Hi...I'm new at this, so bear with me.

It's funny growing up in a small town in GA (Albany to be exact) with a last name like Peguese. Looking in the telephone book, there was only one Peguese listing for the whole city...the one for my immediate family. It may sound like just a small thing, but trust me, being "the only in town" can give you feelings of being so...alone. I felt like I was always searching for our family's place in the world.

It's just nice to visit a message board where people can relate to your experiences. To experiences of having the teacher clumsily try to pronounce your last name while calling roll on the first day of class, or people who try to "make sense" of your name by calling you McGee. There used to be a time when I was younger where I couldn't wait to get married and take on a more "common" last name. But as I grew older, I realized that this last name holds a legacy--parts good and parts not so good--a legacy that is and will always be a part of me.

As I reach the profoundly mature age of 22 *smiles* and actively begin my future, a part of me is yearning to find out mroe about this wonderful name that I was blessed enough to be born into. If you want to know more about our family or want to share information about yours, or if you just want to say "hi", please feel free to e-mail us at jpeguese@surfsouth.com. Cash donations are nice, too, as I am currently paying back my portion of student loans. (Just kidding...mostly!)

Well, it was nice meeting you all. Again, thanks for...well, for existing. Seeing those letters behind someone else's name does my heart a world of good. I wish everyone the best of luck on your respective searches. May you find what you're looking for!

Blessings to you all,

Miranda D. Peguese