Saturday, October 11, 2008

guns- yea or nay?

I've always leaned toward yea, Ryan the nay.  My dream was to have (among many other guns) a cute little pistol with a pearl handle that I could wear in a garter.  Silly, maybe, but I still like to go target shooting and think it would add a sense of comfort should danger arise.  I also understand that having a gun can bring danger into your home when you have children, and that's why Ryan leans toward nay.  Of course there are precautions that you can and should take like a gun lock, safe location and teaching your children about them.  But to be honest I don't think having a gun in your house is anymore dangerous than having a pool in your back yard.  You just have to educate your babies and ALWAYS take safety precautions.
Well tonight was a night I really wanted a gun.  I was home alone with the kids because Ryan had gone to Gavin's to watch the BYU football game.  (Go Cougs!!!)  I just finished coloring my hair and came down stairs to make some popcorn (gotta have my late night carbs) when  somebody rang the doorbell.  I wasn't expecting anybody, and since we live far from most our family and friends, people don't just drop by unannounced.  Still it could be a ward member or something, so I got up and since we don't have a peep hole, yelled through the door "who is it?"  But if we had a peep hole, it wouldn't do any good anyway since I can't figure how to turn the porch light on and our front door doesn't face the street but just a long dark walk way since most of the houses around ours are vacant right now.  Anyway, there was no answer, so I just stood there thinking they might not have heard.  The door bell rings again and again I yell "who's there?" - still no answer.  So I made a quick round the house shutting of all the blinds and making sure the doors were locked.  Problem, one of our down stairs sliders doesn't lock and the dowel that we use to make sure the door won't open was missing since Drake likes to use it as a sword.  So I call Ryan, ask if he know where it is-no, tell him what's going on.  Get off the phone and a minute later the door bell rings again.  Call Ryan, tell him somebody's outside, I'm scared, Ryan says he's calling the police and coming home.  I panic, imagining the worst, grab a knife and run upstairs to the kids room.  Right now's when I 'm wanting a gun in my hand because I realize if I have to use this knife to defend myself or the kids, the attacker has to get really close before the knife is effective.  (Oh but I also REALLY want to take knife throwing lessons, then I'd be cool)  So I go into the kids room that's over the front door, although you can't look straight down since there's a balcony in the way.  I have the lights off and go to the blinds.  I see shadows and hear noises-I wasn't sure if it was hopping the fence noises, or trying to open a window noises, PANIC!!! so  I call 911 and tell them someone's trying to break in.  This was all in whispered sobs, I don't know how he understood my address.  But the calm operator dispatched a squad car right away.  Then was ten minutes of agonized waiting for the police, and in the mean time, realized I only had a knife and that wasn't going to do much-dang it, and why did we switch the door knob so the door locks from the other side?  So I pushed the dresser in front of the door.  Still crying, wondering what do I do if someone breaks in and me and my babies are up here?  Finally the police get here, I saw them and their flash lights, and Ryan arrives about the same time.  
The police look around and while we were on the porch talking to them, our neighbor comes out and announces he has his gun loaded and one in the chamber ready to shoot because he's scared.  He also had his door bell rung, had no answer then heard gravel from people climbing around outside looked out his window and saw two dark figures!!!  Holy cow!  So glad I didn't open the door!  I seriously haven't ever been so scared, I couldn't stop the tears from coming for so long.  Now I reeeeeeeeealy want a gun.  
What do you think?

18 comments:

melis said...

My vote is yea. I am want one for Christmas.

I am so sorry that happened to you! :(

Desiree Sanders said...

OMG!!!!! That is so scary. I thought your story was going to have a happy ending, but it didn't! Josiah has a gun. I don't think I want my own, but every time he's working late or overnight, I run the scenario through my head. It's in the nightstand, and it's loaded, but there's not one in the chamber. (P.S. Next time you come over, remind us to move it!) I could totally shoot someone if they came into my house! Especially living in my hood.

Kaylani said...

you better believe we have a gun and I am totally NOT afraid to use it. My family is my life! I'm so glad you're ok. Thanks for not opening the door Kristin!

JacksonFamily said...

Me and Tawnya once scared off some attackers at Jasmyn's with only a steak knife, hairspray & a croquet mallet. Seriously though, I'm so glad you didn't open the door & I'm all for having a gun.

Mark & Stephanie Humpherys said...

I would have to agree in having a gun...We don't have one YET (mark and I both want one) but plan on it...That is so scary..so glad you did not open the door...You are smart to do what you did, even though you were scared...Sorry that happened to you...

Morgan said...

oh my gosh... i kept waiting for you to say it was your neighbor or something, but that is SOOOO scary. I am so glad you had the smarts not to open the door. I am grateful we live in a building with a 24 hour security guard, and you can't even get in the door without an electronic key.

i don't have strong opinions about the gun issue. but if you feel more comfortable having one, then i say go for it. especially when you have an experience like that.

