left foot, your John Deere boot on the right foot and your green and brown beanie on your head. Even dressed like this your still a stud! I love you!

15 Months Today!

Wow! Today my little man is 15 months! Holy crap! I can still remember when he was first born. I was so scared/nervous I was about to be a new mommy! Unfortunately I wasn't awake for any of it, but I think I kinda like it that way! I went to sleep then woke up and bam I had a baby!! lol But in all honesty this last 15 months has been a real eye opening expierence. I never realized how much I could love someone! Its def. been a rough 15 mths too though. Especially with me getting out of the Army, Mr. Prege deploying. I have to say though everynight when I put him to bed, I cant wait till Jay wakes up to play the next morning. Sometimes he is a handful and is def. irritating lol. He loves to be the center of attention and is ALWAYS hungry, but thats Jay. I even find myself making his cute little faces just because (esp. the one below). Last night though I think he knew today he would be 15 mths he must have wanted to stay up and party, because he didn't sleep a wink! Maybe 2 hours...and today no sleep at all. I just actually layed him down but still hear him screaming. As you know I can't listen to him cry so therefore I have to go get him. But I love you Baby Jay! More than you can ever imagine. You will see one day though!! <3>

From The Beginning

Mr. Prege and I met in the Army in the beginning of 07'. Quite funny story actually so I will go ahead and tell :) I was new in the Army and big trucks have always been a thing of mine lol. Well I had become aquaintances with a certain girl and little did I know they had been "hanging out" with eachother. Nothing serious basically friends but I had seen this truck around and around. One day she asked me to go to lunch with her and some friends and ahhhh it was the big truck guy who was giving us a ride! (secretly I was oober excited) Basically a few weeks later our friend was leaving to go to another post. So I thought he is definately available now!! One day after work I was heading somewhere cant exactly remember now but I seen his truck at the gas station, perfect opportunity!! I pulled up to the gas pump like I needed gas. (really I didn't) and I later found out he was about to leave but seen a "hot girl in a Mustang" pull up ( he didn't know what kind of car I drove) so he asked his friend if he needed anything to drink, to secretly bump into me. I walk into the store and he went the opposite way just to find ourselves bumping into eachother. Exact words "oh its you" Mr. Prege says. I smiled and walked away. Not even 5 days later a myspace message, from who? MR. PREGE! Talking back and forth a little bit I learned some things I absolutely loved, he is so funny, has tatoos, big truck, a *motorcycle*, likes to ride 4-wheelers, camping everything was so perfect!! Everyday for the next 2 weeks he asked me to lunch or dinner and I always just blew him off, I suppose playing hard to get. Well one weekend I guess I ran out of mula, perfect timing Mr. Prege called and asked if I would like to go to dinner. Well Yes! I would hehehe. We went to the China King Buffet still remember to this day exactly where we sat our entire conversation and him even tricking me into taking a forkful of Wasabi (yuck!) even remember him telling me his taste of music on the way home, I believe a foreiner song came on and I just looked like...are you serious?! hehe but from then on we were inseperable! Every minute of every day we could spend together we would! About a month after we started dating he had to go to the field JRTC, its a field training excercise in Ft. Polk, LA the soldiers go to before deploying they were attached to another Brigade that was getting ready to deploy at the time. It was such a fun month. I waited for his calls or his texts. I couldn't get my mind off of this guy! He was so amazing! Finally he came home and everything was perfect it wasnt to much longer after that I believe we learned he had a daughter. She is the most precious little girl ever! I have to admit I was 18 and a little weary of it. But by this time I had grown to love this man and I was able to accept the fact he had a daughter. I remember him always asking me to come with him to see her and meet her I was a bit nervous.

