House broken into yesterday.. home defense help needed

@emopunker, thanks for the advice. I was looking at a stock mossberg 500, but was advised that the pistol grip would be a bit easier for storage reasons (I guess because of size?). Like I said, absolute newbie here, does this sound like a trivial quality? Thanks again brother.

@ysr, I was thinking about taking a multi-session class. Unfortunately, with my work schedule in the new quarter it looks like it will be a few months until I can find the time to fit it in. I saw some advertisements for 1 on 1 lessons though and will be investing in some! I'm a bit confused as to your comment regarding, "don't you think they would have stolen your gun?". IMO it's missing the point. When I travel for extended periods of time I lock my valuables (watches, cash) in a safety deposit box. The break-in happened early in the morning, roughly between 5-10 AM while my house-sitter was at work. I need to feel safe with my loved one sleeping beside me.