On Jan 7th I was arrested for domestic violence, it started with her not being home watching our kids, I had to go find her at 2-3am to bring her home cause she was at her friends house. When I find her friend start screaming and yelling at me for "harassing" my wife and telling her to come home cause she was supposed to be watching the kids. It then escalates into this women choking me and ripping my glasses off my face, I call the police and tell them this girl is choking me and took my glasses, they said they're sending a unit out, I tell them ok I seperate myself from them by walking across the street and waiting for the police and then this girl continues to attack me again by choking me, I immediately call the cops again and told them if she does not stop attacking me I was going to fight back. Soon after me calling the cops the second time the Police show up and seperate me and my wife, they stick me in the back of the police vehicle and talk to me wife, they then come asked me what happened and I told them. After 5 min the cops tells me the girl ran off and there wasn't much they could do so they send me and my wife home. We get home and I continue to try and talk to my wife why she wasn't home and why this girl ran off. She told me "She said don't tell them my name and ran off" I asked why she cotinued to ignore me and I asked her why she would like someone just start attacking me for no reason, she continues to ignore and gets to the point where she leaves the room and goes into my Dads room and sits in there and talks to him. About 45 min later my kids are asleep and she decides to talk a shower and I stop her and tell her to talk to me she still refuses and then tries to go to sleep I still bother her and try to continue to talk to she again refuses and gets mad cause I won't leave her alone and starts to Hit and scratch and pinch me shes throwing toys hits me with a metal chair, it eventually gets to the point where I slap the chair out of her hand and she then runs to my Dads room to call the cops. I don't stop her from calling them I say go ahead call them, afterwards I get my pants jackets and jeans on and wait outside for the police to show up. When the police arrive the first thing they ask is to see my arms I show them my arms and asked me what happened I told them nothing happened, they then ask me for my ID and tell me to sit on the front of the car I stand there for 10-15min while they talk to my wife ( She claims I punched her in the head twice and choked her ) the cops then call me over and tell me that since there were no marks on her and marks on my that I wouldn't be going to jail but me being stupid says.. " Well I did slap her " the cops calls me an idiot then arrests me for Domestic Violence ( First time ever being arrested, don't have any priors nothing ) I get to jail I have to wait until Monday morning to go to jail I go to court and the Judge says my charges of Domestic have been dropped, but they hit me with Disorderly conduct, they set a new court date until Feb. 17th soon after I get out of court I'm served with a protection order from her and my kids she stating I choked and punched her and was mean to the kids ( my father was there the entire time, hes willing to testify at court ) so I spent 11 days in Jail until my PD gets me a plea deal to guilty for Disorderly conduct. I get out go home find out shes taken everything my bank card all the money all items worth value, takes rent money leaves me with nothing Blocks me and my entire family and facebook and then comes back over on Jan 23 with a guy ( I don't know who this guy is threatens to beat me till I'm clinging for life, I'm not there at the momemt my dad is and calls and tells me what happened ) I called the police filed a police report about the threat that was made against me and called CPS to do a well being check on my kids since I cannot see them until the court date on Feb 9th. I find out she is talking to other guys on the internet.

I have a legal aid coming to talk to me on Feb. 3rd and I have my sister who is coming to testify in court that I have never been violent towards her or my kids as well as my dad who was there the entire night while this happened.

What can I do to prepare for the court date and get the protection order dropped? Can I get my kids back after the court date or am I going to lose this hearing and not be able to see my kids for a whole year? I'm so lost and feel worthless I'm trying to get as much help and talk to as many people as I can but I still find myself lost and depressed. Just wanting some advice on anything, I'm sorry for the long post and terrible punctuation. Anyone willing to give me advice or help it is greatly appreciated.

edit : I do not want to take full custody or the children away from her, I just want to be able to see my children.