It just seems so fast how everything happened, we met in Feb-March of 07' he left for the month of April came home in May got in touch with his daughter and by June he was buying a home. Asking me if I wanted to move in!! OMG!! Of course I wanted to, I just didnt want him to know that :) Butttt I moved in anyways it was perfect, and we were honestly so very, very happy! I remember June 15th going to meet my Aunt whom by the way was the very first person to meet my future husband. She said she knew from the first time she saw us together he was the man for me! We had talked a little bit about getting married, having children, everything that I have ever dreamed of. Coming home from that trip we went to a friends house. I remember writing little notes back and forth (which we still have today) about us wanting a baby, and making our family complete. Well the end of June rolled around and there was much more talk about marriage, and babies. We went to the mall one evening and the first store we walked into...KAY JEWELERS!! omg!! He told me to pick out a ring wow this was hard. I finally found one that I loved and it fit perfectly(coincedence? I think not) but as the seller was cleaning it up she told me a diamond was loose and I couldnt get it for atleast 2 weeks!! Bummer! Thats ok though I can wait! So I leave and Mr. Prege is filling out paperwork as it starts to rain I decide I will be sweet and pick him up at the front of the mall. We drive home and cook dinner...and I started dosing off...But you know when you get that feeling someone is watching you? Yeah well I had it, I opened my eyes and there it was my ring!! Just then Mr. Prege popped the big question as my eyes just rolled the tears on out! Why did he even ask? OBVIOUSLY I was going to say yes! Just so happens he told the store clerk to say that he actually had bought the ring put it in his left arm coat and was going to walk out but when it started raining and I drove up to pick him up at the door he had to switch arms!! lol he almost got caught! Its crazy that my parents were coming up that weekend because him &I talked and decided since were so happy, we want a family, and deployment is just around the corner lets go ahead and do it. That Friday my parents arrived in town, my mother knew what we had planned but I had to break the news to my father that the very next day Jeff and I wanted to get married!!! It all went well actually and my dad could see from the moment he met him,he had my best interest in mind. He was looking out for me. So we got married July 1st 2007. Best day of my life! It was a very small wedding and only a few friends and family were there only because we decided to have a big ceremony once the deployment was over! So we went on with our every day lives still planning on that baby, working, getting closer and closer to deployment. Just all bout having a good ole time without a care in the world. Except for the nearing deployment. I had started feeling a little down and sick, just not as up to speed as I normally am. Didn't think much of it. By now its time for Mr. Prege to go to his JRTC in Ft. Polk so to pass time by I would go over to the Kirks house and hang out. I was very lonely and it was so good to have such great friend there for me so often. Mrs. Kirk tells me she thinks I may be pregnant, I haven't missed any periods I told her Im just probably sick. She convinces me that I need to go to the Dollar Store..lol.. and buy a pregnancy test. I saw no need in it all I. I knew I just wasn't pregnant already. This is October and we hadn't really tried to have a baby since after we got married, but I decided to go and eve made her buy the test. I get back go to the bathroom and take the test. All of a sudden my phone rings its Mr. Prege calling from the field just he says I just woke up from having this wierd dream you took a pregnancy test and it was positive!! Just then I looked down and started bawling!! I WAS! It was positive, holy shishkabobs! I was so happy and it was perfect timing if you ask me! He got home and we were both very happy about this although Mr. Prege said he didn't want it if it weren't a baby boy! Just his luck though we went for the ultrasound and wouldnt ya know he got what he wished for! We were having a sweet baby boy!We were so happy. Boy was that a long pregnancy! I remember feeling so fat and ugly!! One day we were supposed to go out with some old friend of ours, and I didnt find anything that fit right and it was just horrible! I started crying and shut myself in the closet, next thing I know here come Mr. Prege sitting down and just holding me while I cried! So on and on our story goes until I am about to pop!! It was March 10th at 12:30 pm I felt like I was having major contractions, so I went to the hospital. Mr. Prege was at work so a friend took me and the people at the hospital forgot to update my due date in my paperwork, so before they figured that out they were saying oh your ready just go walk around for a few hours come back and we will start! Yay I thought then here came the news because they hadn't updated my paperwork the Dr's couldn't deliver me that day! Her specific words were come in at 12:01 a.m and you can have this baby!! WHAT?! She then followed by saying but sense your not far enough were going to give you a shot to stop your contractions. I just knew this wouldnt work and my baby would be coming anyways. So they gave me the shot. I still told my family to head this way. The arrived a little earlier than midnight and my contractions were getting worse then at 1:45 my water broke! We arrive at the hospital in full labor to find out the baby had flipped and is now breach (most likely because of this shot) they had to do an emergency c-sec!! I was worried but the Dr's told Mr. Prege he could be in there because the wouldn't have to put me fully under. Wrong! They had waited to long to give me any medicine and I could feel my baby coming out, gross I know sorry! So right then and there they put me under and didn't even tell Mr. Prege he couldn't be there. Once he was born at 4:08 a.m on March 11th 2008 they took him right away because they indeed thought he was premature because of this whole due date mix up! As you can see I think we can agree he was no premature baby, weighing in at 8 pounds 15 ounces!! He was a big boy and