Bella Beginnings said...

I say yes, just like the Swiss. Males in Switerland have to serve a couple of years for their country, then they keep their guns as a militia member. Every person knows how to use a gun and has one in their house. They have one of the highest gun owenerships per capita with the lowest fire arm related crimes rates in the world. Thie makes sense because seriously a burgler would think twice before trying to enter a house when they know that they are armed and educated. That being said, I know how to use our guns and if in the event of being endangered, I would not be afraid to use them. Ryan and I have even talked about taking a concealed weapons course just so when I travel, etc without him that I have one. I am so happy that you did not open the door! That is so scary. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_Switzerland

Mary Crawford said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jeppesen Family said...

You are so smart. I would probably have just opened the door not thinking. I vote with Ryan, though. Guns scare me, and I don't think I would be able to use it even if I had one. But, I also think that if you feel safer with one, you should be able to have one. Especially since you are responsible and would educate your kids on gun safety.
I wanted to add a comment to your previous post. I read it last Tuesday, and I was feeling so sorry for your Sis. Then, later that same day, Nathan calls me to inform me that he drove off with his laptop on top of the car and it's gone. I had numerous pictures on there I will never get back, and he had all his info for residency applications that were due Friday on there. Not to mention the cost of the laptop. Good thing I had read about your sis's situation just hours before, and it made us feel a whole lot better about ours. Thanks for posting that so I can put everything into perspective, and I hope their situation gets better!

Shalene Miller said...

That is Scary!!!! I definitely think you need a gun!! Dallas ran into Ryan on campus a couple weeks ago and he told me that we just live down the street from you, Williams Field and Power on the ASU family housing (they are actual houses) . Its fun on campus, our whole ward is students with families and lots of families whose husbands are in law school( we have lots of activites for us moms to get out with the kids) you should come visit. Its super safe out here and the ASU police (they are actual trained cops) patrol throughout the night. Plus ASU has a free shuttle to main campus and back throughout the day, we save a TON on gas. Come visit!!

Shalene Miller said...

Oh one more thing, its nice bacause we are all in the same boat, poor poor poor college students.

Rushele said...

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!! Man, I have major goose bumps just reading it, and now I'm all tense!
There's nothing I worry about more in my life than having an intruder at night when it's just me and my kids at home. Freaks me out! I always wonder what I'd do, and how I'd defend myself, and sometimes even, how do I protect both children at once since their rooms are down the hall from one another and both are closer to the front of the house than my room..... Glad everything is alright, and that nothing happened it you or your kids!!
And to the gun question, YEA!!!

Jonathan and Sarah said...

Okay that is one of my worst fears!!! I think about it often and get myself all psyched up... but it's for GOOD REASON obviously! My husband has a gun that he occassionally quiz me on on how to load it, get the bullet out, what is safety and so forth. But I always feel like if that ever happend I would freak out and not know what to do. It seems with how you handled the situation that when the nerves are going you can do things that you might not otherwise think you could do. Good job. I'm so glad everything is okay.

Jeremy Jo and EmmaLee Tiny said...

I say have a gun! It is better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have it. It's also important to not only have one but to know how to use it, when to use it, and to also have practiced shooting it so you wont be scared to shoot it when the time comes that you need to use it. You also have to be willing to shoot to kill. If you aren't then the gun might be even more dangerous to have in the situation. I would rather have the trauma of having killed someone than the trauma of having my daughter kidnapped or getting rapped. I would rather the person not get away either because I wouldn't want someone else to be the next victim. I also believe though that when you are in a situation like the Lord will guide you in what you should do.

Zac and Catherine Griffith Fam said...

Get a gun girlfriend! Or you could just come borrow one of Zac's or maybe his bow and arrow for protection! Seriously I am married to Davy Crocket. That story is scary and right now my husband is out of town and I have my niece and nephew for 4 days.... I will go say my prayers now. :)
Zac got "me" a hand gun this summer. I still don't know how to use it but he is very adimate about me knowing how. Someday I will be white trash enough for him:)

brian and thera tolman said...

That is so unbelievably scary Kristin! So glad everything is ok. We just bought a gun this week, I highly recommend it. With everything going on in the economy we are going to see a rise in crime and we have to be able to protect ourselves and our families.

Chelsea said...

i say hell yes. we have guns. not only does it give a little more peace to the worried mind, i was told recently that studies have shown people who keep guns under their beds have hotter sex lives. so there ya go.

Kat said...

I'll add the next HELL yes! :) So scary. I'm glad you didn't open the door! I'm a freak about that. If i'm not expecting anyone, (thank heavens I have a peep hole), there is no way I'm answering that door! Great analogy by the way... comparing guns to pools. I bet way more kids die from drowing than from mis-using a gun! BTW, your poor sis. I can't believe what happened :( How are the "meds" working out? you may need to up it to 4 or 5 if 3 isn't doing it