Reality star Teresa Giudice reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut at 3 a.m. on Monday.

The "Real Housewives of New Jersey" castmember began her 15-month sentence for mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud seven hours ahead of schedule.

"The reason she wanted to go early was because she didn't want to have her children wake up on Monday morning and see a big [media] circus outside of the house," Guidice's attorney, James J Leonard told PEOPLE.

Around midnight, the attorney picked up Giudice from the home in Montville Township, New Jersey that she shares with her husband, Joe, and their four daughters: Gia, 13, Gabriela, 10, Milania, 8, and Audriana, 5. Leonard said Giuidice's family has been her focus from the start.

"Her kids aren't just the No. 1 [priority] in her life. They are the only one," he said. "The entire time I have been involved with her, the only thing she has talked about in connection with this prison sentence is how it is going to affect them – not her."

Giuidice, 42, attended Mass with her family on Sunday, and was able to take a set of rosary beads and a necklace with medals for St Christopher and St Teresa with her into the institution. 

"They let her keep all of that," Leonard reported. "She was very happy with that, and she told me she would keep them with her all the time.

"The last thing she said to me was, 'I'll be fine. Tell Joe and the girls I'm good.'"

Joe, whose real name is Guiseppe, was convicted on multiple fraud and tax evasion charges, and will serve a 41-month sentence after his wife's release. He also faces potential deportation to Italy after his incarceration.