looked just like his daddy!! We named him after his daddy! We call him Jay! Such a happy time in our lives married, with a daughter, a new born baby boy, but at the same time 2 weeks later I had to deal with the absolute hardest day of my life. Watching my husband, my best friend, the father of my son leave for a 15 month deployment to Afghanistan. I felt lonely, sad, hurt! Here I was a new mom with a 2 week old baby boy and the most important man in our life just had to leave. It was his job all that he has trained for. I was an emotional rollercoaster after the next several months. And couldnt even imagine what to do. I was so lost. This person who I had grown so close to for so long with our perfect relationship and honestly hardly even a flaw in it was gone. The hardest part of him leaving was just thinking if I would ever see him again. Would our son grow up to know his daddy. Would our daughter remember what she knew of him. What would I tell them if something happened. I remember just praying and praying that he would come home safely. I honestly think Jay was a gift from God. He kept me strong and for the most part on the right path. He made me happy and remember why to put a smile on each and every day! He was my new man of the house. The house that felt awfully lonely. I remember I didn't even sleep in our bed for the first atleast 8 months of the deployment. Him leaving wasn't the only hard part. Having computer or phone conversations was the next part. We could only imagine the tone on the computer and when we talked it was very hard to be happy. It seemed we were always arguing and having disagreements about things that wouldn't even matter if he were home. Its so hard to fix things when they are thousands of miles away. I honestly have to admit being married so quick, having a family, a deployment all wa catching up to me. Mr. Prege and I decided it would be best for me to be with my family in FL. So I got discharged from the military and moved home while he was gone. This was amazing at first I had so many people who were the for me being my "friend" helping me out. I didn't realize these people were jealous of what I had and just wanted to bring me down. Buttt we got through it and Sept. rolled around. This is when Mr. Prege could come home for his mid-tour leave!! I was so excited/nervous I didn't know what to expect. My father, Jay and I all drove to Orlando to pick him up from the plane I remember a mother of a Soldier asking if my husband was coming home and I couldn't even say yes my teeth were chattering I was shaking and all I could do while waiting for him to get off that plane was shake my head yes. Then there he was the man of my dreams walking straight towards me and I couldn't hold it back! He was safely here in my arms it all felt so right!! Finally he was home! I couldn't help to think though that only in a short 19 days would he be leaving again. We definately had alot of fun while he was home made a trip to TN, to see Matti. Went to Clearwater which was absolutely beautiful! I enjoyed this time with him and we rekindled alot of things that had been bothering us! We made up for alot of missed time like our 1st Christmas together, 1st Mother ad Fathers Day, 1st Wedding Anniversary. Sept 19th he had to leave again though. I honestly think that the second time was alot harder than the first. I could only begin to imagine what Mr. Prege felt like! In November I felt as if it were time for me to move home and start getting ready for Mr. Preges rearrival to the states which was supposed to be sometime in Feb-March time frae. That was a long few months. But something had happened to Mr. Prege and I got a phone call on the 26th of Jan. that Mr. Prege would be leaving Afghanistan on the 28th to head home! No way I was so happy finally this nightmare is over I thought! I couldnt wait to see him, hold him you know! When that day came I honestly believe it was the best day ever, but even then I hadn't realized what was awaiting ahead for me. You dont realize how mch you get used to everything on your own. Doing everything for yourself then bam all at once you have your husband back that has been gone just shy of a year. It was very difficult learning eachother over again. And yes we had to re-learn eachother because we had both changed very much. Like if Mr. Prege said turn left even though turning right would take you to the same place you just better turn left :) Or that I like the dishes done as soon as they get dirty (not so muc anymore) it was just very difficult to get used to actually having him around again. Which I would not change for anything. I'd have to say that I thank God for my family especially mom and dad, and for my very very very good friend Mrs. Ski without them I dont know what I would have done! So we will just say for the past few months Mr. Prege and I have had our rough times but its getting better as we get more and more used to having eachother around. Although here lately due to the Army which I just absolutely love ..NOT.. I have been seeing less of him than usual. He has a worksite during the day and school at night. Thats just obsurd to me. But thats the Army. RIDICULOUS :) anywho here recently we have been planning our big ceremony in Fl!!!! Which I am pleased to announce will be amazing! Its been hectic though and very nerve racking but I think its all finally coming together! I start school on the 15th as well on-line classes though as I have a full-time responsibility of our kids. Which I am also so pleased to say that as of June 23rd Jeff and I will get custodial rights of Matti. Love her to death. Welp I guess that about sums it all up for now! I'll add more and more as we continue our journey of the Prege family.. Oh how could I forget we got a puppy when we first got together. Funny story too Mr. Prege had initially wanted to name our son Gunner... cute but no, so I decided to let him name our Dog Gunner. He is a full black lab and has become part of our family. We love him...even when he runs away for 9 hours at night....orrrr when he eats all the hamburgers and hot dogs before we even get a chance to eat...orrrr when his breath stinks worse than Mr. Preges burps from the butt =] Heres a pic of our dog Gunner!! And yes we even love him when he tears up all of our basketballs, soccerballs, softballs, etc.