Enjoying the 2nd Amendment

***Disclaimer***
Don't shoot yourself in the foot and then blame me for it. Use some sense, folks!

Last week, a neighbor's house (just down the road) was robbed. In the middle of the afternoon, while his wife was out on an errand with his kids. The thieves knew the area, knew what his wife drove and the time frame that she'd be out of the house. And bearing in mind that we're 10 minutes from nowhere and the bad guys were likely locals, it's unnerving.

I've been sort of edgy ever since.

Watching for suspicious cars driving by.

Watching people in the cemetery (who aren't there for the obvious reason.)

Locking all doors, windows, gates, cars, setting alarms.

It sounds lame, but those are new things for me, as is worrying about being home alone with the kids all day long.

The good thing that has come out of this robbery is that it's encouraged me to figure out a game plan; what I'd do if someone broke in on us. And it's also encouraged me to practice my God-given, Constitutionally-protected right to bear arms. And oy, is my shoulder tender.

My mom picked up the kids for the afternoon, so the Mister and I set up some targets in the orchard (woe to my fruit trees!) and practiced shooting a bit. It had been a while since I had handled a gun, but everything my grandpa said come flooding back when I picked up a shotgun. And I think I impressed Jeff. Just a little bit. You know, for a girl ;)

We used a cracked rainbarrel at the back of the yard for a 'human-mass-sized' target and practiced from about 15 yards, the approximate length from one end of the house to the other. We used an M-14, a .45 and a shotgun (.410?) and once the Mister got past the fact that I shoot left-handed, things went swimmingly. The high point of the evening was when Jeff popped his head up and yelled "Did you just hit my Mountain Dew bottle????????" Yes. Yes I did.

I ended the evening feeling quite confident in my abilities. I'm not going to win an Annie Oakley sharp-shooting accuracy test anytime soon, but if someone breaks in and the Mister isn't around, I'm confident that I can protect my kids AND ruin the intruder's day.

Ladies, I know this is a topic we don't like to discuss, but give it some thought. Preparedness isn't just about stockpiling beans and toilet paper, you know. It's also about being in charge of your own personal safety and that of your family as well. We can't expect the Sheriff or local police squad to come charging to the rescue if we detect an intruder.

There is no cavalry.

Police departments are reactive.

And that puts the burden on us to be proactive.

If you never learned to shoot, learn. If you haven't practiced, practice! Now is the time to take responsibility for your home and children and utilize the right that our forefathers died protecting!